Thankful

This year I have so much to be thankful for! Sure I have sleepless nights, but my arms are filled with a baby that I have prayed for for many years. Sure I lost my grandma this year and I am saddened to think that I will not see her for the holidays, but I know she will with Jesse for the holidays this year and she's in heaven where she so looked forward to going. Of course the economy sucks, but at least we're able to buy the things we need and a WHOLE lot of things we want. Of course I don't have the perfect family, the perfect husband or the perfect children, but our household is filled with Love. No life's not perfect, but I am blessed beyond my worth and I have so much to be thankful for.
I didn't want to post the typical Thanksgiving post where I listed everything I am thankful for, instead I wanted to tell you a story that will hopefully touch you like it did me.
My DH Brian volunteers at least one Saturday a month with our church in a very poor city in Illinois called Hopkins Park. This past Saturday he was there to deliver firewood and help some of the people there winterize their home. He came home from there on Saturday and told me a story that just broke my heart. He went to deliver firewood to a lady living in a trailer with her 5 children. The trailer was in such bad condition and in fact had been marked for demolition prior to her obtaining it. Upon arrival Brian couldn't help but notice water running under her trailer and asked the lady if he could come in and find out where the water was coming from. He entered the 3 bedroom trailer and noticed that there was a blanket duct taped up in the hallway that blocked off the back 2 bedrooms because the bedrooms didn't have any windows (only holes where windows used to be) and the blanket cut down on the draft. Brian could tell that the water was coming from one of the back bedrooms so he asked her if he could take down the blanket to see what was going on. Come to find out she had her hot water heater in the back bedroom and it had been spraying water from it for several months, but she couldn't afford to get it fixed. Brian was able to fix the water heater and stop the leaking along with supplying her with firewood to keep herself and 5 children warm this winter.
So tonight when you're tucking yourself into your nice comfy bed, say a prayer for this lady who is sleeping in her living room tonight while her 5 children share one queen size mattress in the only bedroom that has windows in it. Pray for God to keep them warm and safe.
This is the type of stuff that you think only happens in other countries, but this is happening in our own backyard. I am so glad that my DH and so many other people devote their time to helping out this community and others like it.
So what am I thankful for? I can't even list all the things. Mostly I'd say I'm thankful for family and friends, health, love and an abundance of blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you and your family this holiday season.