So Thankful!

 We might start by saying . . . we are SO thankful that he will only look like this for just a little over one more week!  Just kidding! ; )  . . . maybe.  (grew his beard for the Cantata)

We are so blessed to be surrounded by family and friends . . . and for our family to be friends.

We are thankful for those small moments that bring a smile and guarantee a laugh . . . for the joy the Lord gives us in such abundance.

And we're thankful for the time to spend with extended family.  Thanksgiving day, most of the family was able to gather for Thanksgiving dinner at Uncle Gerald and Aunt Valerie's house.

So beautiful and festive, yet so comfortable and relaxed.

As always, there were plenty of goodies plus some.

Allison found her a nice cozy corner in which to relax.

Dig in! . . . well, said in a little more civilized manner, of course. : )

Family fun . . .

: )

After supper, everyone headed downstairs to decorate gingerbread houses.

Pa Paw and Ma Maw had a lot of entertainment as everyone busied themselves with their grand architecture. : )  Hey, it's only once a year that we get to decorate something exactly as we please and are allowed to blame it on creativity. : )

Madelyn was ready to get started!

I want some of this, and some of this, and . . .

He liked the candy idea! : )

SO thankful for parents who love the Lord and love us unconditionally!

We only put a couple of those gray hairs in Daddy's head, you know . . . : )

Organization

This can get to be serious business around here! : )

Such cute little gingerbread boys and girls!

Enamored with Nana's artwork

Teamwork

Hmmm . . . can you guess her decor???

The little ones were fun to watch . . . and to listen to . . . as they decorated.

Aunt Valerie was very brave this year.  Spray paint icing.  Sounds rather dangerous.

(Don't worry . . . this is posed.  The spraying only took place outside!)

Looks like he is rather enjoying the candy . . .

Finished!

Back Door

Aunt Crystal's very nice, cozy cottage . . .

and two precious gingerbread men.

Elizabeth's happy house

Laura's with a pretty, cool blue theme

Mom's gingerbread man-sion

Allison's exotic Zebra house

Claire made Cayden and Madelyn (respectively). See the blue eyes and green?

Sara even built a chimney for hers.

Valerie's little shanty

It didn't even belong in the same neighborhood as Christina's pristine blue. : )

Jon and Marie's even has an occupant!  So cute!

Keisha's Chapel Chimney House with a blowup penguin outside. : )

Such fun!!!!

Allison's . . . could we correctly conjecture that she has settled in "Chinatown"? : ) : )

Our little gingerbread village

We definitely do not take advantage of all the precious moments the Lord gives with family . . . the sweet memories of loving grandparents always there to give a hug, aunts that spoil us rotten and uncles that help them, cousins to laugh with . . . and get into trouble with as the occasion permits : ), parents and siblings to share life with, nieces to spoil . . .  God is SO good to us!!!! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

Psalm 100 

Maryland Moments

The long-promised post is here! : )  This is sort of an overview in pictures with some commentating in between. : )

Our trip to Maryland at the end of October was SO refreshing although it did pass by quickly with a bunch stuffed into those two weeks.  It was good to see "old" friends (meaning dear friends) : ) as well as have a time away from the normal busyness of home.

The mission of our trip was to roof a house, so Dad, Ray and Sara got busy with that right away.

As always happens when they climb up on a roof and start tearing shingles off . . . the clouds began rolling in.

The view from the roof is amazing!  To be honest, the view from anywhere around there is amazing!

 Isn't this boat so picturesque!?!

We also had the opportunity to snap a few shots with Sara in full dress.  The surroundings were surreal!

 Going Home

 The Water Is Wide

 As she played on the pier, it was fun for us onlookers to watch neighbors all along the creek coming out of their houses, lounging on their piers, and one family even idled their boat down past the dock to get a closer view.  As for the birds, they didn't mind it either. : )

 Halfway through the trip, Mom, Christina, Allison, and I (Valerie) traveled back home for an important doctor's appointment.  It was well worth it as the doctor gave Allison a firm diagnosis of Ehler's-Danlos Syndrome III.  We are very thankful to the Lord that He has been so faithful each step of the way! (And continues to be so!!!)

 Allison and her nearly inseparable friend.

Lickerish Lucy a.k.a. SPOILED!!!

 Mrs. Brown's son gave us all of these windows and doors for our new house, etc.!  What a blessing!!!

And just think . . . not long after we left, it started snowing and we were hauling this big load!  Thankfully the storm didn't amount to anything.

 The farewell day dawned cold and rainy.  So what do you do if the rain is blowing and you don't really care to get wet (or freeze?!?)?  O.K. So I got laughed at.  But I did stay quite dry all but the bottom few inches of my skirt. : )  Unlike the people that laughed at me. : ) : )

 The finished roof

Headin' home!