Thankful - 2012 Edition

This past weekend Stella had her first Thanksgiving.  I'd be lying if I said it felt "normal."  Unfortunately both Ryan and I have lost a Grandfather this year.  So Jarrels Thanksgiving (my Mom's side) was spent without "Granddad" and Armstrong Thanksgiving (Ry's Mom's side) was spent without "Papa".  Then on top of that, our Halterman Thanksgiving (my Dad's side) was spent without my Grandparents for a couple reasons.  One being my Granddad was getting over a cold and another being they are getting older and they just forgot.  (More on that saved for a blog down the road). 

So nonetheless, this Thanksgiving was just plain different.  There were mixed emotions.  I love being with family more than anything, but I can't hide the fact that change is hard and missing some important people this year made Thanksgiving just not the same. 

But there was a bright spot! Stella is now in the picture and we were able to get a few pictures of her and her first Thanksgiving. 

So as this holiday weekend comes to an end (and even with the changes), I still can't help but think how truly blessed I am. 

Above and beyond the obvious, I'm thankful for the warm, furnished house that we've made a home over the past 5 years. I'm thankful for a boss who allowed me to have a new schedule so I could be home with Stella more.  I'm thankful for a husband who was very supportive of me staying home 2 days a week.  I'm thankful that I knew my Granddad Jarrels and was able to spend almost 30 years with him before he passed. I'm thankful for a tremendously happy baby girl.  I'm thankful for my Keurig that greets me every morning.  I'm thankful for a small town where every trip to Food Lion leads to seeing someone you not only know, but know well.  I'm thankful to be a Harper.  I'm thankful for the Wednesday nights I spent at church with the little ones.  I'm thankful for the doughnut truck by my office on Thursdays. I'm thankful for you and for you taking the time to read my blog. 

Never do I go a day without thinking of something I'm truly thankful for.  Those are just a few things in the past year that have at one time or another crossed my mind as something I'm so grateful to have in my life.

This year we brought into this world a healthy, happy, wonderful little gal.  Our cup runneth over. Just within Ry and I's small immediate family, we lost two amazing Grandfathers in 2012.  But then Ry and I gained two little sweet gals to fill their void, too, in 2012.  Isn't is just crazy how the circle of life truly does work?

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with all your many blessings as well.