#2 MY FAMILY

This time of year I am reminded of how much I have to be thankful for.  It is amazing how God has blessed me.  To tell you the truth 9 years ago when I moved to Cleburne I was wondering if I would ever get married.  Today, I have an amazing wife and two adorable children.  I am so thankful for my family.

My Wife:  Cami and I were married in February 2005 after a long, drawn out 6 month engagement.  I could not have asked for more in a wife.  She is one of the most selfless people I have ever meant.  She cares about everyone.  She is always thinking of other people, including me.  She is always there for me, to support and encourage me in everything I do and she keeps me in line.  If it were not for her I would have probably given up on grad school by now.  She has always stood by me and told me what I needed to hear and not just what I wanted to hear.  I can honestly say I am married to my best friend and every day I wake up is another blessing because she is there.  Somehow she manages to work from home and keep our children while allowing me to be gone quite a bit with my job.  She is superwoman.  She is the greatest wife and mother on the face of the planet.

My Kids: Ryan and Gracie are amazing.  I love them to death.  I thank God each and every day for each of them.  I will never forget the day I held them for the first time, the first time I looked into their little eyes, the first time I heard the words, “I love you daddy.”  To this day they can still melt my heart with those words.  They keep growing and at times I wish I could just freeze time.  It is amazing how you can come home at the end of a long stressful day and hear their feet stampeding toward the front door with huge smiles on their faces and pick them up and hold them tight, and it is as if the problems of the day simply disappeared.

My Parents:  Thank you for all you have done for me in my life.  I am who I am because of you.  My parents were so selfless and it is their example as parents I want so badly to follow.  They did anything they could to give me and edge in life, including work a second job at times to help pay for me to attend Harding.  I cannot imagine having more loving and caring parents.  Thank you mom and dad!

My Sister:  I am so proud of the work that you do with children in need.  I know working with kids and teenagers in a ministry environment can be stressful at times.  You are amazing.  Thank you for always sticking up for me and even more for taking the blame when I would get in trouble.  I know I picked on you as a little sister a lot but I really do love you and I am very grateful for you!

The In-Laws:  I know most people dread the in-laws but I don’t.  I am so thankful for Cami’s parents and the relationship we have with them as well as the relationship they have with my parents.  It is not too often in today’s world all of the families get along, but ours do and it makes all the difference.  I am so blessed because of Cami’s parents and sisters.

I have one pretty amazing family and for that I am so grateful and this week I get to spend time with each of them celebrating all we have to be thankful for!