Your first!

I tried to write to you on Thanksgiving day, but for some reason my password wouldn’t work to get on the blog. We all had a fantastic Thanksgiving at Grandma & Grandpa Luehmann’s house in Minnesota. Everyone came – Aunt Amy, Uncle Hakon & your cousin Elisabeth from Seattle as well as Uncle Mark and Aunt Bi from Michigan. (They just moved back to Jackson MI – we haven’t even seen their new house yet – but I hear it’s spectacular! It has a pond and everything!)

You didn’t sleep so well again the night before Thanksgiving – I think your ears were still hurting you. A week ago you were diagnosed with a double ear infection. That along with adjusting to a different bed, different people and a different time zone could challenge even the best of sleepers. Anyway, because we were all a bit sleepy, and you weren’t in the best mood. we decided to skip church. We all congregated instead at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Great Grandma Friedrich came over in the morning and spent the day with us.

At dinner (at noon), Grandpa asked me to start a special Thanksgiving prayer, and the first thing that popped into my head was you and your Daddy. I know I tell you this every time I write, but I am so thankful for you Little Peanut. Your arrival in my life has made every aspect of it better. The things I treasured before, I treasure even more now; the things I found beautiful before are even more stunning; the things I found disappointing before, I now realize aren’t very important. I want to be a better me for you. You do that, you know. Your beautiful presence inspires people to be happier and just better people. God does wonderful work through you my little angel.

We ate a typical American Thanksgiving dinner – turkey, cranberries, squash, potatoes, corn, fruit, stuffing, bread and apple pie. You sampled many of these dishes in addition to your own baby food entres of “Turkey Vegetable Dinner” and some fruit. You really enjoyed the apple pie! 🙂 A girl after my own heart!

After dinner, we opened Christmas presents. You got many fun gifts from different members of the family. Highlights included a cell phone with a promise to call more often from Uncle Mark & Aunt Bi; a beautiful handmade quilt made of the fabric from your baptism stoll from Aunt Amy and her family, and a dressy bessy type doll that is a female astronaut! How cool is that?!?! They also showered you with wonderful books and toys. Auntie Amy also bought you a cute outfit when we found out our flight was cancelled the next day, and you would need something to wear.

Each of these family members, Great Grandma included, was thrilled to hold you and play with you. Your cousin Elisabeth and you had a very special bond. She is 3.5 years old now (you are 8 months old). You made each other smile and giggle. When you cried, Elisabeth came over and sang a little song to you to cheer you up. Grandma gave you a bath together both Thursday night and Friday night. Elisabeth was happy to share her toys and play with you in the water. When she left, she gave you a big hug, a kiss, and a high five on your shoulder (because she realized you couldn’t high five yet.) I think you both really enjoy being each other’s cousin!

The grown-ups played cards the rest of the day. We all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The next day we all got family pictures taken at Target in Rochester. Then you, Daddy & I were supposed to fly back to Rochester. Surprisingly, our flight was cancelled. We were standing in line to get our flight rebooked when Grandma appeared out of nowhere and swept you up into her arms. She was THRILLED that she got another day with you. Not long after that (a minute or less), Mark, Bi, Amy, Hakon, Grandpa and Elisabeth arrived and enthusastically greeted us! I, for one, felt very loved. After booking the flight for the next day, Saturday, we headed back to Grandma & Grandpa’s in Austin.

Saturday we joined in a Luehmann family gathering and my Uncle Howie and Aunt Vicki’s house in Lewiston. They got to see you again along with their kids Kayla and Brandon, and you got to meet my Uncle Lyle & Aunt Betty and Uncle Al & Aunt Laurie.

Whew… I’m tired just writing all of this.

Bottom line – we’re so thankful for you Peanut. And we all have so much to be grateful for! God certainly blesses us SO RICHLY!

Love you!
*Mommy