Thanksgiving...

If you have read this blog, you know that it started one year ago. It has been amazing how time goes by and how we've healed since then. We are thankful to be where we are, and we are only here by the grace of God. After losing Amanda, Andy and Katelyn, our lives could have fallen apart even more than it did. I credit the healing to all of your prayers, and a God that loves us more than we can fathom. Saturday, November 29, Amber and I along with her parents had a little ceremony to remember Amanda. We went to where we spread their ashes and left a pink rose for Amanda. We miss her as we do Andy and Katelyn. This coming Sunday, we will again drop a rose for each of them.

We are thankful to look to the future. At the beginning of the year, if you told me would Amber and I would be expecting a child of our own, I probably would have scoffed. At the same time, I'd be a fool to say that I did not hope for a child. Amber and I still hoped to have children be that through adoption or on our own. We are just amazed at how God has worked through all of this that we are expecting Emma in late March. We know that Emma is a common name, but oddly enough, we do not know any. It turns out that in some baby name books, Emma means all encompassing. We chose Hope to be her middle name, but little did we realize that Emma's name would mean all encompassing hope when put together. I just love how God puts things like that together.

While we had our sad moments, we really enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday (except for a certain football game Thanksgiving night, but par for course on that for the football season). Nothing like a little Cajun turkey, corn stuff, mashed potatoes, green beans, and stuffing for a meal. Top it off with a little pie and you are good to go. Friday Amber and her mom hit the stores for Black Friday. After getting back, the report was to never go to Wal-Mart on Black Friday. Umm, duh. Denny and I did venture out that afternoon to Academy sports and outdoors, and Fry's Electronics. Fry's was selling flat screen TVs like Tickle Me Elmos. There sure did not look like there was any economic recession there. It was the epitomy of gotta have it now microwave generation consumerism and have it your way capitalism at its finest.

That night we went to a Christmas concert featuring Casting Crowns, Natalie Grant, Avalon, Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, and Michael English. I like Christmas music, but Amber is a Christmas music junky. This was right up her alley and she enjoyed every moment of it. I also enjoyed it more than I thought. Christmas music speaks to the soul more than any other song I can think of, especially when sung by someone who knows Jesus. It was also our Christmas gift to Amber's parents and it made for an enjoyable evening.

This week Amber goes in for another check up with the doctor. Amber will be 23 weeks pregnant tomorrow. So 13 more weeks until the cerclage comes out. Please keep us in your prayers as we keep on going.