Thanksgiving and Gratitude

We had a wonderful Tennessee Thanksgiving this year! Our morning began early as I got up early to prepare our 15 lb turkey. He was a handsome fellow, and I cross-referenced no less than six recipes to decide what to do with him with the amount of time I had!

I ended up buttering him with a rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper rub and stuffing him with half an orange, a head of garlic with the tops cut off and a few springs of fresh rosemary. I never realized that my kitchen could smell SO good! It reminded me a lot of being at my grandmother's house and smelling the turkey cooking as a little girl.

About 1:30, we took the turkey to my Mom and Dad's house to join the rest of my family. Our elderly neighbor, Miss Peggy, came along and joined in the festivities. We all had a wonderful time being together and celebrating our many blessings and eating delicious food! Here are a few pictures from our time together that day. I'm working on uploading a few more, but I can't get to them right now. I'll keep working on it.

Ava and Daddy check out Mr. Turkey. Fine looking bird...



Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade has been a tradition in our families for a long time. Ava enjoyed watching the big balloons and the marching bands go by. I still run to see Snoopy. :)



Turkey is prepared!



15 lbs into the oven...



Ava had a fun morning playing and watching the parade. We looked up at one point and found her wearing this hat.



Ava and Daddy watch the parade together.



Ben said that when his brother, Vince, was little, they used to tie a string to him and hold him up in the air like one of the balloons in the parade. Ben decided to try this with Ava!



The bird is done and ready to go!



The famous Thanksgiving feast. Yum!



Our Thanksgiving table. From left to right are my Mom, "Mimi" and Ava, my cousin Katie, Ben, me, our neighbor, Miss Peggy, my Aunt Syd and Uncle Lonnie, Aunt Jill and Uncle Rick, my cousin Wes, and Daddy, "Papa." My other cousin, Lacy, is in New Jersey dancing this year and couldn't make it home. We really missed her!!!!

Many of the Thanksgiving traditions that we enjoy were started by my grandmother, Ruthie, and this was our first year without her being there. There will never be a Thanksgiving that I don't remember her. We truly missed her this year. What a feast she must be having in Heaven!



I am so grateful for my family, each and every one of them. I love you all!

Thanksgiving Coming Up!

Hey, everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've taken a few days absence from the blog just resting and enjoying good food and family. Ava has also had a little stomach bug with a fever but is feeling back to her normal fun self today! I'm going to post Thanksgiving pictures hopefully tomorrow, meaning Monday.

Yesterday, I was asked to prepare my testimony for our class next Sunday, and, well, I'm a bit nervous. I've told many people bits and pieces in the grocery store or in the P.O., and those closest to me know the moments of sorrow and pain very well, but I've never really written the whole thing out. I've wanted to for awhile, so I suppose it's time. I've always told the Lord that if He wanted me to share my story that I would. There's a lot to tell, and it's all in my heart and mind catalouged in different places. Some of it, I haven't thought about in awhile. Remembering is exhilarating and difficult at the same time. God has completely healed my heart, but I still remember the details, some of which are very hard to think about and remember without tearing up. So....

As I remember the details, please pray that I'll articulate what it is that God wants me to say. It's His glory, not mine, and I really want others to hear and see that.

Lord, please take this where you want it to go. You have the floor, not me.

The turkey pics will hopefully be up tomorrow sometime!

Then and Now

I love to look at photos from last year and compare what Ava was doing then and now. My, how she has grown and changed!

This time last year, Ava was learning to hold her head up.



This year, she is learning to climb anything and everything and pretend play!







She is a very gregarious and adventurous 15 month old!

Refrigerator Raid

I've mentioned before that Miss Ava is a climber. I seriously think that she would be in a tree if we weren't looking!

She spent last weekend with Mimi and Papa while Ben and I went on our adventure, and they had lots of fun together eating decorated turkey cookies, going for walks and playing in the leaves. Oh, and Ava was delighted to play with Leo, her favorite little feline buddy. Right before we left to come home, she got in their refrigerator and browsed. She went for the ranch dressing - like father like daughter.

We're busy preparing to celebrate a Tennessee Thanksgiving with my family this year, and I'm in charge on the baked turkey for the first time! Wish me luck! I'll post again soon.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Mountain Getaway

Last weekend, Ben and I drove to Highlands, NC, one of our favorite mountain towns, for a getaway. We had a great time and took some much needed time to rest and reconnect.

We drove up through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park through Newfound Gap, Cherokee, Dillsboro, Franklin and then on to Highlands. This drive is so beautiful and peaceful, and if you're looking to getaway for some r&r, ahem, and some great shopping, we would highly recommend this drive or visit to Highlands.

Everyone's abuzz this year about the bear activity in the park, and we were amazed to see FOUR bears on the way up! One was in a tree and the others for foraging on the ground no more than 15 feet from the side of the highway. If there's an animal in the park that will back up traffic for miles and cause people to lean dangerously out of sunroofs and windows, it's a bear! Here are some of the pictures we captured. Man, if we had just had a zoom lens! Oh, and we also saw a big elk near Smokemont. He was in a wide open field and seemed to enjoy getting his picture made. Elk were reintroduced to the park a few years ago, and it's been a big success. These animals are beautiful to behold!

This is not uncommon to see along this route. If you see this many people out of their cars, you try your best to park somewhere and run as fast as you can to the scene to get a glimpse of....




A bear!




The following two bears were sighted a few miles up the road from the little guy in the tree.



Everyone assumed they were siblings, and we were DEFINTELY looking for momma, but she never showed. Good thing! Strength in numbers, right? It turns out that these two bears didn't know each other and one turned tail and lumbered off when it saw the other.



This photo of us was taken at Newfound Gap by some very nice folks from Louisiana. The view here is breathtaking!



Here's Mr. Elk. He was very large and quite impressive! Double click to get a better view of him.



Enjoying a delicious lunch at a little cafe in Highlands. I had apple cider ginger vinaigrette on my salad, and I am going to have to find a recipe for that!



The last morning, we went outside on our rustic balcony and had a great talk about where we felt like God was leading us. He's using each of us in different ways, no doubt, and we talked about how the Lord has prepared good works in advance for each of us to do. Some we've likely fulfilled, but there's more ahead, and we're looking forward to that! I think that's so cool about God. He knew each of us when He formed us and said, "I have a purpose for each of them." He gave us certain talents and gifts to be used here on Earth. If you're around me and Ben long, you'll discover that our minds and gifts are very different. Kristie, would you agree? :) Isn't it great that each one of us is completely different!? God uses each of us to fulfill His purposes. We just have to join him. I really would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord and join Him than to be lofty here on Earth and everything go MY way.

You can completely trust that when you were born, God said, "I love this one with an unfailing love, and I have good things planned for him or her. I have a purpose for this one."

Step...step... discovery...step... step...unknown....step... step... faith....step... step... trust. If_______then God.



Oh, and we saw another bear on the way home!



We had a wonderful weekend and look forward to going back someday. The mountains are simply my favorite place in the world to be.

A Few More Fun Maryland Pictures

Hi, everyone,

I wanted to share a few more pictures of our time with family in Maryland. Ava is little Miss Busy and had a ball everywhere she went!

Ava playing in the bed of Granddaddy's truck



Ava and Granddaddy



Ben's folks bought a quaint cottage on the Chesapeake Bay that they plan to remodel, and we drove down to take a look around.



Granddaddy took Ava down to the dock to see the water. She LOVES water!!!



Nothing will do until she touches the water!



Post touching water picture. Did I mention that she loves water?!



Cheese, Momma! This is Ava's big toothy grin.



A really cute picture of Grandaddy and Ava looking out into the bay.



Going for a stroll with Grandma and Daddy down the street by the cottage. Ava walked her little legs off and refused to ride in the stroller. Look out zoo!



Cousin Evan and Ava having some fun together



Ava fed Maxi, the family dog, whenever she got the chance! Maxi had a very nutritious weekend with peas, carrots, graham crackers, cheese, beans etc. Let's just say that Maxi LOVES Ava!



Taking a morning stroll with Grandma and Maxi.



Ben's grandmother came to visit with us and Ava for a little while. She and Ben had some very special time together.



She loved holding Ava, and it was so much fun to see her smile.



We had a great time and are looking forward to going back to celebrate Christmas!

Wellspring of Life

Fingers on keyboard again today - heart spilling over.

Proverbs 4:23 says that the issues of life flow from the heart and that I should keep it with all diligence.

How do I keep my heart with all diligence? Hmmm. I have a visual picture of me standing over my heart, finger pointed and saying, "Get back in line, heart!"

I backed up a bit and read, "My daughter/son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh."

I'm a lover of words on the page and through the pen or keyboard. I always have been for as long as I can remember. I taught math. But, oh how I love the written word!

God's words breathe life into me as He allures me as the Lover of my soul. His love is so complete and utterly perfect. He longs to speak to me out of His word. How I long to be spoken to! A word, a tender word, a convicting, route altering, hopeful word - especially for me.

His words are living and active! This is somewhat of a new discovery for me as I blow the dust off of the pages of my Bible and turn them. I'm just now really starting to understand that God's word is living and active and accomplishes purposes and is the sword of the Spirit to fight evil in this present age. It is life for me. It helps me with the issues of my life, my heart.

Mindful of the issues of my life today. Mindful also that what's on my tongue expresses what's in my heart. This is usually a good check for me. I just have to listen to myself. I'm surprised at what can come out of my mouth! Are you? I'm even more suprised sometimes to realize that that's what's in my heart.

Yesterday, sighing, huffing and snappy words came out. Impatience and selfishness reared their monstrous heads, and I chose not to slay them. Ugh. The battles of my heart rage on any given day. I'm in there somewhere listening and watching and fighting back and reaching up for my Great Rescuer.

Today, it's different. Monsters are being slayed. I'm being intentional about slaying them with giving, being flexible and letting go of my agenda. Every moment of every day is different isn't it? Am I tuning in to my heart enough and listening for those undercurrents of idols that slosh around and gush out of my heart - like my agenda? Not as much as I should, but today, I'm attempting, trying, wanting to.

My elderly neigbor, Peggy, called this morning, and man, can she talk your ear off! I fought the monster of "I'm looking through a Christmas catalogue right now and don't have time to talk to you."

She has an ox in the ditch.

Christmas catalogue closing.

The gifts we give are often ones that aren't in catalogues and don't cost money. They're more expensive - stuff like sympathy, our time, our caring, our sacrifice.

I should be thumbing through the catalogue of my heart every day. There's some good stuff in there from Jesus. Thumb, thumb.

Man, how I really want to get living like Jesus. For Him. Not for myself.

Living for Jesus is so much better than living for myself. Living for him produces fruit. Living for myself and my agenda produces more living for myself and my agenda. How boring is that? He created me to do good works well in advance- ones that He has prepared especially for little ole me to do. He cares about my life and how it is lived. How cool is that?

There's business that I need to take care of here on Earth. Am I going about that business? Am I?

Sometimes, I think it would be cool to have my name on a business card that says, "Whatever." In others words, whatever Jesus wants me to do today. I NEVER know what He has planned, but I love it when He fills me in! I get to look forward to that every single day.

Thank you, Jesus, for working on this heart of mine every day. For making me uncomfortable. For capturing my attention. For inviting me to do good works in you, for you, and through you.

Help me slay those monsters. The wild things. I know where they are.

More pics to come soon!

Kindness, Goodness, Patience, Windex and Maryland Pictures!

This is a meaty post. Lots on my heart today, as most days. Eager to share with you something - something that's like a lifeline to your heart this week.

I want to share something with you as you begin a new week.

As your eyes flutter open in the morning.

As you go about the routine.

As you do business.

As you relate to others - no matter who it is.

As you love.

As tears emerge or lie hidden beneath.

As you search for purpose and the glorious in the mundane.

I pray that you'll have a week where you'll encounter kindness, goodness and patience in yourself and in others.

May you see and feel the goodness of God in the midst of your week, whether it's His shoulder that you're leaning on, his hand that you're holding, or His face as He lifts your head. At any given moment, this girl is leaning, reaching out, and allowing my chin to be raised all at the same time!

It's tough being a woman, no doubt, but I LOVE it! I love the way He created me in His image to feel things deeply and be relational and nurturing. What special hearts we as women were designed to have. Praying you'll see the beauty of being a woman this week. May you feel His strength in yours this week. His brawn in your heart muscle.

As you look in that mirror this week, may you see yourself the way He sees you.

Beautiful.

Without blemish.

Perfect.

Sometimes, my mirror can get hairspray and toothpaste and goop on it, and I keep trying to put on my makeup between the dots, knowing it's not clean. I keep saying, "Oh, I'll clean that."

For me, God is like Windex. He makes me sparkle.

I just have to reach for that bottle.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Now, as promised, pictures!

Our Halloween festivities wrapped up last weekend with a fun trip to Maryland to visit Ben's family. We weren't able to see everyone that we would have liked to have seen, but we did enjoy very special time with his folks, grandmother, sister, brother, brother-in-law and Ava's cousins, Chase and Evan!

Here are a few of our favorite pictures from the weekend. Oh, and Ben threw his back out again while we were there, but he was such a trooper. He's feeling almost 100% now, and he's SO relieved!

The gang's all here!



Happy Halloween little one.



Happy Halloween Granddaddy and Grandma!



Oh, what fun! Ava got to spend Halloween night with her cousins, Chase and Evan!



Uncle Vince time.



I have more pictures to share, but Bear is barking and Ava is waking up! I'll post more of our adventures as soon as I can.

Maryland Halloween Pics

I'll post our pictures from our trip to Maryland soon! I'm off to do a little shopping today with Mom. Have a restful weekend everyone! We're home this weekend and are hoping to catch up on a few things around the house. Ah, where to begin!!

Happy Halloween Mimi and Papa... and Leo!

After making the rounds around town, our evening ended with a fun visit to Mimi and Papa's house. We ate a very yummy spaghetti supper, and after toddling around in her scarecrow outfit and playing with her stroller and other toys, Ava conked out! She had a very busy and fun day! Thank you, Mimi and Papa, for making our evening so special!

Take one.



Take two.



Take three - enter Leo.



Take four, and it's a wrap! Yay!

Family Halloween Fun!

This has been one fun and crazy Halloween with lots of visits from a little scarecrow.

Do you remember the ladybug from last year? My, how time has flown!!



I have a bookoo of pictures from our visits in Tennessee and Maryland so I'm going to spread them out a bit. Hope everyone had a really fun week and got to eat your favorite candy!

The fun began early last week with a visit from Great Aunt Jill.



That would be a huge pumpkin sucker!



Ava learned very quickly how to drink from a straw with the pumpking cup A. Jill bought her.



Next, we got ready for our visits around town and dressed Ava in her little scarecrow costume.



Unhappy scarecrow...



How a year has flown by! Ava now has the wiggles. She wouldn't be very happy wrapped up as a ladybug this year!



Next, we stopped by Great Aunt Syd's house to wish her Happy Halloween.



She had some really cute scarecrow decorations, and this was the perfect place for a scarecrow picture. Notice the Tennessee sweatshirt. Go Vols! Uncle Lonnie is an avid fan!



She played the piano for us before we left. :)



On to our next stop... our friends, the Arendales! I captured this picture as Ava was looking out onto their porch.



Best buddies. Sera and Ava sharing a friendship moment.



Sam dressed up in his cool cub scout outfit to join Ava and Sera for a Halloween costume picture.



Next, we drove further across town to visit Great Aunt Jill and Great Uncle Rick and show them Ava's costume, and guess who ate a whole pumpkin cookie??



Our final destination was Mimi and Papa's house for a spaghetti supper and some Halloween fun, and I'll post those pictures separately.