Thankfulness

Today is my birthday and I woke up feeling a deep sense of gratitude!  I have SO MUCH to be thankful for!  A few years ago, my dear friend, Sr. Jessa Ebuenga SOLT, reminded me that all the gifts that I receive are a manifestation of the love of God.  How generous He is!  I am blessed with a loving husband who always supports me, builds me up, helps me with the house and kids and prays for me and our family!  My children are HUGE blessings to me!

Bub never ceases to crack me up, is so sweet and cuddly and amazes me with his talents and gifts!  Bee is the sweetest baby!  She always pops her head up when I come in her room in the morning and greets me with a smile!  She is happy and is growing so much!

I am thankful for my extended family.  My parents have ever been a model of generosity to me.  They inspire me to be giving and loving.  They have not only given me life and a wonderful childhood,

but a strong faith foundation.  My siblings have always been true companions and dear friends (not counting our childhood spats! - I do think my sister left her sock on my side of the room to this day!)  I am so thankful for my aunts and uncles who have also shown me such generosity! 

I am thankful for my husband's family and all their generous support and love.  They help in so many ways and always make me feel at home with them.  I learn so much about my faith from my in-laws and I am ever grateful!  My siblings in-law (wish there was another name) are also great sources of generosity to me. My thanks also to all the aunts and uncles who have adopted me as their niece.

I am thankful for my dear friends and their families.  I am blessed with the kindest and sweetest friends.  Their lovely words of encouragement, prayers and thoughtful acts astound me.  They are more like family to me than anything!  I wish I could list each kind act that has been directed toward me even in the past two days, but I don't have the room for it!

My heart is full!!!!  If all these gifts are truly a manifestation of God's love for me (and I ardently believe they are) then Our Gracious Lord is generous indeed!  Who else can see to my spiritual, physical, and emotional well being through the gathering of so many loving souls?  Each person makes my life richer and helps me to be more in love with Love Himself.

My prayer for today is for each of you - that you will receive the blessings that you bestow on me in return 100 fold!  I will present this prayer though the intercession of our Blessed Mother (Yet one more gift of God to me) because I know that she will (according to St. Louis de Montfort and speaking with imagery) present my prayers to God on a golden platter making my prayer ever glorious and generous to Him.  Know that you are being presented to God today on behalf of our Loving Mother and to the great Joy of God Himself!

I love you all! -Mikki