{highlights of our thanksgiving holiday}

or, low lights - depending on the perspective.

BUT, we had a great time together as a family.  We missed

our other family members but truly savored this time together.

We just walked through the door, boys are in bed, laundry is humming

along and suitcases are in piles.  But, before I get busy with two edits

that need to be completed by morning and hit the ground running

when that alarm clock goes off....I wanted to post some of the things

I definitely want to come back and revisit in the very near future.

*totally planning on pulling out of our driveway headed south by 6 am -

only to pull out of that driveway at 4:15 pm.  Lost a tad bit of time there.

*driving 6+ hours before I could not drive another mile.  Considering I had

been working since 3 am, I was okay with that.  Well, until we could not

find a hotel room.  We had no forethought of it being a holiday weekend.

We stayed at hotel #6.   It was a {clean} bed is all I can say. 

*waking up somewhere in Louisiana realizing I had left every.bit.of.

my.makeup.at.HOME!!  Not way to start a relaxing vacation.  Scott

got directions for the nearest Wally World {very poor directions I might add}

and I had to restock every piece of makeup I use.  A huge chunk of my souvenir $$. :( 

*making it to the port terminal and the minute we walk in are in the midst of a sea

of purple and gold LSU fans.   BUT, we had high hopes.  No worries at this point. 

*sitting in the terminal {famous yellow seats} realizing that NEW bag of makeup was 

NOT in my carry on.  Noah forgot he had kicked it out of my bag and had not put

it back in as we were on the interstate.   We were already through three security levels.  

I was on the verge of tears. Okay, maybe a few spilled.  I was TIRED.

After Scott ran to the rescue, I opened another bag as I realized he didn't have

his passport only to find my original bag of makeup.  There are no words really.   

*night #1 on ship - pretty uneventful.  Thank God.

*#1 morning on the ship - SEASICKNESS for me! 

I held the walls as I made my way for the meclinzine.

A big reminder of how horribly bad my morning sickness was.

*days 2 & 3 on ship - relaxing.  And, lots of swimming for the boys!

*day #4 - Scott's first real day out of the cabin.  He had a bad, bad time. :( 

Port:  Jamacia.  I had fretted over this one the most and it ended up

being my very favorite.   Pictures to follow. 

#day 5:  Port:  Grand Cayman.  Let's just say we got into a real, live

boating accident as we crashed into another boat at Stingray City.  And, 

in that same accident 6-8 people snorkling almost got hit by our out of control

boat.  Not the way to start a scary experience anyway.  I'm thinking that

Captain lost his job when we returned back to the bus.  At least by the amount

of yelling I observed from one of his superiors.   

#6:  Port:  Cozumel.   Our bus broke down.  And, then with only 30 minutes

 to be on board the ship, we got completely stalled in traffic because a taxi broke

down in front of us and we were wedged in.  Needless to say, the taxi FAKED

being broke down as he was simply waiting for his customer for that 20 minutes.  We 

made it back to the boat 10 minutes after required loading - just in time for 

the 4th quarter of the LSU game.  In a sea of purple and gold.  It was painful. 

I'll be back with much more later.  There is much more to tell.  But, I have

to get editing the night away!! 

{i am extremely thankful...}

this week for things that are not typically the norm such as my family, friends, health, a home....etc. but things that i have been particularly thankful for that fall outside of that box....

1. a two-week-old insurance policy that was pretty much an after thought
2. a swift and reassuring agent and adjuster
3. pain medication {all is well there, i am VERY thankful for that!}
4. friends that pray and rally
5. the fact i tend to be a night owl with my head hitting the pillow at 3:30 am and i don't even feel the effects after my coffee.  don't ask me tomorrow though ;)
6. children who seem oblivious to the stress swirling inside my brain
7. those same children who calm me down with their excitement about the upcoming week
8. a mom who is cleaning my house, doing my laundry and scrubbing my toilets for me today
9. a SIL who offers to come help me with whatever i may need 
10. a friend who offers to put up my Christmas tree when she needs and wants to get hers up
11. a puppy who seems to  finally be "getting" the whole potty training idea as that makes life so much easier 
12. my crowing rooster.  he makes me smile.  i'm sorry, it's strange, but a fact. ;)
13. friends who text and call me and don't get too terribly upset if it takes 7 days+ for me to respond.  they know me and love me anyway! 
14. and above everything, my God who loves me despite the fact i am completely insane and trusts me to handle my life as crazy as it is  

{and, the storms blew in}

This was early last week before it was closed in, wrapped and the final

trusses and top trusses put up....I didn't take any pictures of it more recently.

  On Friday, they were decking the roof in hopes to begin the shingles next week

but it started getting too windy so they had to stop.

This is what happened this morning about 5 am. 

It really was pretty difficult to see.  Just knowing how much

work {and $$} we've put into it and how excited we all were really.
I had not been excited about the studio too much; but once
I saw it closed in, my wheels started turning and I was
anticipating finally being able to separate working in the
house pretty much 24/7.  The stroll across the front yard, coffee in
hand was becoming very appealing, very quickly.  The boys
cleaned it up all day yesterday - picking up every single stray nail.


In fact, we  have worked very hard to have it in the dry before leaving

this weekend.  BUT, as with life, not every storm shows up in the forecast.

And, as disappointing as it is, it is not tragic by any means.  But, honestly,
as nice as that is and sounds, it still stinks. ;)  On most days,

we wake up with anticipation of a great day or week and before that

day even starts, we have  the storms blow through. 
Some much bigger and damaging than others.

We will clean up, pick up {as the wrap is blowing all over south
Sebastian County} and rebuild.   Although the foundation was
 strong and "it was almost there" it needed a roof to keep the winds out. 
There was just enough space to allow an exploding disaster. 

I am CERTAIN there is a lesson for me in the midst of this rubble.

{should i be worried?}

this is a "writing" i found of evan's last night...

"I'm going on a cruz.  I hope that it wote {won't} be like titantit! {Titanic}

If you've read the book you know what I mean:

the name of the book is I Sourvird.  {Survived}"

I don't even know what to say.

{kk & savannah}

trying to figure out how in the world to get up there??  

is that not the craziest picture ever?? 

and then.....there is Kit Kat..... 

KK and Savannah = not a good mix.

 The above was right before she bit him. :(  

He still loves her though! 



{these are the days i savor....}

sunday afternoons, fall and hay bales.

it doesn't get any better for these two as they spend

HOURS and HOURS out there.  it's the first place they

want to go when we pull in from school and the place i have

to call them in from at night.  simple joys.

{such a beautiful fall}

despite the heat wave of the summer

His beautiful creation is shining through....

{a little treasure}

Today, on the way home with the boys, I took an unplanned detour to "The Mountain";

my grandpa's old farm homestead.  The house has collapsed but I was so hoping

I could at least salvage a good window frame to bring to my home. 

No such luck.  I spied a door in an area that was still standing but way too 

dangerous to ever attempt to remove without the house collasping around it. 

I will admit, I was suddenly very saddened that I wouldn't get to walk away with 

a piece of this house. A huge history to most of our family. 

  A home that housed a family of 6 children  through

some very lean, very difficult and very joyous times. 

If only those walls could talk.

Then I spotted my jar.  Cast aside at the back of the house were several

old bottles and jars.  So, I claimed my prize and was immediately overwhelmed.

Such a simple, simple thing, but one that was instantly very special to me.

You could not pry it out of my hands in exchange for the prettiest vase in the world.

As it sat in the kitchen a bit ago in all of his dusty glory,  Noah asked me what

I thought had been in it.  Well, I knew my grandpa very well.  So, that jar

had housed something that sprouted from the seeds he planted in the garden plot

I stood near today.  He had weeded and watered and harvested.   Then, he or a

family member had canned whatever fruit or vegetable they had washed and prepared.

And,  at some point it was opened and prepared for dinner.  I'd like to imagine

that they ate a family meal together in that kitchen that sat on a creaky, creaky floor. 

Or, he may have eaten it alone years later.   While sitting in his chair by the door

either looking out the window or watching Andy Griffith on his fuzzy black and

white television.  And, maybe, just maybe it held something that as I little girl

I helped him with in the garden.   I like that thought.

That jar absolutely captivates me.  A treasure I didn't expect to find! 

and, then... the tears became happy.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12:34