What I Am Thankful For

2007 has been a wild year for the Garrison family.  Many transitions and changes have come our way.  No matter how crazy life gets, I am always want to be thankful and to express my thanks to my Lord.  So I thought I would share my list of the Top 5 Things I am Most Thankful For in 2007.  Just a short list to God for all His wonderful blessings.

#5.  I am thankful for another year completed in my doctoral work with good grades and making life-long friends with my cohort members.

#4.  I am thankful for getting to see Isaac, my 2 year old, explode with words, phrases, and questions.  You wait so long for your children to start talking and when they do, it is so much fun listening to them and talking with them.  Isaac and I talk a lot together.

#3.  I am thankful for getting to see God transition my wife from being Executive Director of the CARE Ministry to becoming a stay-at-home mom (i.e. Domestic Engineer).  Her ministry shifted from helping the neediest in our community to helping the neediest in our home.  The best part is… she loves every minute of it.

#2.  I am thankful that Jennifer had a very healthy pregnancy with Ethan, despite the long hospital stay at the end.  It was her last time to be pregnant and it was such a blessing to see her carry our little boy to term.  She is the greatest wife and mother ever.

#1.  FINALLY, I am most thankful that our little Ethan does not have CF.  We were prepared if he did, but it is such a miraculous blessing that he doesn’t.  He is healthy baby boy, wonderfully-made by our gracious God. 

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving season?  What is your top 5 list?

Boys Photo Shoot

No parents can ever get two boys to sit still long enough to take a good picture, but we tried. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Chuck Norris Approved

I know I am showing my cards for my presidential pic, but this is funny.  Thank Jan M. for the link.

Recent Pics

 The last pic is from the birthday.  My mistake.  I caught it too late.

Bath Time Fun

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Music is Good for the Soul & Your Output

Music is so motivating.  Listening to your favorite music can inspire you in so many different ways.  It can make you pumped up or mellowed out.

I love to listen to movie soundtracks, especially the movies that are my all-time favs.  The soundtracks from movies like Superman, Gladiator, Batman, Jaws, ET, The Lord of the Rings, Mission Impossible, and of course, Star Wars, helps me get more work done than I ever could without music.  I put my headphones on and escape to another world.  A world where I happen to get a lot of things done.

One of my absolute favorites is John Williams’ Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.  There is not a more classic movie theme that everyone immediately knows (with the exception of Rocky).  I thought I would include it hear just in case you need a pick-me-up today.  Get some work done.

13-the-raiders-march-from-raiders-of-the-lost-ark.mp3

Thank You Jesus

Ethan is NOT a carrier for CF!!!

Word from the doctor finally came today.  Ethan is free and clear of ever having cystic fibrous.  He is a carrier of ONE gene, but not both, which is necessary for him to have the disease.

Our worries and fears have finally ended.  He is ok.  We are so thankful to God for providing us another amazing demonstration of His love and grace.   We are so grateful and humble by His constant care and provision in our family.

PTL!!!

Should I Vote Tomorrow?

I take this momentary pause from countless baby news and pictures to ask my readers to think critically about voting.  Tomorrow, November 6th, 2007, is election day here in the Commonwealth of KY.  Ernie Fletcher vs. Steve Brashear are competing for governor as well as others are vying for state leadership.

Will I vote tomorrow?  Absolutely.  I will proudly make my way to the polls and cast my ballot.  I am not going to share for whom, but I will be there rain, sleet or shine.  I am convinced that all Christians, no matter which political party they support or political agenda they back, are called to vote in every election, and not just for President.  Christian should vote in races for Congress, Senate, state legislature, city government, and referendum on laws and taxes.

We are called to support the leaders God puts in place (Romans 13) and in a true democracy such as the US, we get the privilege of joining in God’s work by placing votes which enable this divine ordinance to go forward.  My heart aches for those soliders fighting in Iraq for the Iraqi’s infant democracy.  Lives being placed in harms way so that an Iraqi can cast a ballot.

Do I not have an obligation, I dare say a Christian moral obligation, to cast my vote in freedom and security.  Go vote. 

Coming Home

Some have been asking for more pics.  Well…I need to take some more.  Since we have been home, it is has been a wild adjustment.  I just haven’t got the camera out.  But I promise to do better.  Here are the last pics I have of our time at the hospital. 

Ethan’s Nursery Pics

Nursery Pics

This will take you to another site hosted by WebNursery.  You will have to type in “GAR” for Mother’s last name & Kentucky & October.  Sorry, the direct link would not work.

A couple videos of the kid

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