In all things give thanks

Anyone who has glanced at our blog over the last year knows that we have been blessed far beyond anything we deserve and have much to be grateful for.  As we pass 32 weeks, I wanted to point out a few things where I would like to express my gratitude. 

Pregnancy
I am not only so thankful that we have been blessed with our pregnancy, but also with how the pregnancy has gone.  Through seven months Crystal has been blessed to avoid any serious nausea, food aversions, or strange cravings (that I know of!).  Couple those with no serious heath concerns and we couldn't have had a smoother seven months, all things considered.

32 weeks and looking great!  I'll talk about the brace in a moment...

Access to Modern Medicine
This section of thanks is twofold.  First I must express how thankful I am that we are even pregnant.  Our followers are aware of all the time we spent working with the Fertility Doctors.  Without them we likely never would have been able to get pregnant in the first place. Second I am grateful that we continue to have access to modern medical facilities.  Two recent updates comes to mind. 

About a month or so ago Crystal started having regular, painful contractions one night, about every 5 minutes on the dot (you could set your watch by it).  The doctors were able to get her stabilized and address the issue, re-hydrating her body and getting it to calm down.  Then this weekend she started complaining of her hands hurting constantly and going numb.  Monday we called the doctors and after some deliberation they believed she had developed pregnancy induced Carpal Tunnels.  A trip to the pharmacy and two wrist braces later and she is doing much better (though looking like a boxer with taped wrists).  While we wish both of these issues never would have occurred, we are thankful that we have the access to and insurance to get help for them.

Family
No list of thanks is complete without bringing up family.  We are so thankful to have my family near by.  We just wish we could be closer to Crystal's as well.  

Monday we didn't feel like cooking so we went to Papa John's for their Monday special.  As we parked to pick up our pizza, we randomly noticed the other car that pulled into the lot at the same time was my parents.  It turned into a nice opportunity to have our dinner together and visit for a little while as they have been rather busy recently with to-dos of their own.  Thankfully they ordered a different topping than us!

And since I'm already talking about family I cannot leave out the fact of how grateful I am that our little family will be expanding very soon.  We are so excited to meet the new additions, learn their personalities, and realize how little we knew about raising children and being parents.

I am so thankful for the blessings and challenges that I have in life.  While it would be nice to live a life free of hardships, I am grateful for the lessons they teach and the opportunities that we are given to overcome them.  I hope you are all able to enjoy the holidays with your loved ones, near and far.  Happy Thanksgiving from the Criddles.