Thankful Thursday

There are so many things to be thankful for today and I won't bore you with all of them, but here's what's on the top of my list:

• First, I am thankful for my bloggy readers out there. I love the comments I receive from you. It is such an encouragement to me. I know there are some "lurkers," too which is fine. It's fun to see where people are "visiting" from. God has blessed me with this blog and I enjoy sharing a little of our life with the world. I've been thinking about a way to thank you so stay tuned. I hope to post about that soon.
• Second, I am very thankful for my wonderful in-laws. They are always gracious and willing to watch Matthew and/or Maia. It makes it so much easier to take just one of them to a doctor's appointment. The kids love spending time with Nana and Papa! They are truly a blessing to us!
• Our kids' birth moms. Because of them, we have two treasures who make us laugh, bring joy to our days (as well as some stress - lol), and are gifts from God. I wish that I could show them how much the kids are loved and cherished and how they are thriving.
• Angelina - she is the medical director at the orphanage where our kids lived. I am so thankful for the oversight she gave to the care of our children. She always seemed very sincere and genuine in her wishes for them. I have heard some horror stories over the past week from adoptive parents who are visiting their new lovies at their orphanages. That's a story for another day (since today is a day to be thankful), but it both breaks my heart and makes me angry (not a strong enough word). Anyway, although the care at the detsky dom could never be compared with the loving care of a family, we never had any reason to believe that our kids were mistreated or abused.
• The ability to reach out to others. I don't take advantage of that often enough. But, I am thankful that God reminds me that I have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those around me.

What are you thankful for today?? I can't wait to hear!