Ten Happy Things...

Enough gloom and doom.  Today is a sunny day, I had an extra hour or so of sleep, and life is good.  

Here are ten meaningful and shallow things I am thankful for and happy about...

1. Mark - How do single moms do it?  Seriously.  I have no idea...  I have always been thankful for such an incredible husband, but I am extra extra thankful for Mark now...  He has been more selfless, more loving, more gracious, more attentive, more strong, and more encouraging than ever.  Oh, how I love him.  I think I am spoiled in having such a great hubby.

2. Will's Smiles - I never knew babies could smile so early!  I know I am super biased, but I still think his smiles are the cutest thing ever.  Even in the midst of being super overwhelmed, one smile just makes it all worth it.  They are magical, somehow.  

3. Sleep - I knew that having a newborn would require much less sleep...but I did not anticipate this little sleep.  Little Will seems to have his nights and days mixed up a bit, so sleep for mom at night is a rarity these days.  HOWEVER, this is a thankful post, so I am extra, extra thankful for the sleep I DO get.  When I crawl into bed, and when Will is quiet or being watched by someone else, it seems like a luxury and is oh-so-sweet and extra fun to look forward to.

4. Psalms - Up until Will, my favorite books of the bible were Job and Lamentations, and my least favorite book (or close to it) was Psalms.  I prefer stories - not poems.  But now?  Now I love Psalms.  There's something refreshing about seeing David feel sorry for himself, whine a bit and get frustrated...all while, two seconds later, praising the Lord for His goodness and steadfast love.  In the past, it seemed schizophrenic and a little crazy, but now, it seems refreshingly raw and real.  

5. Encouragement - Oh, how we are loving your Facebook messages, texts, cards, sweet words and yummy meals!  We are so, so thankful for so many loving, thoughtful and selfless friends and family.  Mark and I have both been in ministry since college, so we are used to being on the giving end of things.  To be on this receiving end has been humbling.  We have been so blessed.  Thank you!

6. Help - Evidently, it DOES take a village to raise a child!  Oh my word.  I am all the more thankful for my mom and my mom-in-law.  They've cooked, cleaned, encouraged, and snuggled Will while I've slept and caught up on other things.  Praise the Lord for help and support.

7. Breast Milk - Though my heart has been sad about not being able to provide as much milk for Will as I have wanted to, our sister-in-law, who is also breastfeeding, has been super generous in giving us a ton of her extra milk.  Now, instead of having to "top" Will off with formula, we are using her milk instead.  Holy smokes.  I can't even begin to articulate how special this has been to me.  Breast milk is another thing that seems magical these days, so being able to feed Will without formula is something I am treasuring.

8. Home - No offense to the NICU, but I really hated that place, and I am really loving being at home.  We've been transitioning out of being in a sterile system and into our own comfy rhythm - away from wires, electrodes, pokes, and alarms.  I am extra thankful for our privacy, the familiarity, and the peace that comes with being in our own place.

9. Will's Health - Though we had a rough start, and the future looked really grim at first, Will is doing really, really well right now.  He seems to have a pretty mild temperament, and only cries when he is hungry.  He is doing all sorts of "regular" newborn things, so we are optimistic.  Though we can get ourselves worried sick thinking of all the "what ifs" of tomorrow, today is really good... 

10.  Can I be shallow for a second?  I love not being pregnant again.  Sleeping on my stomach and not feeling incredibly bloated and huge is just grand...  I like Will on the outside world better than in my stomach.  :)  Now I just have to figure out how to lose all the extra weight he left behind.  That's what I get for all that chocolate!! 

So, so much to be thankful for and happy about!  The Lord is so good to us!

From Psalm 5 - But let all who take refuge in you rejoice' let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.  For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover them with favor as with a shield.