Happy Thanksgiving! It may be late, but I am still just as thankful...

While this is a little overdue, I do not believe it is ever too late to express your gratitude for all of the wonderful blessings in your life. Rob and I had a great Thanksgiving here in our little home in Wenatchee with my family and Grandma Barb. We loved hosting our first Thanksgiving and really just had a blast. I hope your Thanksgiving was as surrounded with family and fun as mine was, and that you are as full of thanks as I am.

I am one ridiculously blessed kid. I almost feel guilty for the immeasurable blessings that have been bestowed upon me since that one early evening in 1986 (22 years ago to the day, actually) when I arrived into this world, naked, screaming and in tip-top, perfect health.

God must have been having an amazingly great day when he decided that mediocre me deserved the family he allowed me to be born into.

He gave me a father who is an amazing man; strong but gentle, focused but silly. A man who works so hard for his family and loves them beyond all measure. A man who isn't afraid to bow down and worship our God, who isn't afraid to protect his family at any cost, a man who isn't afraid to admit his own weaknesses, and a man who gives to others without so much as a second thought.

God continued to smile down on me, before I was even a twinkle in my parents eyes, when he gave this sweet, sweet angle of a woman to my father, who became his wife, who, in turn, became my mother. There is no exaggeration in my words when I say there isn't a mother better than my own. She loves without restraint and she gives of herself with no limit. She too, is unashamed to love our God. With her contagious good moods and her amazing talents and creativity, these two, my mom and dad, make an amazing pair.

God prepared the perfect place for me, right smack in the middle between an incredibly gifted and perfectly stubborn older sister who would show me many of the ways of the world, and followed with the sweetest, most honest, though respectively obnoxious, little sister who continually brings innocence to our life. The former has an amazing talent of standing up for what she believes that we really could all learn a bit from. She isn't afraid of what people might think, she isn't afraid to be wrong and she certainly isn't afraid to upset anyone with said beliefs. The latter, has this amazingly concrete faith that she has had from day one. She knows that in all aspects she will be taken care of in life and therefore has gone at living said life with gusto.

As if my immediate little family isn't more than one can dare ask for, our little flock is surrounded by some of the most loving, caring and downright good people we get the privilege of calling relatives. We certainly aren't flawless, we may have a few black sheep or two, but when it comes right down to it we are rock solid, full of love and life and would do anything for anyone of us. My extended family is not big, but it is most definitely all that I need and more. My grandparents, yes ALL of them, are seriously some of the most giving people I know. I can think of 110 examples just within this last year in which they have sacrificed things solely for my purpose of happiness, need or comfort. I know without a shadow of a doubt I am loved by them, and none of us are afraid to say it.

I make friends with fascinating people who for some reason or another find me someone they want to enjoy life with and we make more great memories than one deserves. We find ways, even in the murky days of high school, to have the most fun of times while sticking to our guns and not turning our backs on our morals. We have our differences but embrace them rather that letting them be the wedge that shoves us apart. I love these people like they were born into my family. I still know I can count on them for anything, at anytime and hope beyond all hope that they know they can count on me for the same.

So here I am, living an overly blessed life. My parents are still giddy, head-over-heals in love with one another, I have been given my faith in a loving God from day one, I have great, nay, amazing parents, friends, siblings, grandparents, aunts, cousins... like I said, I am one blessed child. I have been given opportunities to live in different areas, always have more than enough food, clothes and shelter, and have had so many marvelous experiences presented to me in such a way that I can enjoy and learn from them. I am loved by more people than I can shake a stick at and, really, haven't a worry in the world.

Then, amidst probably the lowest point in my life, when I was full of teenage angst and had made up my mind that everyone was out to get me, while I did some not-so-great things (mind you, this is the lowest point in my life) out of my shame and misery comes my knight in shining armor. I can call him husband now, but my then 'boyfriend' of sorts stuck with me through the hell I drug him through for no better reason than my own entertainment. I would consider myself beyond my rightful blessings had I been born in a cardboard box and left to fend for myself had Rob still stuck with me, still loved me, and heck- still wanted to be with me.

I don't know why I deserve the man who I call my husband. The truth is, I probably don't. He is the kindest, most trusting and honest person I know. He is the best of everything from everyone I know. He is a hard worker like my father, he gives of himself to no end like my mother, he stubbornly stands up for his beliefs (and me) like my older sister and he loves his Lord and God unconditionally like my little sister. He would give his last penny to a perfect stranger in need like my grandparents, and for some reason unbeknownst to me he loves me for me, like all of my friends and family.

Our entire relationship, from day one, has been a roller coaster, but entirely guided and planned. There is no way God's hand isn't in on this, because the story is entirely unbelievable, yet 100% true. I have been given this incredible man that I get the privilege of sharing a life, a family and a faith with. I cannot express enough words of thanks for everything (namely, everyone) I have been given in this life. God is so gracious.

I write this in my cute little house, listening to the subtle snores of my wonderful husband, sitting next to my sweet, sweet puppy, belly full, toasty warm, and perfectly taken care of in every single aspect of my life. And all I can think about is that sweet little girl on my refrigerator who is thousands of miles away, living in who-knows-what kind of house, who hasn't eaten a meal in who-knows-how long, and has a greater need for health care than anyone I know, and has the least chance of receiving it. This little girl is Verina, an 8 year old who lives in Malawi, Africa. My parents decided to sponsor a child under each of our names (my siblings and me) in order to give more. They gave us all a picture and the name of our sponsored child at Thanksgiving, with the promise to send their monthly money every single month until the children are grown adults.

I cannot stand to think of how blessed I am, how much I have, while there are so many millions of people who don't even have their basic needs met. So this Thanksgiving, my sincere 'thanks' for everything in my life comes with a prayer. A prayer for all of the people of the world who either don't have food, shelter or family, as well as those who do not have faith in the one true God, who gives, and loves, and who has a plan for everyone in this wild, crazy life.

What are you thankful for this year? Make sure you really consider all of the blessings, the true blessings, in your life. I have so many, I have completely lost count.