5 Minutes of Thanks

How kind You are...

Thank You for

• A cozy night on the couch with my hubby.
• New mercies every morning.
• Thanksgiving dinner with Grandma Vaupel, cousins, aunts, and uncles, and 8 children age 4 and under.
• Two little cutie-pies who are both asleep.
• Nebulizers and humidifiers.
• Grace that is greater than all my sin.

Two Weeks' Highlights in Photos

I, for one, am flabbergasted that we're rolling in on the end of November.

What ever happened to October?

But, rather than try to actually catch up on everything I've forgotten to post on here, I'll at least share some highlights from the past couple weeks.

At the birthday celebration for our beloved friend and adopted "Nana"...

 

After a day of fun playing with friends, Victor suffered a bit of an eye injury ... 

and then came home and fell down the stairs, landing on the same spot. Ouch!

I fell sick last weekend and had to miss a birthday party and church.

Victor headed to church with Dad ... who snapped a few pictures on his way from the parking lot. 

On Monday, Josiah had his last cranial cap appointment.

Before ... 

And, he is officially graduated!

After (with the sculpture of his head before treatment" ...

 

On Thursday, Daddy got to share his testimony at the BCS chapel. 

We got to listen from the front row. 

(In hindsight, not the easiest seat for Mom with two squirrely, past-naptime little boys. 

But we made it.)

Although both boys came down with colds in the middle of the week,

we decided to at least join in for the first few minutes of small group Thursday night. 

We love these folks so much.

And today's big milestone ... two boys in the cart at Costco!

 Both boys still have nasty coughs, and there's lots of busy times ahead, but what a sweet season.

On Snow: A Letter to My Boys

Dear Victor and Josiah,

I had to stay  home from cousin Caleb's 1st birthday party today because I'm a little sick. I missed you and I missed sharing that celebration (albeit the birthday boy had such a good snooze that he slept through your whole time there!).

But now that you're home again, having your own snoozes, I just wanted to say that God has been so good to us. It snowed this week--a little early (in my book), but you didn't mind! I am convicted by your enthusiasm for shoveling, Victor, and how happily you receive pretty much anything that comes to you, Josiah.

Contentment is a lesson, so says Paul, and it's important for your whole life. More than circumstances, your attitude will shape the measure of your joy. And Paul said the secret to contentment is Jesus.

Do we see the snow as a gift from God, part of His good plan for our day? Do we look for ways to enjoy it, marvel at its beauty, industriously tackle the work it brings, and delight in its fun? Or do we just groan in bed, thinking about the mess, the traffic, the cold, the piles of outerwear required to do anything, and the onslaught of flu season? I confess to the temptation of the latter.

Oh my sons, I pray that we will be a home that sees God behind every snowflake and water drop and that we will receive with happy, open hands what He sees good to give us.

I love you,
Mom

Anniversary Weekend

Last week, Victor got some odd stomach bug. Puked at 2:15pm on Wednesday ... then at midnight. Then he was fine on Thursday. And Friday morning, before eating or drinking anything ... puked again.

So, it was with no small relief, exhilaration, and joy that he bounced back, and Grammy and Grandad were still willing to come for a visit, so Ben and I got to have a little belated anniversary celebration this weekend.

For most of the weekend we popped in ... fed Josiah and put him down ...and then popped out again for another four hours. It was wonderful! Aside from having an extra crummy night of sleep (both boys up quite a bit), it was just the most delightful and refreshing time.

We read, talked prayed, took a nap, went for a long walk in Hudson, enjoyed the Delks' anniversary celebration, went to church together (for the whole entire service!), and had a really wonderful weekend.

And, incidentally, they boys were (not surprisingly) tickled pink to have time with Grammy and Grandad. Win and win!

I felt delightfully pampered and loved. Thank you, Grammy and Grandad! And thank you, Benjamin.