Gifts

Caleb and his cousins watching our video on his birthday.  This photo was stolen from Julia's blog.  Thanks, Julia!

This summer, I read part of the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp as part of a reading group.  I haven't finished it, but God has used it to teach me much about giving thanks.  In the book, she writes of a list she makes of one thousand gifts given to her from God...one thousand things she is grateful for.  I started a gratitude journal that I put down for a while and picked up again this week.  I am going to try to make that goal before we leave the hospital.

Tonight, I am thanking God...

• for the little boy asleep in the room he shares with his cousins 1,217 miles away. 
• for the little boy asleep in his crib at the hospital 2 miles away.
• for my best friend sitting next to me.
• for all of you walking with us on this journey.
• for wonderful family caring for our big boy.  See Julia's blog post on C's birthday here.
• for great nurses and doctors caring for our littlest when we can't be there. 
• for the fact that He is always with our boys...whether we're there or not. 
• for Jude's decrease in weight today.  He is less swollen!
• that He daily bears our burdens. 
• that we have not felt sorry for ourselves when we see families taking their babies home.
• that we have this opportunity to wait on God for His healing for our little guy. 
• that we are learning more about what it means to trust God.
• that He has provided in pretty amazing ways for our staff team back home. 
• for all the wonderful students involved in Cru.
• that we might get to see them when they drive through here to go up to our fall retreat.
• for friends who will still love me even though I am awful at staying in contact with them.
• for the possibility of Jude being able to start eating.
• for our new little freezer to store milk until he does start eating.
• that we might be up here for the Balloon Fiesta.
• for computers and cell phones that allow us to stay in better contact with Caleb.
• that we live in a place and time that has allowed our baby to survive these challenges. 
• that his cardiac and neurological functioning seem so good considering everything.
• that God continues to answer prayer.
• that my cousin Andrea is out of her coma and has even written names out on a whiteboard!
• that people (even family) are entering into a relationship with God through Andrea's story!
• that "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28