Well, I deleted my last post

I guess because I realized I was being a complainer.  I deleted the whole, long thing.

My knee did hurt, my back did hurt, my bunion did hurt, Lola did wake me up too early.  A sad, old man did drive his big truck ever so slowly into the side of my van in the grocery store parking lot.  I did have a heart attack in the grocery store fearing I didn't get all the information I needed to file a claim.  However, the day did end up well.

I successfully filed a claim.  I did make creamy pumpkin bars.  I did get a hug from Nathan.  Riley did bathe her two younger sisters while Nathan and I snoozed on the couch that evening.  It's true!

There, that was much shorter and sweeter.

Thanksgiving was swell.  Family is sweet, and so is food. :)

See, not so bad.

You have to have apple-cranberry crisp for breakfast on Thanksgiving.

Raked some leaves and swam in them.

Fire red maple finally turned fiery.

Nathan smoked our turkey this year.  Delish.

Carting in the goods.

This year the girls decorated ginger bread Christmas trees with Grandma.

 I love their concentrating faces.

Pumpkin pie in the sunshine.

Wheelbarrow fun at Aunt Janet's

Papa is funny. :)

 Good times.

I'm so thankful for piles of blessings.  We're swimming in them.  Not just that the leaves are bright red and yellow, but that the Lord lets me stop and see them.  That God stops me in my ungratefulness, makes the van door close on me to snap me out of my huffiness when we're running late.
He gives us joy even when we didn't get enough sleep.  My back hurts, but then I have a pile of kids that hug me.  There is a bigger story than what is right in front of us, and it's more overwhelming and beautiful even than the changing leaves.  Pumpkin pie is good and family is precious, and those are just the little things.  We have Christ and an eternal hope.

And now I get to pull out the Christmas decorations! :)