Always thankful ...

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

Turkey, family, relaxing moments and the lack of stress all push this November date to the top of my list. No gifts, no running and no "this is a Christ-centered holiday, but I'm going to act otherwise" mentality. Simple and inspiring, and that's just how I like it.

But today is Veterans Day, not Thanksgiving. Yet, I can't help but think about all of the things I'm thankful for today. At the top of that list: Veterans. Count my sister, Daniele, and my father, Keith, among them. I'm thankful that they served, but I'm also grateful they both came home after their service to our great nation unharmed.

And those veterans fought to protect our freedoms. I'm thankful for those freedoms. I'm thankful I can write this blog without fear of government reprisal. I'm thankful I can worship as I choose. I'm thankful I can tote a gun if I want, vote as I see fit and write for a newspaper, promoting public awareness.

But, today, I'm thankful for even the small things, like the innocence of a child. I'm grateful that Alex and Lucas are still young enough to enjoy life without the fear of humiliation. They can be overjoyed at the fact that they got to wear blue hair paint in their hair today in honor of Veterans Day. Their much older and wiser brother would never consider such a thing -- after all, he's way too cool for blue hair these days.

I'm overjoyed at the fact that Emery is getting well enough that Henry and I got to go to bed early last night and get a full night's sleep. Ahhh, the little things ...

And that when I'm bloated I can reach into my closet and pull out my "fat" jeans and laugh to myself that they are the size 5/6 pair. I'm thankful for a workout regimen and a husband that allows me the time to enjoy it.

I'm thankful for friends, a loving family, an adoring husband and wonderful kids. I'm grateful for a flexible job, good insurance and a comfortable middle class lifestyle that affords me an enjoyable life in a small town.

As Thanksgiving approaches, there's a lot I am thankful for, but more than anything, I'm grateful and humbled by a heart that acknowledges these blessings all year long.

He's something special

When I think of my Lukie, I can't help but smile.

The little boy with a heart of gold who works so hard and has overcome so much.

He's my Lukie. Little more need be said.

When I picked him up at church last night, he ran up to me with a book in his hand and a smile spread across his face. "I told Nelson I wanted to be bathatized," he exclaimed. "He told me I have to read this book, first. He said everyone who wants to be bathatized has to read it."

He couldn't wait to read that book. It's a book geared toward a child, explaining God and his love for us. And as soon as we had the chance, we plopped down on his little couch, the reading couch, and opened the cover. I read some, and he read some. Little brother Alex stopped in for a visit and ended up staying, soaking in as much as Lucas.

We finished the first chapter, discussed it and reviewed what we had read. I tucked them both into their beds, and left the room with a smile on my face. I can't explain the feeling I had. It's unimaginable, really. I just had the opportunity to spend the past 30, maybe 45, minutes talking to my children about the wonders of our God, our loving eternal God. I got to explain to them, wide eyed in wonder, how our bodies would stay here on earth, and our eternal spirits would ascend into Heaven where we would live with God forever. We talked about God's promises for us and how God is perfect, faithful and just. We discussed grace and how we change, but that God never does.

It was beautiful, as all God's gifts for us are. Lucas is one of God's gifts, and I'm excited to share more precious moments explaining God's love as we prepare for him to be "bathatized." It's an amazing moment when a Christian mother realizes that her children are growing up with God and making plans to spend eternity with Him. There are no words for that, only grace.