Thankful

Last year at Thanksgiving, our 5 day old bundle of joy:)

oh how he's changed in a year, but still our bundle of joy:)

I think that Thanksgiving is my all time favorite Holiday. Being the Hardeman that I am maybe it is the presbyterian potatoes, cranberry jello, turkey, gravy, rolls, corn, stuffing, pie, feeling so full I can barely breathe and then going home and being hungry in three hours feeling.  More than that I love just being in the presence of family and taking time to reflect on the past year and how good God truly has been to our family. Our family tradition is we gather at my Aunts house, eat a fabulous meal and then hope the Aunts forgot about the candy corn. The candy corn is a tradition we have where everyone takes one and we go around and share what one thing we are thankful for this past year. Why is it I always get nervous and hope they forget about this tradition? Is it because I don't know how to accurately express in one sentence what I am thankful for? Is it because I don't want to give the surface answer that sounds so canned, my husband, my family, health, for fear of sounding not truly thankful.  Thanksgiving is a great time to pause and look around at what we may be taking for granted that we have to be Thankful for. I am sad that we are not going to my Aunts today, but I have been thinking about what my one sentence answer would be if I was there.  Family would be my response. I have grown to appreciate family in a new way this past year on a couple different levels. Having a child makes you appreciate your parents in a whole new light. Living 5 minutes from my parents and 10 minutes from Dans is something that we take for granted. A week does not go by that Vander does not get to spend time with both sets of grandparents. I long for him to develop deep relationships with my parents and Dans and for them to be a big part of shaping him into the Man he is going to be. Having always lived close to family I took for granted my sister. I so badly miss being able to call her up and say want to go for a run, and her being over in 10 minutes.  Sykpe makes her being gone easier because I feel like I have seen her, even if it is through the computer. I am thankful for her this year as being away has made me realize how much I enjoyed having her around. I am thankful that I have a sister who is sensitive to the Lord's calling and willing to say "Yes Lord send me"  I also am thankful for my brothers and how they are maturing as they wrap up their college years. I am thankful for Travis picking such a wonderful bride who truly feels like a sister and could not fit in better with our family.   I am thankful for my husband who in his new role as a dad makes me love him even more. He treasures Van, and Van kinda likes him too:) I am thankful for a year of health for Vander, he had such a great first year!! So my candy corn response would be family:)

Van the Man turns 1!!!

My uncles bought me my first hoop!

My first quad!

Grandma and Grandpa bought me a car!

Birthday cake stuffed in both cheeks!

Dan and I went to the Hope basketball game this weekend and as we were sitting in the bleachers watching the game I had  some serious de ja vue. It was exactly a year ago we were sitting in the same spot on the bleachers when I wasn't sure if I had peed my pants or my water had broke. As I stood up in a puddle of water, our journey was about to begin into this new role as parents. As early as labor and delivery Van has made parenting easy. He came out after only pushing maybe 15 minutes and graced our presence with his almost 10 lb frame. He has been such a joy this past year and it has gone so fast.  From birth he has been  a genuinely happy boy. His spirit is sweet and tender and he lights up when other kids are around. He loves his mom and dad, but will go to anybody. He has been such a tremendous blessing this past year watching him go from my baby to my little man. I am soaking up every moment because I know there is no way our other kids will be this easy. From early on he showed us his love for music. One of his favorites places to be is at the piano. It used to be he would sit with Dan at the piano, but as soon as he could crawl he would make his way over to his favorite spot, pull himself up and stand and play the piano, his tiny fingers barely reaching the keys. His other favorite toy is his best friend, Jackson(our golden retreiver) He loves to throw the ball for Ja Ja and bless his heart Jackson will go get the ball even if it is only 3 inches and bring it back to him. We have had such a fun year with Vander and can't wait to see what his life will hold. What his interests will be, who his friends will be, what sports he will play, how God is going to use his life to bless others and ultimately bring glory to Him. We have already been so blessed by our little man in the 12 months he has been part of our lives.