Thanksgiving

Come this time of year, people on Facebook tend to post a "thanks" everyday.  I decided to take the challenge this year and find things that I'm truly thankful for and blessed by.  Here is a compilation of everything that I posted up to Thanksgiving day.  Advent comes early this year, so that is the reason for stopping at Thanksgiving.  I want to be able to not focus on what God has given me, but how he changed the world one Christmas 2000+ years ago.

November 1st- I'm thankful that Jesus conquered the grave and I have eternal life.
2- I'm thankful for healthy kids and husband.
3- I'm thankful to God for the bountiful provisions of basic needs of food, shelter and clothing.

4- I'm thankful to God for a heritage full of ancestors that paved the way for me, giving me role models for life and showing with their actions: their love for God and their dedication to the church and Centenary College.














5- I'm thankful to God for using A. C. "Cheesy" Voran and Will Andress as match makers, putting my parents together and choosing my best friends and husband.
6- I'm thankful that God gave me an incredible mother and a wonderful mother-in-law.

7- I'm thankful to God for giving us different seasons and changes in weather, even day-light savings time. 
8- I'm thankful to God for the gift on music and my voice, even if it is not solo quality. And, I also give thanks for the beautiful mentors he placed in my life: Debbie Talley and Wendy Sharpless. 
9-I'm thankful to God for friends that you can pick up right where you left off, even if it is years in between.

10- I'm thankful to God for giving me the sweetest sisters (and sister-in-laws) on the planet.

11- I'm thankful to God for all the men and women who have giving their lives to serve this great nation for our freedom. 
12- I'm thankful to God for sweet cousins my kids get to grow up with.

13- I'm thankful to God that we can worship Him wherever we are and that He is in control.
14- I'm thankful to God for my Daddy who I miss very much on this, his birthday.

15- I'm thankful to God for giving me such a sweet husband and best friend who takes care of me and loves me unconditionally.

16- I'm thankful to God for giving me Cavett and for his sweet sense of empathy toward others.
17- I'm thankful to God for giving me Kendrick who keeps making me laugh and his endless supply of hugs.

18- I know I've kinda already said thanks for her but, gotta do it again. I'm thankful to God for my sweet mother-in-law who drove 3 hours round trip just to bring me some soup to help me feel better.
19- I'm thankful to God for quite time and family naps.
20- I'm thankful to God for rain.
21- I'm thankful to God for my BSF class.
22- I'm thankful to God for the Holy Spirit's enabling, strength and endurance that I desparately need today. 
23- I'm thankful for my big families on both sides. 

24- I'm thankful to God for who He is and how he has revealed himself to me. 

Elephant Hands

There comes a time when you get too old for things in life--staying up all hours of the night, drinking too much, mini-skirts, etc.  I'd have to add to that list Mononucleosis. 

Yes, I have it and lucky me, I am a rarity in that you normally don't get it twice in a life time.  (I had it in high school.)  As a mom of two boys, it's miserable to sit on the sofa and do nothing.  Yes, the hugs from the kids are great, and my husband truly stepping in to do all of my job is awesome, but to not be throwing up or have severe fever, showing signs of sickness is rough.  I'm not good at this--laying around and resting. 

I also like to cut my own french toast, wear my wedding rings and open medicine jars by myself, but you can't do that when you have swollen elephant hands....

(I have on my pregnancy wedding band.)

And, please pray that Stephen doesn't catch it!  He never had it!

His First Trophy

It's the first one and he's super proud--Kendrick's first trophy.  Nevermind that it is actually a plaque you hang on the wall.  It doesn't really make a difference.  He earned it and learned a lot this season about actually playing baseball rather than watching it. 

Way to go Kendrick!

Of course there was cake!

Laisse le Bon Temps Rouler!

This past summer Southwest Airlines was having an anniversary sale.  We thought about where we could go and decided it was time to head south and see the Degenharts.  The hard part was that flights couldn't be taken on Friday or Sunday.  Oh well.  We took Cavett out of school and headed to the "Big Easy." 

We had such a great time visiting with our cousins and doing all the touristy things, that we had never done.  Since Cavett was pulled out of school, I tried to make it as educational in every way.  We checked out books from the library on all things Louisiana, Rivers, Wetlands, Mardi Gras, and Cajun culture.  We even learned about column classification while riding on the street car down St. Charles.  We also gave him the old camera and a had a photo scavenger hunt to keep him looking.

For those of you thinking that New Orleans is not a place for kids, think again.  Between the swamp tour, the street musicians and performers, the ferry and street car rides and Mardi Gras world, there is plenty to see and do!  We loved it!  Can't wait to join the Degenharts for a real Mardi Gras Parade one year.