Courageous Joy

THANKSGIVING PHOTOS FROM THE DAY

There are not "dinner" photos to share on the blog because Jamin was wearing last year's football jersey and it has our last name on it. ::snort::

HERE I am deboning and preparing to make a big pot of Turkey Stock....(8 cups in the freezer). Zander ran in and said, "Hey MOM - you made a CLAW". He is really loving "Peter Pan".

Later in the day we had a couple of families over. The older boys played 3 games of Risk...you'd look bleary eyed too....

The younger children played Monopoly.
The boys tired of Risk and moved to Slap....and then other card games.
Marty and Mandy brought a big box of Fisher Price blocks. Wow. I've never seen anything like these. She'd read on the blog that Stacia has discovered blocks. THESE have different textures, animals etc...and there is a train and a truck that make noise, and move...very cool. I'll have to get some pictures in the next few days. We had a good time visiting.

Marty fixed my towel rack, and the flickering fluorescent light in our bathroom. I hadn't realized that things were breaking and I wasn't keeping up with fixing. LOL Debbie laughed with me about how we spouses tend to fix all those things the week before husbands are due home. LOL It's NICE to have the bulb working. I'd planned to figure it out tomorrow - because Charly had told me that those flickering bulbs are a big deal to those with Sensory Integration "issues". It's been out for 3 weeks...that may be one factor in what we've been experiencing around here. We shall see. I'm sure it isn't the only factor.

Debbie and the boys (from summer swim days....) came over too. The boys all had a great time together. It was so fun to listen to the young men cutting up, laughing and having a blast. Debbie and I discovered we enjoy the same mystery authors and she suggested a new one that is funny for me to try. She discovered the author while her dh was deployed. {G}

Stacia gives Mikey a "bear hug" - she loves his fro

Yes, I have much to be thankful for. Yes, it was a great day. Really good day. I'm NOT depressed. I'm choosing joy. I DO miss Mike and the girls, and that is to be expected, I think. When you've got a wonderful father and husband - you are sure to miss him. I must say that most of all I'm very happy to have the first Holiday apart gone.....now to do Christmas, Birthdays and Anniversaries and then he'll be home!