A Week of Giving THANKS!

I *almost* missed a whole week of Blog Hoppin' Thanksgiving week fun, but I'm going to play catch-up and wrap my week of THANKS into one post! I have so much to be thankful for, so here we go!
T- Time Off! Being a teacher can be exhausting... am I right or am I right?! I am thankful that I get to spend the holidays with my loved ones, and that I get time to refuel every once in a while!

H- My HUSBAND! Jared and I got married when we were just babies. I was 19 years old... and let me just say that if Joelle comes to me wanting to get married as a teenager I might have a heart attack... sorry mom! We've been through a lot of life together...graduating college, living off of hardly any money, buying our first house, tons of vacations-some extravagant and some very simple, and adopting our first child. I wouldn't trade the ups and downs with him for the world!!!

A- Adoption! I am so thankful that God placed adoption on Jared's heart very early in our marriage. I remember the moment that I felt God's calling on my heart to adopt so vividly. It was December of 2011...and just a few months later we saw Joelle's picture for the first time. Every child deserves to smile and feel loved. I'm so thankful that God blessed our lives with such a sweet little girl. I promise that she is exactly like you've seen in the pictures... full of spunk, sass, and very entertaining! I am also so very thankful that our family is continuing to grow again through adoption!

N- No School! Oh wait... I already said that one ;)
K- Kindergarten! I may be a 2nd grade teacher, but this year I am so thankful for kindergarten... and for so many reasons! Having Joelle at my school is one of the biggest blessings. I don't get to see her a lot throughout the day, but when I do it warms my heart!

I'm also thankful for her wonderful teacher, the friends she is making, and for her academic foundation. I've seen so much growth already!!

S- My Savior! You see... all of those things above wouldn't be possible without Christ. My family gets our hope, joy, and love from Jesus. He's what helps us during the tough times, He's what holds our family together, and He provides when we don't know what to do. And, for that... and so much more, I am truly thankful!