GIVING THANKS

Today is special and certainly a day to acknowledge that feeling of thankfulness as a result. There are too many points to list but here are a few that are very real parts of life right now:

1. Our Anniversary - Today marks 46 years of friendship, love, challenges, family and memories. On that day, 46 years ago we were legally and eternally joined. It was the day before Thanksgiving on which day we celebrated by eating hamburgers!
2. The birth of our incredible, loving, considerate Amy, the wife of Wade and mother to five of our formidable grandchildren.
3. To have our three parents still expressing love and concern and giving their guidance and example on a regular basis.
4. To see the great blessing of seven children, the parents of 29 grandchildren and watch them living meaningful, contributing, serving lives themselves.
5. To have this great opportunity to serve here in this land of Brasil with extraordinary, loving, caring people that we love and who express their love us.
6. To have seen many of the joys and afflictions of life that have been part of the tapestry that we take with us every day and which have made us stronger today.
7. To have been born and raised in a land that allowed the freedom of choice, education and the pursuit of happiness.
8. The friendship and influence of many truly great people around us in both the good times and the afflictions that have come our way.
9. To have had the ability to have sufficient for our needs through work and service.

THANK YOU TO ALL, 

JIM AND SHIRLYN

P.S. I am also thankful for these wonderful digital tools and while postings to this blog have been sporadic, over the next few weeks and months they will be more regular as we aim towards the next phase of our life back in the USA.