Thanksgiving Considerations

I realize that in general my job as amateur blogger requires me to recount things I am thankful for on this day. However, as most of my readers have come to realize God is revealing to me Grace and Alex's perspective. In keeping with that I took some time to think of the things they are likely thankful for. There are the things I think they would both be thankful for. The most important is a lady they call Nana. Nana is my coordinator.  She runs the orphanage, she coordinates our adoption and I swear this woman never sleeps. I have no idea how she accomplishes so much.  From the babies' perspective though, I have watched their interactions with her. She picks them up, swings them around, hugs and kisses them until they squeal and kisses the boo boos. She has created a beautiful orphanage and introduced them to God. They are bonded to her and for that, I am SO thankful!
I also believe Grace is quite grateful for food. One year ago she was at home in her small village. Food is scarce and water came from a stream. Babies died all the time as the population starved. Now she gets three meals a day. She has learned to love peanut butter and eats beans and rice like a truck driver. I see the growth in her and how she has come to life this year with good nourishment. Alex has never had food as a concern as he was only days old when he came to the orphanage. Nana has taken good care of him.
Most people would probably guess they are thankful for being adopted, but the reality is they have visitors all the time and given their ages we are simply a face in the crowd at this point. They likely are grateful for the other children. Our orphanage truly is a family and all the children behave like siblings. They laugh together, have their favorite games they play, certain sings they sing and yes, even argue.
As I stuffed my turkey today, it suddenly dawned on me that it would be so great to cook like this for the orphanage. To sit around the table with the nannies and Nana and all of the babies and express my gratitude for all these people have done for Grace and Alex. For the life that Nana created for themtwhen their parents could not. Here I thought I would grieve the empty chairs at my table this year, and as it turns out, I am grateful they are there enjoying what they have in this moment. We have a lifetime of Thanksgivings with them, they have precious little time with their current family. So, although Haiti does not celebrate Thanksgiving, I am sure that they are sitting around the table made up of children brought together by God enjoying their meal of rice and beans laughing at one another or even singing. I can almost see God smiling down on them.