Thanksgiving break 2009- photo memories

This is picture heavy. It's just a bunch of photos that show the fun we had together as a family on Thanksgiving break. It was a much, much, much needed break. We are so thankful for our first home, our first big holiday in our home, and for our family (though we often argue and get on each other's nerves- we do really get along well and love each other and their company alot!!!)

Robert and Dad pretending to fight- goofy boys!

Matthew "breaking it up" :)

my little "ducklings" all grown up now!

Matthew guarding this bridge- "None shall pass."

Late November and there are still beautiful leaves. I just can't get used to this even after 5 falls here in North Carolina. :)

my goofy son, Robert

I love my kids!!!!!!!!!!!! And our dog, Samson too!

I love this man!

We went for a walk at the Arboretum, and I saw these pretty berries- American Beautyberries.

Samson and Matthew explored the little creek that runs by the Arboretum.

my hubby and best friend

my sweet, happy-go-lucky daughter

It was NOT anywhere near cold enough to be dressed like this. We teased her a lot about it, to which she replied, "I'm being cute! It's called style!" :)

I just liked these pretty steps. :)

Sammy is happiest when he is with us, and he LOVES LOVES LOVES going for rides!!!

our 1st Thanksgiving in our 1st home! THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

our backyard still has tons of leaves falling down and not yet fallen- we'll be raking leaves all winter at this rate!

Robert makes the funniest faces! We kicked off Thanksgiving break with cookies & milk and game time.

the 1st holidays in OUR home :)

On my list of things I am thankful for this week was, once again, having a home of our own. It still seems like a dream to Rob & I even after 8 months. I keep thinking every once in a while that it's been a while since the landlord called to complain about something. :) Or I wonder how much our rent will go up when we renew the lease. :) Or has the landlord been by to inspect the house/property? :) Or can we hang this up on the wall? Or how much will the landlord charge us when we leave?

I am so very grateful for a home- a warm place to live and keep us safe from the wet, cold, windy, hot weather. But I am so very grateful also for a place that is ours (or will be in 30 years). :)

And now today, the kids, Rob, and I are about to begin to decorate our home for its first Christmas with the Thomas family. :) I will post photos later. I get so homesick for the family we left behind, but I am hoping that making my new home pretty for Jesus' birthday will be another reminder to me to keep being thankful, to keep focusing on Him who brought us here, who has blessed us with a home of our own, but most of all who blessed us all with His love, His unending merciful, adoring love.

That is the most important thing in the world to me and the biggest blessing to be thankful for- way more than a roof over my head, mine or not.

THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made it Momma, made it to Thanksgiving break...

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. 2009. Time sure continues to move by at such a quick pace.

A few weeks ago, when I was teetering on the edge and about to have a nervous breakdown or something, I called my Momma and she told me to just focus on making it to Thanksgiving. Well thanks to God's help and my husband and momma listening to me (and my kids too) so many times I can't even name them all, I made it! Thank you God, Rob, Momma, and my kids!!!! I would NOT have made it without your support and listening and prayers for me!!!

Thanksgiving break. Last night we played Yahtzee together, the five of us. It was sooo much fun. Today Barbara went with me to an appointment then we ran an errand of hers and hit the store for last minute things. We were all home together this afternoon until the two olders had to work. I helped with leaf collection in the backyard this afternoon for a little bit- boy do we have a HUGE pile of leaves going back there in our compost area!!!! Tonight I am making pumpkin pies and I also wrote some new donorschoose proposals for my classroom.

Tomorrow we will all work together to make cornish hens, some ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, spinach supreme (my FAVORITE!), and vegies. And we will play a game and I'm sure watch some football and movies, and my kids will tease me but I'll try to watch the parade in the morning just because I always used to as a kid and then as a young mom. They don't like to watch it anymore and they like to tease me about it, but I'm nostalgic like that. :)

I so wish we were all together with the rest of our family, but I'm thankful for being alive. Thankful for my Momma still being alive and with us and doing well after the big C. I'm thankful that Pop is still here after the heart attack a couple weeks ago; he could have not made it and my Momma would now be facing a major holiday alone, and that would hurt her. So I'll focus on what I have and not the distance between us... or I'll try to anyway. :)

I have plans to relax on my days off but also have to do a BIG assignment for my grad class, finish up my lesson plans for next week and make some more Christmas cards to sell (hopefully). It's been a nice break so far, and I'm so thankful for it!!! I don't know how I'll get through the rest of the year, but I'm trying to focus on just today and not think too much about the big picture. :)

Thanks God for time away from the stress of work. Thanks for helping me to focus on what I should be thankful for and not on all the other negative things. Thanks for helping me to make it, for my family, for being loved, and for Your love above all else!