Happy Thanksgiving

This is the day of the year that we take time to be thankful. It seems that this holiday gets less attention each year as we prepare for Christmas earlier and earlier. With floods of catalogs coming into our homes and constant list-making of things we don't have but really need (or want!), gratitude is hard to come about.

I love that we have this day to spend with family and focus on those things for which we are most grateful. Because we have so much and live in an environment of plenty, it's difficult to really focus on those specific things. But this year I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving. I have been blessed with so much more than I deserve. So much more.

We created a thankful tree this year and during our thanksgiving celebration with my mom and both of my sisters and their families, we each wrote what we are most thankful for on a leaf. It was made with an old branch, a bunch of rocks and some paper, but it's beautiful. And just looking at it makes me smile...

There are a variety of blessings on the tree...good friends, family, a good job, and even Elmo. This year it wasn't difficult to think about what I'm most thankful for. After some friends have had the scare of their life with their sweet 10-year old daughter, Aidyn, I am reminded of the blessing of my family's good health. And I am so grateful.

I'm thanking God for that and for so much more, while at the same time I'm reminded that I can't hold on too tightly for I know that these are blessings guaranteed only for this very moment.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." I Chronicles 16:34

Thank you, Lord, for your love poured out for eternity. Remind us daily that our true hope is found in you, from whom all blessings flow. Teach our family to be grateful to you for your goodness. And thank you for the abundance of blessings you have poured out on us. Lord, you are good!

Oh, and just because they are so cute, here are the little turkeys that all the kids created today...
Happy Thanksgiving!

Spreading some holiday cheer

How did I once have time to blog? I must have locked the kids in their rooms because I sure can't seem to find the time right now.

Ben and I had lots of fun elfing ourselves yesterday. After I got several of them from friends, I decided it would be fun for Ben and I to do together. He watched it over and over again and tried to copy the dance. Too funny.

So, if anyone is needing to get into the Holiday Spirit, this is for you...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Election Day!

It's almost over! After today there will be no more political ads, no more phone calls & no more people knocking on my door asking me who I will vote for. Most importantly, after today we'll know who our new president is. While the candidates have done a good job of trying to convince us that they will solve all the world problems, I have constantly been reminded over the last several months of the scripture in Ecclesiastes 1: 8-10,

"All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which one can say,
"Look! This is something new"?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time."

I hope that everyone was able to make the time to prayerfully vote over these past couple of weeks! It is an important election, but I also love these reminders that I received in the thousands of political e-mails. This e-mail was actually worth reading...

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election:

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praises to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross for you.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost if they turn to Him.

Amen.

The Prom

Last night it was our turn to dress up...Michael and I went to the prom!

Some of our good friends have a Halloween party every year. Last year it was a 70's party and this year it was prom night. I was on the lookout for a big poofy dress, but then my mom brought over my old dresses from high school. I think it was a good excuse for her to get them out of her house. After trying on some lovely red and bright blue sequin dresses, I decided to wear a dress that I wore to homecoming my freshman year. It fit me quite differently this time (surprise, surprise!) but it was still hilarious. With LOTS of makeup, a big beautiful orange corsage, some big cheap jewelry and a crown, I was ready to go.

My mom suprisingly still had some fabric from the dress so she fixed a matching royal blue bow tie and cumberbund for Michael. He slicked his hair over and wore a large crown. Of course, he had a matching orange boutonnier. We were L-O-V-E-L-Y!!
Here's all the ladies...
And all the men...
Prom was a little different this time around, in more ways than one. The most significant was that we woke up this morning to 3 little kiddos. Talk about a reality check?! It was a fun night, though, and it's always good to have a brief escape from reality.