Today I am thankful for my birth mother, who made the most selfless decision 41 years ago. If y’all have read my blog for any amount of time, you know exactly how thankful I am for that. Without that decision, I wouldn’t have had the life I did. And I’m so SO thankful that God brought our lives back together after so many years.

My adoption was such an amazingly beautiful thing and I love telling the story. I am truly so blessed to have never once felt an ounce of resentment or anger, to have somehow understood from an early age that it was just right. To have never questioned it, to never have felt different but instead felt fortunate that I had two sets of parents when most kids only had one. And most of all to have an adoptive Mother and Father that absolutely supported me in finding my birth parents and understanding why I needed that. My Mama told me that she never felt threatened by it because she knew she had raised me with enough love in my heart for all of them.

I’ve also have to be thankful for my birth father, even though he walked out of our lives two years ago {you can read that story here}.  I know God has a purpose and a reason for everything that happens.  And he obviously had a part in my life, or I wouldn’t be here and I’m thankful for his part in my adoption as well.

It’s a perfect example to me of how God has His hands in our lives, even when we don’t realize it. And oh how thankful I am for that!!!

Today I am thankful for an entire day of holiday mini-sessions with a senior session thrown in there as well.  I’m so thankful for my business and how the Lord has blessed it over the past few years. Eight years ago when I started this business, it was merely a pipe dream. My goal was to make a fun atmosphere, quality photography and amazing products. I wanted it accessible and affordable for everyone. But most of all, I wanted to follow God’s direction for my business. I am so super thankful that I listened to His voice. I never could have imagined when I started Gypsy Tree what it has grown to be. To look at where Gypsy Tree is now leaves me breathless. I am humbled, honored, grateful and blessed to have crossed paths with all my clients. I am also extremely thankful for how many people come as clients but leave as friends, one of my favorite things about my business!

Today I am soooo extremely thankful for the most amazing parents ever. I’m so thankful God decided to give me to them 40ish years ago. I am so thankful for them showing me what a faithful walk with God looks like. I am so thankful for the millions and millions of things they do for us daily. Even a small act like making sure there is ice cream in their freezer for my littles {and for Pap when Nan isn’t looking, ha}.

They have poured into my littles lives and helped mold them into the amazing people they are today. The best decision I ever made was to raise my family in the house beside them. So many times, little legs ran up through the yard to grab a cookie and a kiss. They would stop whatever they were doing to scoop that little one up and love on them.

Without them, I don’t know how I would have made it through all the sicknesses and surgeries. They are my rock. My mama is my best friend and I wouldn’t want it any other way!