Thankful...

So there seems to be some sort of status thing going on on Facebook. I could be wrong, but I think the point is, for every day in November, you post something you're thankful for. So, I'm going to write as much as I can think of here...

This pregnancy has been such a blessing in disguise and it has opened my eyes even more dramatically to how much God provides for me and Danny. We have been really amazed, especially the last several months. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were freaking about everything financial and I, at least, was so stressed and down about it. God has shown me so much comfort in his word and even though not that much has changed with our income, and even though we still have a lot of debt, I am so much more at peace about it all. It's pretty powerful that he could transform my mindset and attitude so dramatically. One of my favorite passages, and I'm sure I've said this before, is Matthew 6. The whole chapter is important, and I don't want to say the first part isn't relevant to my point, because it has been a different thing that has been on our hearts, but starting at verse 19 is what has been such a comfort and conviction to me during financial strife and pregnancy scariness.

Vs 19-34
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures here on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" (right?? Our perspective can be so off sometimes, and it creates this negative spiral, I've found)
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Danny and I were confused about this for a while. Danny especially took that and a lot of other verses to mean that we're supposed to be poor, but as we've learned more, we see that the point is to follow God. Period. Serve God. He'll provide what you need. Sometimes he calls people to be poor, and sometimes he calls people to be very rich and use their money for him. But the money isn't the point! The relationship is the point.. The willingness to follow in faith and the desire and dedication to seek His path for our lives.
"Therefore, I tell you, DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT YOUR LIFE, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow not reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, 'what shall we eat?' or 'what shall we drink?' or 'what shall we wear?'. For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious about itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

So...I'm thankful for Bay Area Community Church and the pastors and people there. God had already been putting these things on our hearts, and then, BACC started a series called Faith Adventure. I think it's so funny how sometimes, a message starts and you look around like, is this a joke? This is exactly what I've been struggling with. I didn't tell anyone that. How is this happening? Oh yeah, God's pretty powerful. Im thankful for the gifts that Greg and Pat (pastors) have been given for understanding the word, and teaching really well, etc.
I'm thankful for the website so I can revisit sermons, or listen to any we've missed.
I'm thankful that Josh Shirlen (who by the way took my head shots 4 or 5 years ago when I heard about him through our friends, Winship and Lacey) spotted us at church one Sunday a few months ago and reached out and invited us to their missional community. That's Something we have been looking for for a while. God waited for the right time and right people and made it happen. I'm thankful for all the people in that group and for the prayers they have provided for us.
I'm thankful for Arianne and her resourcefulness and help in getting me a great nannying job.
I'm thankful for the Morsers and their awesomeness. I'm thankful that they are the perfect fit for nannying. I'm so blown away by how God works. Such an answer to prayers!! Thankful.

I'm thankful for the roof over my head and that I only share it with Danny.
I'm thankful that both of our parents let us live with them so that we could pay off a lot of debt.
I'm thankful that we found an apartment that we can handle financially and I like the location. I'm thankful we're only 20 minutes away from Annapolis and work, and only 20 minutes away from downtown Baltimore, where friends live, and where a lot of our favorite old spots are.

I'm thankful for 30% off of high quality groceries to appease my food snobbery. I'm thankful for access to and knowledge about the importance of eating preservative free, chemical free food. I'm thankful for the knowledge base of so many people that I work with. I'm thankful for so many things I get to try for free, like that Thanksgiving meal yesterday! I'm thankful for generous vendors who let us try amazing products.
I'm thankful for health insurance that covers so much of maternity care. I'm thankful that I'll be able to switch over to Danny's insurance and so will still be covered when I'm only part time at WFM.
I'm thankful to be a citizen of the US. I'm thankful for my right to vote for the things I believe in.
I'm thankful for a healthy pregnancy.
I'm thankful for the support from friends and family.
I'm thankful for the generosity of my parents.
I'm thankful for the crib and changing table my mom bought, plus all the baby clothes, maternity clothes, and all sorts of other things.
I'm thankful for a super comfy bed, which even though was a ridiculous purchase back in October 2011, I'm thankful we paid it off, and I'm thankful that I had a Tempurpedic during pregnancy.
I'm thankful for a gas stove, ha, is that weird? I love it!

I'm thankful that my husband is such a hard worker. I'm thankful that he never complains about the things I complain about. I'm thankful that he's so multi talented. I'm thankful that he says things like "I like hugging you because it makes me feel whole." I'm thankful that he is my very best friend and soul mate and that I found him when I wasn't even looking at such a young age. I'm thankful for his personality, attitude, and gifts. I'm thankful for all the fun we have together. I'm thankful for his desire to always be growing as a couple. I'm thankful for his leadership, love, selflessness, wisdom, humor, and friendship. I could write about Danny for days. :)
I'm thankful for my girl friends. I'm thankful for their differences and for all the things they bring to our relationships.
I'm thankful for my good car.
I'm thankful for Pandora- free music, heyyo!
I'm thankful for my iPhone.
I'm thankful to be able to have the kind of birth I want, and that insurance will cover a midwife.
I'm thankful for the rewards program at starbucks, because I am about to go get a free drink. :)

My 37 week visit with the midwife is tomorrow. I'm sure it wont be super interesting, but we'll see.

Thanks for reading, all y'all.

~37 weeks today~