thanks abounding and a fun tradition

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!" Psalm 126:3

November is drawing to a close, and I'd hope to have had more thankfulness-ing going on in my bloggyland but...anywho. We have this fun little tradition over Thanksgiving and I am very very thankful for it!

Nine years ago (pre-marriage), we began what has become one of my favorite traditions. We celebrate Thanksgiving with our besties on the Wednesday before. We absolutely l.o.v.e this time together, look forward to it for weeks, plan our menu very specifically and deliciously, and enjoy every moment. Each year we write down things we are thankful for, things we hope for in the next year, and favorite memories from the year. Then we seal them up and save them to read and enjoy the next year. We also write letters to each other and get the joy of reading those each year, too. It is truly truly one of my favorite times of the year! Since adding little babes to our lives we have turned our little one day party into quite the event. One of our crews packs up and we all pile into the others house for as long as we can all make possible. This year we stayed at our house and the Schwo's came over on Tuesday and we stayed all together until Saturday. We eat a lot, play games, talk, laugh, take long walks, and anything else wonderful we can squish in. Our kiddos love each other and play great together. It is so fun to watch them interact and we spent one night going around with them sharing things they are thankful for. It was a sweet time to share together.

I am so very thankful for our great friends...our history together, our fun and funny memories, the ability to cry, pray, and rejoice together...the blessing they are to our family is immeasurable.

I wish I could share a lovely pic of the four of us, or 9 of us, but that would require using our camera with the timer and having all people awake and cheery at the same time. :)

snuggle bugs

Look at my 3 precious babies! They make me so happy & I am so thankful for them!

staycation

A few weeks ago Andrew took the ENTIRE week off and spent the whole time staying home and vacationing. It was such a blast! This is our second year to "staycation" and we plan to keep this tradition going. With three kids 4 and under there aren't a lot of places you could convince me would be a fun and relaxing vaca. Except the beach of course :) but that wasn't in the plan this year. This year we had great weather, ate lots of yummy food, watched movies at night, went to Terra Studios, Devil's Den, Boingo Bounce, and more. The kids love it and it is so nice to just enjoy calm time together. Here are some highlight pics.

love

There are moments and happenings in our lives when we know we need something more. Something we can't explain. Something our hearts break in longing for. I know it is the grace of God I seek. I know it is the unfathomable love of Jesus that alone lifts me from where I fall in all my broken nothingness to the glorious riches of abundant life in Him. I really really want to know Jesus as my Loving Gracious Savior.

Lord, teach me the meaning of your Word.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

rocky start but I HEART november

I think November just may be my favorite month of the year. I love fall. I love the color of the leaves. I love the cool crispy air. It all makes me so happy. And Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. I love an entire month of focusing on thankfulness. Let me just say one thing I don't love so far about this November...it started with a stomach bug. Hit me hard for 24 hours. Big yucks. But, on a thankful note, I am so incredibly thankful for my wonderful hubby, mama-in-law, and friends who came to my aid, kept my kids, prayed for me, checked on me, and so on and so on.

Anyway, here are a few things I am looking forward to this month:

1. Watching colorful leaves fly around my yard and then raking them only to jump in them with the kids.

2. Wearing jeans, boots, sweaters, and scarves.

3. Yummy yummy soups and breads.

4. Talking to my kiddos about what we have to be thankful for and Who we have to thank.

5. Eating turkey dinner leftovers over and over again.

6. Spending quality time with good friends and fam.

7. Chocolate Chip Pie. Yum.

8. Snuggling up on the couch with my hubby, me wearing his oversized sweatshirts, and enjoying evenings talking, watching movies, reading Scripture, and dreaming of what God has for our family.

9. Houseshoes.

10. Lastly, and this one is for my sis in law, I look forward to lots and lots of general merriment!