Thanksgiving Has A Whole New Meaning

Emory was originally due on November 23rd, the day after Thanksgiving. I was 100% sure that she was going to come either on her due date or after her due date. I never once thought that she would decide to come early. Since I was due on the 23rd Martin's family planned on coming to our place for Thanksgiving...since I obviously couldn't travel. My family wasn't planning on coming for Thanksgiving, they wanted to save their time off for when Emory was born...and since its a long drive to Nashville they didn't want to have to turn around and come right back.

Well...Emory decided that she wanted everyone to be together for her first Thanksgiving! Since she was born Saturday the 17th, all of our families were at our house for Thanksgiving. My parents came down when Emory was born. Kevin flew in on Thanksgiving day, and rode back with my parents on Friday. Martin's parents came back into town on Thanksgiving day. Josie and Bobby came into town on Wednesday, and of course Dustin and Mindy were here already since they live in Nashville. We literally had ALL of our immediate family together for Thanksgiving and it was GREAT! This was the first time that we have all been together.

 

                     

  Kevin's first time holding a baby...he was a little scared

 

                                                           

 

                                                     

          

Martin and I got the good end of the cooking deal...everyone else ended up cooking while we got to rest. Bobby and Scott fried a turkey in the backyard, and although I was a little nervous, the turkey turned out awesome and they didn't burn the house down. I wasn't as social as I would have liked...since we had so many people here wanting to hold Emory I took that time to catch up on some much needed sleep.
                                                               

    
                                                      

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday...and this year was no different. Martin and I have the most amazing families, and having them all together was such a blessing. I have always had so much to be thankful for. I have a great loving family, a supportive hardworking husband, a job that I enjoy...I could go on and on. But this year Thanksgiving really did have a whole new meaning. Emory has been the biggest blessing ever. Everyone always says that you cannot describe or understand how much you love your child until they are born.....it is so true! I find myself just staring at her and smiling. She is more perfect than I ever could have imagined. I am so thankful that God blessed Martin and I with this precious gift. I love all of the different faces that she makes, the way her eyes role back when she gets sleepy and she starts to give that cute half smile. There have been so many times that I am holding her and I just start to cry because I am so happy and so in love.

She has only been here for four weeks, but I already can't remember or imagine my life without her.