Thanksgiving Week Recap and some Gratitude

Hello all and War Eagle! I really don't know where to begin. We've just returned home {last night} from an over-a-week-long stay at my parent's house in Mississippi. Our time was fun, relaxing, and productive all in one. It was such a treat to be with family and have so many extra hands to share in the care of Stephen Small.

 

{33 + weeks. My belly has officially reached personal shelf status.}

We tried to make the most of several days of 80 degree weather despite the fact that it was LATE NOVEMBER. Welcome to the south east, cold on Easter, warm on Thanksgiving, right? I will say the warmer temps allowed for lots of outside play and wagon rides. Stephen Small was in hog heaven! And each afternoon he crashed from exhaustion and took awesome 3, sometimes 4 hour naps. He has a play hard, sleep hard philosophy of which I am a huge fan.

The Grande joined us the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and boy did I miss him while we were apart. Its true what they say...absence makes the heart grow fonder. Coming home to a clean kitchen  also makes the heart grow fonder. Thanks SG for cleaning the kitchen before you left! I love you for that.

T-day came around and we had our traditional feast at my cousins' lake cabin.

All day we awaited the predicted cold front. Now I remember some warm Thanksgivings in the past, but I do not recall ever running around barefooted and playing in sandboxes. And that's just what we did.

{Stephen with his cousin, Mollie}

As the sun set we forced a fire for the sake of ambiance. Then the most bizarre weather phenomenon occurred.  A cold wind swept in...no rain...no gradual drop in temperature...just a huge gust of cold air. I believe the temperature dropped 15 degrees in 37 seconds. FINALLY the seasonal weather we'd craved.

The cold was ever so timely for deer hunting as well as for watching football by the fire on Friday.

Have I ever mentioned that I'm an Auburn fan? Well, I am. I went there...for 5 years...and some summers. As you can imagine my mom and dad are HUGE fans too after putting me through half a decade of school there! It really is great to be an Auburn Tiger. My sister also is an Auburn grad.

I think we overwhelmed Stephen Small with WAR EAGLES!

My family was quick to point out that I accidentally dressed him in Bama colors, a major party foul on my part.

Saturday morning came with more hunting, the strongest coffee this side of Texas, and my dad's yummy cheese grits followed by a trip to a local nursery to buy some poinsettias.

My mom's van nearly ran out of gas on the way home. We were all nervous, except for my mom. She had faith that her van would at least get us to the closest gas station - and it did. My mom loves her van.

One last wagon ride on the eve of our return home....
Smalls is rotten. And I mean rotten. He totally lived the life last week.

{Lovie, Smalls, and Doc}

I had hoped to do an individual post on what I'm most grateful for this year but it never happened. So in closing I'll leave you with 2 things that are on my mind and heart.

I'm thankful for...

1. My loving husband and all his hard work so I can stay home with our babies.

2. Both sets of our parents and their dedication to disciplining and training* us as children. Parenting is hard. Being a good parent seems downright impossible at times. I'm really grateful for all the loving discipline and correction both Stephen Grande and I received as children and the lengths our parents were willing to go on our behalf.  
 *Pvbs. 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, 

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, 

who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1: 17 

Thank you Lord for your many good and perfect gifts!