I'm thankful for...

1. a God who loves me and who doesn't give up on me
2. a husband, Brice, who loves me, forgives me when I let him down, unloads the dishwasher, and who doesn't mind giving the kids their baths!
3. being able to be a stay-at-home mom
4. a daughter, Abigail, who generously gives money to others
5. a son, Isaac, who wants to show me each thing that he draws, colors, writes, and builds
6. a son, Ethan, who makes me stop and think about my words and actions when he asks me, "mom, are you mad at me?"
7. a son, Levi, who wakes up smiling every morning, which makes me smile, no matter what else is going on
8. parents who will still rearrange their schedule to help me
9. in-laws who send fun packages in the mail
10. friends who pray for me, listen to me, challenge me and understand me
11. a brand new kitchen!
12. a mini van with automatic doors
13. a Dr. Pepper fountain drink from Quik Trip
14. the 5:45a.m. Jazzercise class
15. not having to make the big Thanksgiving Dinner!
16. and much more...

Check out this link

This hits close to home!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEYLMhslvgY

KITCHEN REMODEL

It is finished! We have a beautiful new kitchen! Brice is absolutely amazing. He completely tore out our old kitchen (with the help of friends on "demolition day"). He put in new electrical wiring and plumbing, new appliances, lighting, tile, floor, etc. Here are some before and after pictures.

the big "3"

Ethan turns 3 years old today! I have posted some pics from his birthday party, which we had yesterday. He had a lot of fun with his friends. He is a proud owner of an official "Big Wheels." Each of our kid's birthdays are special, but Ethan's will always be extra special because it is a reminder of how close we came to losing him. Enjoy his cheesy grin!

already six months old

Levi is six months old today. His most recent accomplishment is that he can sit on his own for a few seconds before toppling over. I have talked to the older kids about the importance of keeping
their small toys away from Levi since he grabs anything within
reach. His diet is expanding each week as I start to introduce baby food and he seems to be enjoying that. We just love him to pieces and are so thankful that he is a part of our family!

Abigail's Baptism - August 24, 2008

We celebrated Abigail's baptism with friends and family yesterday! We are excited to see God working in her life and are very proud of her for wanting to tell the world that she loves Jesus!

Ethan's heart is doing great!

I am relieved and happy to report that Dr. A. said Ethan's heart looked the best yet! He said he is a normal little boy with a few "plumbing issues", not a little boy with a sick heart. We couldn't have asked for better news for Ethan. He doesn't have any physical restrictions nor does he need any heart meds at this time. He goes back in another 6 months. Another sign that he is doing so well is that Dr. A. said that Ethan could even go one year because his heart looks so good, but given Ethan's past history and the fact that he has shown that he can change from good to bad fairly quickly, he is more comfortable with going 6 months between his appointments right now. (So am I!) For those of you who prayed specifically that he would cooperate well for all the tests, let me just say that he was "Mr. Cooperative" this morning! Honestly, I didn't even recognize the little guy. He followed everyone's instructions and I just stood there and watched (probably with my mouth open in disbelief!) But just so that I didn't think my little boy had turned into someone else, his normal little fighting spirit returned the second we walked back in the door at home!

The stuffed octopus in the picture is a gift from our favorite echo tech. Ethan has a special place in her heart and she fights to do Ethan's echo each time. =) She has done his echos when he has been very, very sick (with me crying by his side) and I know that she is just so happy to see him so healthy right now. He is well loved in the cardiology clinic! Once again, we can't begin to tell you what your prayers have meant and continue to mean to Ethan and our family. I hope that you can see God's grace in Ethan's life and feel a sense of awe that you are able to be a part of it through your prayers. Ever feel like you don't deserve something good that has happened to you? That is how I feel right now!