THANKSGIVING FEASTS

In the last week, our family has been reading about the first Thanksgiving, both at school and at home. On Sunday at HighPoint, Mr. Dudley taught the kids that the original Thanksgiving was created by God, in the form of Jewish festivals. With Thanksgiving on the mind, we've been working on an "attitude of gratitude" all month.

On Thursday we will head out to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Getting an early start, Avery and Ella each celebrated Thanksgiving feasts at school today with their teachers and friends. Both girls made crafts (placemats, a pilgrim hat that is not shown because it got crushed in the book bag, necklace and a treats box)

Unfortunately I could 't be in two places at the same time (I hate that!) so I volunteered in Ella's class. I was in charge of helping kids with their necklaces. So cute :)

My favorite part of Ella's Thanksgiving feast was when each child read his/her "Thank You Story". Here is what Ella wrote:

I am thankful for God because he sent his only son to die for are sin. I am thankful for my sister because she loves me and I love her. I am thankful for my friends because they are nice to me. I am thankful for my parents because they lov me so much and care for me.

Avery also had a nice Thanksgiving song to share with us when she got home from school.

A few things that I am most thankful for:

• My salvation and eternal hope because of Jesus
• My husband of 10 years. God knew that Eric is the exact person that I needed as my partner and best friend in life. He is an awesome husband and father!
• My precious girls, Avery & Ella. They bring me so much joy.
• Everything I need and so much more. God blesses me daily with more than I could ask or imagine.

FIRST SNOW

It has been a blustery, cold week around here! Much more like February than November. But Avery & Ella have loved it. Lots of time with their best friends -- each other!

RUNAWAY WALKER

Okay, this story is about 2 weeks old, but I haven't had a chance to write it down until now! The girls and I went to visit my parents, my sister, Coleen, & her family, and my grandma. For those of you who prayed for Grandma this summer & fall as she transitioned into assisted living -- thank you! She is doing great! So much better than I expected when I went to see her -- "...all things are possible with God."

One evidence that Grandma is doing well was that she wanted me to take her out to lunch. We went to Friendly's, and this particular restaurant is on a busy street (almost a highway) and up on a hill. Grandma has a teal-colored walker that she LOVES. She shows it to everyone that visits her and she calls it her "buggy". It has a storage basket under the seat, and on this particular day she stored her take-out container before we left Friendly's.

It was a very cold day, and my main concern after lunch was getting Grandma into the car, especially since she refused to wear a coat to lunch. Grandma let go of her "buggy" to get into the car and I helped her up the step into the van and got her settled. When I turned around, her "buggy" was gone! A panicky thought came into my head and then became reality -- Grandma's walker was moving at a fast pace down the hill and into the road!

I ran (and I am not a runner!) as fast as I could, down the hill. But just as I reached the road, the walker rolled right out into traffic (moving at 50+ mph). All I could imagine was having to tell Grandma that her "buggy" was demolished. And how was I going to get her back into her apartment without it??

Fortunately, a very nice man noticed the walker before he hit it. He slowed his car and stopped, allowing me to run out into the road and retrieve the teal-colored walker. As I was sheepishly pushing the walker back up the hill to my car, I could see the man and his wife getting a good laugh at my expense.

God is good. Grandma's buggy was safe and even her take-out quesadilla wasn't any worse for the ride. I considered sharing this adventure with Grandma once I got into the car, but decided that it would be more prudent to wait to share the laugh with my mom and dad. Grandma never noticed a thing and I guess that was for the best.

Here is a picture of Grandma with three of her great-granddaughters, Ella, Sammie, & Avery . Sometimes it's just better not to know everything that happens around us.

BEST HANDWRITING

Today Ella won the award for "Best Handwriting in the First Grade". Each month, one child gets selected for this honor. The prize is a special lollypop. Here is a picture of Ella with her prize and a sample of her "best handwriting"

SINGING TREE

This beautiful Japanese Maple is in our front yard. I can't help but think that Psalm 96 can be literally applied . . .

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.

Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
they will sing before the LORD"

Psalm 96:11-13

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This was an unusual Halloween . . . I came down with a stomach bug in the wee hours of Friday morning, putting me out of commission for all of the Halloween festivities. Eric had already taken the day off, so he was able to attend Avery's party and parade at school and get the girls ready for trick-or-treating. It was my first (and only, I hope) year to miss the fun with them.

Avery changed her mind at the last minute from dressing as a butterfly to being a fairy. Ella was a kitty cat (aka "cutie-cat"). Thank you, Aunt Coleen, for loaning us the hand-made fairy dress, and thanks to Grandma W. for making the purple satin cat tail! This mom is hopeless when it comes to sewing.

Eric and the girls enjoyed two hours of trick-or-treating with our good friends and neighbors. Then they visited Grandpa & Grandma's house and Mr. Matt & Miss Meg's house. Thanks for all of the candy! It has been an extra-sweets kind of day :) Maybe my stomach will be ready for chocolate by tomorrow . . .