Thanksgiving

Psalm 95:2 "Let us come before him with thanksgiving..."

2 Cor 9:15 "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift."

1 Thes 5:18 "...give thanks in all circumstances..."

The importance of gratitude is what I celebrate on Thanksgiving. I couldn't begin to list all the things I am thankful for...it would be too long of a blog and you'd get bored a quarter of the way through it. But, I realize that every day should be Thanksgiving (less the 20-pound turkey with all the fixins). Its so important to be grateful for what you have, no matter what!!! Because things can change in an instant, believe me. All of us, especially during these times, can relate to the feeling of uncertainty and hopelessness. And while it looks like this country, this new Babylon, is ready to fall...I give thanks! For the Father is at every step and beyond. He has a purpose, and no matter what, His will shall prevail!!! Glory be to God, the GREATEST of what we should be thankful for today, and every day.

That being said, I am so blessed with my family and friends! Most of all, these guys:









Greetings from kiddos:

Upcoming...

On Monday, it will be three months since we lost Ezra. It doesn't seem like that long of time, but it feels like it. It feels like more. Sometimes,I try with all my might to remember the sound of his cry and I can't. And then, other times, I think I hear him crying in the other room. I wish I had more pictures of his sweet smile, but we all know the little man went stoic when a camera appeared. That is one thing I still see clearly in my mind--his beautiful smile. He was smiling a lot more frequently during the last few months of his life. If I had been busy with something (like cooking dinner) and then all of the sudden paid full attention to him with a smile and a "Hi Handsome" his face would light up! He loved when we talked to him and played with him. The simplest things made him happy. He was the sweetest boy. I miss him terribly. One thing I thought I wouldn't miss: medical bills...they continue to come in the mail! Ezra had special insurance for kids with disabilities and everything was 100% covered. But, due to billing error, we get bills in the mail saying we owe X amount, when really it was the inadequate billing person who didn't file a claim with the insurance. So, we are stuck sorting it all out. Even now, 3 months after his death. Grrr. I don't like the reminders of the "bad" things. I like all the happier, wonderful memories with our amazing son. He affected us so much in such a short span of time.

Alayna really understands now that Ezra is gone and not coming back. Every night, she thanks Jesus for taking care of him. And Jeremiah, well, he's always understood, and he's dealt with it quite well! He draws family pictures and puts Ezra up on a cloud in Heaven. Cute. Overall, they are doing great. Alayna had a cold this past week and I had to keep her home one day. And, of course, I caught the cold and have been fighting it since Tuesday. In addition to the continued colitis flare. Will it ever end?

Thanksgiving is going to be a nonevent in our house this year. Peter is working from 2-10. We are going to have a turkey lunch. I'm going to make turkey cutlets, potatoes, green beans, and of course, cranberry sauce. The kids don't eat stuffing so I am not making it. I bought a pumpkin pie to bake (thanks Sara Lee). Last year, I went all out and made a huge dinner, and a lot of it got thrown away. Don't want to do all that work to waste food. Its just the four of us, so I am not going to make a fuss. And while Peter's at work, the kids and I will stay home and watch movies in our pajamas. Or they will...I will get the Christmas decorations out and officially start the season in our house.

Here are a couple of pics. Nothing special...just the kids hanging out at the house.

Ah, the constant babysitter:


She was running at me when I clicked this...I love the natural expression:

Random Videos

With tomorrow being Veteran's Day, the entire 1st grade class at Jeremiah's school put on a program to honor veterans. They've been practicing for weeks (which has been evident at home with J singing the same 3 songs again and again). Of course, Jeremiah spent most of the performance fidgeting and goofing off, but he sang along when it struck him to do so. It was a cute little performance nonetheless. Here's a snippet:



In Alayna news, she is thriving in preschool. She's learning so much and so fast! She's always been ahead of the game when its come to scholastic aptitude. I love watching what both kids are learning!