December, so far! :)

We're having such a fun December so far! Full of lots and lots of special moments! We've been to two of Daddy's band concerts, our church Christmas cantata, the children's Christmas musical, a visit with Santa, and Olivia's class party (just this morning!). Tonight is our choir Christmas party which is a progressive supper--always lots of fun, and tomorrow is Benjamin's class party. Thursday night there is a live nativity that I am hoping we might get to go see, and Friday is the last day of school! Yippee! And I've already talked with Benjamin and told him we'll all be sleeping in until at least 7:30 on Saturday morning. He seems like he's willing to cooperate (but something tells me my little early bird will still wake us up at about 5:50 or maybe if we're lucky 6:15!!). Thank you, Lord for this busy, but wonderful, sweet time of anticipation! Come Emmanuel!!
PS-I don't know why these pictures always are jumbled in the slideshow. I put them in order in the album, and then they come out like this. If anyone knows any tips, I'll take them. :)

Thanksgiving '09

We enjoyed a nice long week at Mom and Dad's in Albany this year for Thanksgiving. We were able to get over there on Monday, and Will arrived late Tuesday night. Wednesday was a day of baking, and Thursday was a day of eating, and of course, giving thanks! :) We drove over to Perry and gathered at Mimi and Poppy's home there along with Aunt Kris and Uncle D.Joe, Papaw (my Dad's dad), Aunt Janice & Uncle Todd, cousin Jeff (Scott's son), and later the Moran crew of Aunt Betsy, Uncle Keith, Kaylyn, J.D. & Paul all showed up on their way home from a day spent with Uncle Keith's family in Valdosta. It was a sweet time together, but I felt very much like the whole day I was working hard to keep it together emotionally. Mimi and Poppy are no longer living in this home. They're now in an apartment that is part of an assisted living facility. They just made that move a little bit ago, and they seem to be adjusting as well as possible. Being in that home and realizing how the end of an era is upon us was an emotional whammy. I had tried to prepare myself for how I might feel, but it kind of over took me. Mimi was in the clean out and give away mode which compounded the feelings within me. They moved into that wonderful little home 20 years ago when they retired from the ministry, and the very same summer they moved to Perry, our family was moved to Kingsland, GA. A few months later I met a boy named Butch Rogowski in my band class at my new school, Camden Middle School, and where have these past 20 years gone? Hard to believe that it's been that long. It was a special moment to have Mimi, Poppy & Papaw all sitting on the sofa in the living room, my three remaining grandparents. Poppy gave his annual Thanksgiving sermonette, with a few added slips of the tongue and slow-ups from losing his place a little from time to time. Mimi tried to share a word but became too emotional, and then Papaw made us all laugh by telling us about a time he thought his car had been stolen at the Macon Mall when he had just forgotten it was parked on the opposite side. These three people are such jewels, such treasures in my life. It is hard and at times frustrating to see them changing, but I am so grateful for their example. Papaw has not become a sour, embittered whining person since Muzzy's passing. He seems to speak more in faith terms than ever before, and he works hard to keep a positive attitude inspite of some ongoing health struggles. Mimi has faced bouts of anxiety lately because of some of her health problems, but I praise the Lord that she hasn't allowed herself to give in fully to her fears. She has leaned into Jesus and drawn strength from her children during these difficult days. I appreciate that she accepts help and advice from her children. That's admirable. Poppy's unsinkable attitude of gratitude to everyone he meets is a shining example of the spirit of Christ. Every time he touches me he says something like, "Have I told you lately how grateful I am that you're my granddaughter?" He told me that he remembers the day when he joined the church in Adrian, Georgia when he was 7 years old. He said his daddy, Grandpa Key, tells him that when they walked home from church that day that he looked up into the blue sky and said, "Daddy, it's a wonderful world." And Poppy said to me, "And I've just kind of kept that outlook ever since then." He said there have been some darker days, but he said the Lord has enabled him to keep a spirit of hope and joy. And for the last 33 years, I've seen that to be so true in his life. And now I'm starting to see these three sweet people prepare to pass the torch on to their children and grandchildren. Makes me think of that wonderful George Bernard Shaw quote:
“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one... the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

“I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoin in life for its own sake. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings of family. Thank you for allowing us to experience love--even though it hurts sometimes.

I'm including some pictures from our week in Albany. You'll see some photos of us relaxing and playing around Nonny and Cocky's house, photos of us roller skating (too much fun!), photos of our day in Perry, photos of "Rose" (Olivia assumed a new name and personality when Nonny agreed to buy her these dollar store reading glasses and we popped out the lenses so she could wear them all the time--she insisted we call her Rose when she wore them!); photos of getting Nonny and Cocky's Christmas tree, and photos of us chowing at The Mellow Mushroom. We missed having Abby, Andy, Carrie Beth & Brad and their kids there, but oh boy is Christmas gonna be fun!

Halloween Party at Noah's Ark

Well it was a fun day at the Noah's Ark Halloween party yesterday. Benjamin and his classmates dressed up and trick-or-treated around the church office building and then they had their yummy treats. There were two Buzz Lightyears, one police officer, one pirate, and Benjamin was one of two skeletons. There is only one little girl in his class, and she was absent, so it was a room full of wild and crazy guys. Benjamin discovered that his costume glowed in the dark, so he kept on recruiting guys to cram into the bathroom with him. They would slam the door, turn out the lights, and they would all scream with excitement when they saw his bones glowing! :) Very amusing. :) While things were quite fun at the party, we unfortunately ended the morning in a serious tailspin of a meltdown. Bless his little heart. Too much sugar, too much stimulation...nap time!

Jackson's Balloon Party

On Wednesday Amanda invited us over for an impromptu balloon party held in Jackson's bedroom! She said the balloon fairy visited him over night, and when he woke up his bedroom floor was covered with balloons! Can you imagine how exciting that would be for a soon to be 2 year old boy? Benjamin, Brady, Jackson, and Lilly (a little girl Amanda babysits during the week) had a lot of fun running around in the sea of balloons! Then Miss Amanda had to up the excitement by blowing bubbles!! Pretty fun!

Scarecrows Under Construction!

Our children's coordinator at our church, sweet Miss Tina, invited the kids at SMUMC to build a scarecrow together, and we had such a great time working on these scarecrows together. We just were wishing it wasn't so hot! October in south Georgia! Gotta love it!

Field Trip!

Our sweet friend, Miss Anna, and her son Brady invited us along with Miss Amanda and her little Jackson, to join them on their preschool field trip to Conner's Amazing Acres, and we had such a great time. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day.