Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I cannot believe this year has gone so fast. It seems every year goes faster than the last. I was thinking this morning during my prayer time about the last year. A year ago we were still at our former church praying and searching for the will of God concerning our church home. We hadn't yet started actually checking other churches yet, but we were praying and searching scriptures. It was this weekend that we saw the change in our boys at Calvary. The way they lit up while we were there. When we came home from Iowa we started checking out other churches. I remember thinking it was going to destroy my kids to move churches, that's what we had been taught for the last ten years. I am so thankful the Holy Spirit dwells within and guides us! I am so thankful we made me the move, my kids are completely different than they were a year ago, especially Morgan and Jeffery. I love the way they have grown physically and spiritually. Looking back over the past year, we have had our trials, everyone does. But we have had so much of God's grace poured on us over and over. I thank God daily for Grace Baptist Church, it is an awesome place to be able to serve!

I'm thankful for my family-extended and immediate. I have great kids! It took me a while to realize that, unfortunately. I see now in my kids their desire to grow, their desire to serve, and their desire to love others. When we are at the Learning Center on Tuesdays, I can just about guarantee they are going to volunteer to help someone in some way. I'm proud of that. These guys see a need and do their best to meet that need. I love it!

I'm glad my boys are all boy-even if that means Ben comes home EVERY Tuesday with grass stains on his pants. I am so grateful Ben hasn't had a seizure in almost two years! His migraines are better now, so long as he doesn't have MSG or caffein. I love the way he still wants to snuggle every morning. I love the way he just knows how to play rough, and loves it. I love how black and white everything is to him still. He is such an awesome little guy!

I love that Morgan, at 15 still tells his Momma he loves me, he even texted us a couple of times while we were in Branson just to tell us he loves us. I love that Morgan is starting to question what we believe. Understand, he is not being rebellious, he wants to know why we believe anything, from religion to politics, to why we homeschool. He is forming his own opinions, and I love it!

I love that Jeffery is so talented with his guitar. I love the way Jeffery has opened up in the past year. It's hard to believe how quiet he was just a year ago. I remember worrying about him because he would sit by himself most of the time at church, now he is constantly with someone where ever we go. It's amazing to see how he has changed in the last year!

Christopher. I am amazed at his memory! God has certainly blessed him with the ability to memorize things quickly, it blows my mind! I'm thankful God gave him that ability to draw, and I'm thankful he gets to take another art class in January. I love how Christopher loves people, anyone, he doesn't care. He just loves people. I love that Christopher loves to play with Ben, he hasn't gotten too "old" for his little brother yet. I love the way he has picked up the violin, that he can play by ear AND read notes! Christopher is a great kid, and I'm so glad he's mine!

I'm glad God allowed my daughter to be able to play rough and tough with her brothers, and yet in a flash be a lady. I love that she is 10, I love that she still plays with Barbie Dolls at 10. I love that she can wear my shoes, I do hope her feet stop growing now though. I love how social she is, she doesn't know a stranger, and can become friends fast with others. I love that she plays the flute, and piano, and I don't have to tell her to practice! I love that she is my daughter!

Now that you've heard about my family, I must say, I am even more thankful for my husband. He does work a lot to allow me to stay home with the kids, and I do appreciate that, and I love it. I value that tremendously. But more than his work, I love and am grateful for his growth this year. As we have learned together about communication and truly loving one another our relationship has just grown over the last year. It's so much better now than it was, and I'm excited to see where God is going to take it now.

I'm thankful I'm still close to my parents and my sister's family. I love that my neice and nephew still, at 11 and 13, tell me they love me when I talk to them on the phone, or we are leaving from seeing them. I love that I talk to my family regularly, that even though we aren't close distance wise, we are close in our relationships. God has certainly been very good to me and my family this year! Praise Him!