Making pies

I made some pies for Thanksgiving, and Meredith helped me put them together. She asked me if she could help me put the ingredients in the mixer. She used the word ingredients. How does she know that word or what it means?? Sigh.... she's TOO smart for this mama!!

Giving Thanks

I am looking back over the past month, when all of the planning began for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have spent so many moments with conflicting emotions. I've been worried, stressed, sad, excited, overwhelmed and happy. Now that the Thanksgiving holiday has passed, I wonder if I could have handled everything differently. If only I had prayed more, trusted more, backed off more, given in sooner, relaxed. But here I am on the other side of plans made and of events that have occurred, and I am grateful. I missed my older daughters so much over the past week, but in the midst of it all, I had so much to be thankful for. I found my thoughts resting with them so often, and yet my fears and worries were drowned out by my trust in God, that He knew where they were and what they were doing, even if we were apart from each other. I was able to enjoy Michael and Meredith in spite of some sadness in my heart. Patrick truly helped me get through the week with his encouragement and the plans that he made to keep us busy. Being with my extended family provided distraction, joy, so much laughter and many great memories. It's hard to believe that this week I have been dreading for a month is over. I am so grateful for that - not just that it is over and in the past, but that it was well spent and taught me great lessons.

A precious moment

This afternoon I got to hold Michael for about 15 minutes while he watched "Bob the Builder". Michael's favorite person these days is Daddy, not Mama. He usually asks to have a snuggle with Daddy, have Daddy carry him, buckle him, etc. However, today I got to be the one to hold him!! I loved rocking him and holding him. He hasn't felt very good today, so he just relaxed in my arms with his blankies. He's going to be 3 in January, and day by day he is seeming to lose a little bit of his "babyness". The time that he has left of being my baby is slipping by, although he will truly always be my baby. It was such a precious moment to just enjoy him today, making the moment count in my heart.