Thanksgiving and Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving all! 

Today I'd like to take a moment to list a few things that I'm thankful for:

• I'm thankful for my wonderful husband - for his understanding and caring, for what a good husband and father he is, for helping me be a better communicator, for knowing me better than almost anyone and for loving me in spite of it.
• I'm thankful for my beautiful, happy little girl Mia - she is such a mild, easy-going and joyful little soul and she brings so much happiness to our lives. 
• I'm thankful for my amazing family, extended family, and for all of my amazing friends.
• I'm thankful for my home and for the opportunity I have to be a stay-at-home-mom.
• I'm thankful for modern medicine - for our wonderful doctors who have treated and taken care of Mia and I during pregnancy and beyond.
• I'm thankful that we've made it through two weeks post surgery.
• I'm extremely thankful that today we could finally take off Mia's arm restraints!
• I'm thankful to have been able to spend Thanksgiving with some of my family, even though many of them are far away.
• I'm thankful for modern technology that make it possible to keep in touch with family that is scattered all over the globe.
• I'm thankful for my life and all that I've learned thus far.
• I'm thankful to live in this free country.
• I'm thankful for Shriner's hospital and for the great care they've taken of Mia and at no cost to us.
• I'm thankful that Mia's lip surgery
• I'm thankful for my comfy bed.
• I'm thankful for my contacts and glasses that help me be able to see the beautiful world that I live in.
• I'm thankful for so many other things that I can't even begin to mention them.
• I'm thankful.

I love my little family!

Look - no arm restraints on today!!!

Earlier this week:

Even WITH the arm restraints my silly little goose somehow finds a way to push her face against, get her mouth on and/or lick SOMETHING!

 And when we move something out of her way, she'll find something ELSE to gnaw on.

...or she finds ANOTHER way to get at it.  :)

Cousin Freddy teaching Mia how to text.

Thanksgiving Day:

Tia Bertha working on the stuffing.

Comadre Lupe helping keep the dishes under control.

Getting caught up on folding loads and loads of laundry while Freddy tries to wake up from his comfy night on the Love Sac and works on selling Zeus's tickets to the UT vs A&M football game.

While we were hard at work, Zeus's brother Tuco - pronounced Too-ko - (who'd gotten into town around 2 am) was sleeping peacefully in the guest bedroom.  His step-daughter Chayo who's 7 years old decided to sneak in the room and take a picture of him with her stuffed puppy while he was asleep.  This is the photo she took on her Nintendo DS.  Just so you know, Tuco is an ex-Marine.  :)

I smell blackmail!

Mia and I with Chayo and her infamous stuffed puppy.

My sweet baby girl and I.  I love her to pieces!!!

My drooly little girl - I think she may be teething... again!

She drools all the time now and we go through at LEAST 4 bibs a day.  Plus, she loves rubbing the underside of her tongue over her two bottom teeth so her tongue is flashing in and out of her mouth CONSTANTLY!  Oh, and she's in her cute 1st Thanksgiving bib that Zeus got for her before she was born.  :)

Zeus's sister Bertha and her son Freddy.

Zeus's big brother Tuco and his wife Lupe.

The Moreno Clan (minus Danny and his kids and Tuco's daughter Jessica).  Grandpa Tin (Teen), Freddy, Bertha, Zeus, Mia, and Tuco.

A good chunk of the extended Moreno clan, and our group forThanksgiving, minus our family friend Vaughn who was taking the photographs.  (Thanks Vaughn for telling me that I had funky hair sprouts on each side of my head.  Jeeze Louise!)

I am so very thankful for all of my many blessings!