Mega Thankful Thursday Post... November's Thankful Thoughts on Thanksgiving ;)

~Chocolate fudge pie (you knew the first one had to be chocolate, right ;)?!).
~Memories brought back by a black-spotted ladybug :).
~An early(ish), quiet morning spent snuggling sleepy Peter before everybody else woke up.
~Books and time to read. I've been reading more lately, and several books have made it onto this list ;)!
~Time change... I like fall time better than summer ;). Remember, people, I'm a night owl ;)...
~Toasting marshmallows together as a family "just for" :)...

~Bethi's work on a hat for baby "Seaweed" :).
~The sight of Peter and Tori reading together.
~Letters from Granny. These have been a sweet part of my life for several years now :).

 

We children with Granny in October.

~Abbi's "medallion" watch. She is so proud of that thing :)!....

~Abbi and Emmi's excitement to help like one of the "big ones".
~Making new friends here.
~The beautiful colors on the road to our house....
~Blueberry muffins. Even if the blueberries turn the batter purple (which then bakes into a blue?! Whatever ;)...). But it was a pretty purple!!!
~Tori, and all the games played and baking done together lately :).
~"Spontaneous" walks as a family (as spontaneous as they can be, anyway ;)!).
~My friend Katie, who has been such an encouragement to me! We've been reading the bible together for over two years now... it doesn't seem like that long!
~And, the six month bible challenge, that turned into more like a year :P, that we are finishing up now :).
~Family dinner time! I love it when we all sit down as a family for dinner :)...
~The way Emmi loves to make beds and fold blankets :). And she does such a good job, too :)!
~Peter's first taste of oreo cookies.
~Socks. Especially since it's cold now! Haha :).
~And, on that note, hot water ;)!
~The way Abbi loves to rub Daddy's head during bible time.
~Bright, beautiful, juicy pomegranates. I love the taste as much as the look ;).
~Tacos. I'm not sure what our family would do without tacos. Especially one certain member of us...

~"Joseph and the Gospel of Many Colors". It was a really good book!
~Enjoying time outside,
~Making leaf piles.
~In sweaters :). I love it when it gets cool enough for sweaters!
~Some organizing done.
~Peter "playing" the harmonica :).
~11/12/13... fun date for it to....
~SNOW! :)
~Mommy's delicious chili.
~Our Christmas kick-off.
~The little chairs that Gramma gave the little ones for movie nights.

~"Worship: The Ultimate Priority". This book by John MacArthur was really good, too :).
~Emmi's simple comment that "I took my ponytail out, because I wanted to look just like you!"
~Abbi's little arms around my neck in a gentle hug.
~Emmi's excitement to be able to find the items in her "Look and Find" book, all by herself :)...
~Peter's trying so hard to put on his own pants by himself, that was so cute :). He finally resorted to using Andrew, but he made a good effort!
~Math-U-See. I really wanted to use Mommy's math curriculum, but since the videos (the only means of instruction!), didn't work, we decided it would be best to get something I could actually learn from ;)!
~Milk Duds, Root Beer, popcorn, and a movie from Gramma :).
~Daddy's call from Granny.
~Peter's calling chocolate chips "green". Because Gramma sent a wonderfully large amount of chocolate chips home with us last month :), and  they got put in the green container she also sent home with us, and Tori says "Oh, he saw the green thing!" whenever he wants a chocolate chip, we believe he now thinks they are called green!
~Comforters and bedsheets.
~Daddy's wonderful photography and computer skills, he has made some beautiful inspirational photos lately :).
~How Peter claps after everybody repeats the catechism question answer. Sooo sweet :)...
~Granola bars for Sunday.
~"Practical Religion", by J. C. Ryle. Although it took me forever to read it. Haha :). It was very good, but I found it hard to read without thinking hard, haha ;).
~A play set at church that the little ones enjoyed :).
~That whatever stung Emmi while we were outside a couple weeks ago wasn't something she was allergic to!
~The way windows look so bright after they are washed :).
~"If", by Amy Carmichael.
~The little side-pony tails Abbi and Emmi wore that, when they side by side, they looked like a two headed monster ;). A cute one! :) I'll share pictures after I find them... haha :).
~And I heard that somebody can't get on alone with a quiet time without me... Awwww :)... I enjoy quiet times with you, too, Tori ;)!
~Waking up to Abbi on one side of me, and Emmi on the other :)...
~Peter's sitting on his bed looking at a book waiting patiently for Tori to get back, just like she told him to :)...
~And his little "woo-hoo" when he wants something ;). I love it :)!
~The girls' eagerness to have me do their hair.
~Emmi's love for (boxed, haha!) mac'n'cheese... haha :). She is hilarious!
~Gramma... I'm thankful for "Feliz Navidad" ;)...
~My new glasses :)! There has been a little bit of a learning curve, but they've been a blessing :).
~That all the Christmas outfits are out and found.
~This story about a little boy using his art to bless others...
~The sound of bible pages turning in a group of believers.
~The wintery feeling that comes with a bowl of soup :).
~Times of fellowship and counting the ways the Lord has blessed us.
~And for all the prayers that others have prayed for our family this past year! Thank you all sooo much!
~The extra heater Daddy placed in our room as it continues to get colder... haha :).
~Peter's begging for a "Coo-ie, coo-ie!!!". Stinker ;).... he has had far more than is good for him lately ;)!
~Daddy and Andrew working together on fixing projects :).
~That the hand mixer, that is older then me, was repairable.. Daddy fixed it last Sunday, and we should be using it for several more years! Ya :)! It's the only hand mixer I've ever used at home ;)!
~Scrabble :).
~ That the maple twist I made yesterday came out right the first time! (If you don't count the fact that I used the wrong flour... but I wasn't told we were using different! Haha :).)
~Bethi's yummy supper she made for us last night :).
~Emmi's little pony tail, it's so cute as it swings around :)!
~Pie crusts made ahead of time.
~The smell of fresh, warm cranberry sauce (although the taste could be better... nothing is perfect, haha!).
~The Pilgrim's devotion to God, the way they listened to his word, and paved the way for those of us in America to be free under God.
~The movie "Monumental", that tells the story quite clearly.
~And that our family is together for Thanksgiving this year... last year we were not! So much has changed in this year, but I am so happy that we are finally together again!!!! With another little one on the way :)...
~This day set aside to give thanks :)...

"Praise the Lord!

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!"

                                        ~Psalm 106:1

Today, as We Prepare for Tomorrow, a Day that Our Nation Sets Aside to Give Thanks on...

... to give thanks for family...
...and friends...
...and love...
...and salvation...
...and so many other things...

Barton  still needs a family. 

Please, pray for him. Help spread the word. He needs a family just as much as any of us! And his time is running out! May the Lord use this situation for HIS glory!

Imagine...

...that you had lived without a family for almost sixteen years.

...that nobody told you that you were needed (or wanted...).

...that, instead of a cake with candles on your birthday, with a family singing around you...

...instead of celebration, you lost all hope of anything ever changing.

December 1st will be an important day for two little ones without a family. The Hidden Treasures auction will start up to bring sweet Tony home.

But for Barton, it will mean his last chance of a family has come and gone.

Unless! Unless his family finds him and sends in their paperwork by tomorrow night.

That sounds impossible. But God can do all His Holy will!!!!

Please share his story! Pray for Barton! That he would become part of a family, that the Lord will wrap a hedge of protection around him, and that no matter what happens, God will receive all glory and honor and praise!

I'm Actually Very Shocked!

We had all kinds of hints we were going to throw out...

Like, no it's not a fish...

 

Or wet gumdrops.

 And, does a larger view help?

But apparently, I have a friend who has eaten a pomegranate or two in her lifetime, because she guessed it right off the bat....

It was a picture of the gorgeous pomegranate seeds we enjoyed last week! (I love how they shimmer... I do believe it's the prettiest fruit ever :).)

Congratulations, Kaitlyn :)!

Trick pic :)...

I haven't done a Trick Pic yet on "Forget Not His Benefits:", but I had actually started these posts before on "Home Life". Daddy got some really good pictures about a week ago, and he told me he thought it was time to have another little Trick post... and after seeing his pictures, I think I agree...

So, what do you think this is :)?... (And, yes, this is the hardest yet ;)!)

A Highlight from Today :)...

 For weeks now all the little ones have been asking often the past few weeks "Do you think it's going to snow this year?!"...

Yesterday everybody but Peter, who was napping, went outside and worked on raking up some of the leaves in the back into a nice pile...

Right under the slide. Can't get much better than that, huh ;)?!

 It's very large!!! It reminds Tori and I over the pile our grandpa 

spent an afternoon raking for us when we were Andrew and Emmi's age :).

Favorite leaf pile ever!!! Haha :).

Today, Mommy looked up and asked, "What is going on out- it's snowing! Everybody, look, it's snowing!"

Sure enough, it was! We all rushed out, no coats or anything, haha. Everybody was so excited! I didn't get any good pictures... they are either blurry or you can't see anybody's faces. But it was so cute :). Peter was jumping around with the rest of the little ones, saying "'nowing! 'nowing!", and then a snowflake landed on his hand... and he looked at it like "What is this?" And then it melted, and he looked more like "Where did it go?..." Haha :). None of it stuck, but I think that answered everybody's question ;)! 

Tori commented "It's kind of weird for it to be raining orange leaves AND snowing at the same time!" Haha, ya, kind of, heehee :).

And, so, after we got inside, I went straight to the cd drawer and grapped a Christmas carols cd, and Mommy started some beans for chili ;). I think we plan on having our Christmas kick off tonight... amazing what a little bit of fine ice, I mean, "snow", can start, huh ;)?!

"For everything there is a season, and a 

time for every matter under heaven:"

                                        ~Ecclesiastes 3:1

All Things are by HIS Hand...

"The Lord Jesus makes no mistakes in managing his friends' affairs. He orders all their concerns with perfect wisdom: all things happen to them at the right time, and in the right way. He gives them as much of sickness and as much of health, as much of poverty and as much of riches, as much of sorrow and as much of joy, as He sees heir souls require. He leads hem by the right way to bring them to the city of habitation. He mixes their bitterest cups like a wise physician, and takes  care that they have not a drop too little or too much. His people often misunderstand His dealings; they are silly enough to fancy their course of life might have been better ordered: but in the resurrection-day they will thank God that not their will, but Christ's was done."

~J. C. Ryle in his book "Practical Religion"