GRATITUDE'S SEASON

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support for my husband, Dan, as we walk through this season of recovery after his heart attack. Every prayer and every generous gift to our family is appreciated so much, more than we can possibly express! I'm thankful to report that Dan is feeling stronger every day. He has to remain off work for two months before the cardiologist will decide about his return to work. He will begin a cardiac rehab program next week to help him regain his strength. I also want to share that we are very close to meeting Baby Clara; it will most likely be sometime this week that we will get to meet her! 

Fall in North Idaho along the Kootenai River

We continue to be amazed by the glorious color we are still seeing here in November! 

November's full moon was another supermoon - absolutely brilliant as it lit up our night sky.

There have been many colorful sunsets, too - how wonderful it is to see color in our world wherever we can find it! 

I took a few pictures of Ryan and Alanna this week. Our hearts are full and happy as she has been able to carry the baby to full term, and we look forward to meeting Baby Clara sometime this week! An induction is planned unless she goes into labor before that time. 

Their little family of four (with the two fur-babies) will soon become five :) 

There is no joy like seeing your children have children! 

In this season of recovery after Dan's heart attack, so many have come alongside us and blessed us in ways that we are so humbled to accept.  A dear neighbor made us an amazing whole wheat sourdough loaf of bread. Many have sent cards, stopped by with food, brought flowers, gifts, and unexpected cash has shown up in cards and envelopes. 

This beautiful card was given to us in an unmarked envelope. If the sender should be reading this, please know how grateful we are for your generosity! 

The colors of Fall that we are still seeing, and giving thanks for! 

My heart is overwhelmed with the generous hearts of those who have reached out to us and given so much. Thanks to Linda at Love Your Creativity for starting the GoFundMe for our family. We are humbled by the generous hearts of those who have prayed, loved on us, and helped us in so many different ways. My prayer remains for each one of you that the Lord would in turn bless you in ways we never could repay or return. I would rather be the one giving than receiving, and this has been a humbling and difficult season for us to accept help when we are used to working hard and loving others. So from the bottom of our hearts, we do thank and appreciate each one of you! 

November is the season of gratefulness, and sharing the goodness of God in your lives with your families and those in your community. Having good health is a tremendous blessing, and once you face the loss of good health, you truly recognize how precious it is. We begin our days in thanks and praise to God for walking with us through this time, and look forward to the day when we can look back on this time and smile, and see the handiwork of God throughout it all. 

We love each of you dearly and pray for you, too. There are so many broken, bleeding, aching hearts and souls out there.  We are blessed to have friends, family, and community to support us. Many don't even have that! We have the Lord to lean on and to carry us through the hard times. Many don't even know Him. We have food in our cupboards and plenty of wood to get us through the winter.  Many don't even have food and warmth.  We have so much to be grateful for. I will never stop praising the Lord in spite of the trials we walk through - because He walks through them with us - and each of you, with your prayers, thoughts, gifts, support, and love - are with us too. I feel each one and am grateful. Yes, this is the season of gratitude and Thanksgiving - and my heart is full to overflowing. God's goodness abounds! 

May His presence and love be with each of you throughout November - Gratitude's Season :)