Thankful

We went to my mom's for Thanksgiving this year. So much has been going on recently that I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to go. I've had back/leg pain and numbness that was a little scary, but it's improving and further tests will determine the cause. Anyway, we needed help with the kids while I was laid out and in and out of the hospital, and we had friends come and help us out. Despite the stressful situation, I feel so blessed that we have people in our lives that are willing to help. And I'm especially thankful to Francine, who took me to a doctor appointment and went to the ER with me from there, and stayed with me. We're very blessed. And I'm thankful to have two precious children who bring joy to me every day, no matter how much is going on. And I'm thankful that I got to see my parents, sisters, and niece for Thanksgiving this year.

I could go on and on about all the things in my life that I'm thankful for, but one person I am especially and eternally grateful for is my husband. Here are some reasons I am thankful for Jorge:

He always tells me he loves me
He gases up my car for me
He encourages me to get massages so that I can relax
He takes the kids outside to play when he gets home from work (when it's not too cold) so that I can have some time for myself
He's an awesome father and knows how to play with kids
When I'm sick he takes over with the kids so I can rest
He cleans a lot
He always wants to spend time with me
He can always tell when something's on my mind and he knows just what to say to help me feel better
He listens to me, even when I'm talking about something he doesn't normally have an interest in
He gives me beautiful babies
He still likes to "date" me
He works a lot so that I can stay home and focus on our kids
He does everything he can to take care of our family

I could say a lot more about the things Jorge does for me and our family, and I could add  subcategories for most of the things on the list. He's a great guy, and I love him.

Anyway, here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving stay in Santa Maria.

Here's my mom showing Elena some of my grandma's old Christmas ornaments.

Elena had a blast with Auntie Amy.

And then she danced and danced.

My mom started knitting and she made the most adorable beanies. Samuel loved wearing them; well, he loved putting them on and taking them off, over and over and over.

Got to see my dad and my nieces, too. It was a good day.

We all had plenty to be thankful for, including yummy food. I made the pumpkin pies. Last year Samuel was really young at Thanksgiving time so I didn't make pumpkin pie, which is my absolute favorite, and I waited a whole year to make it. It was good.

 I was so exhausted after the drive home, but it was worth the trip.