Happy Thanksgiving!

So much to be thankful for...God's grace and mercy top my list. I'm so undeserving, yet I'm loved beyond measure by our Heavenly Father, as are you and you and you and you. When we think about it that way, our problems don't seem so big, do they?

Today was bittersweet for me because my mom and stepdad were out of town at their other home, serving in a food kitchen so I didn't have all of my family together but I love how they chose to bless others today instead of stay at home and cook a big meal. 

And then there is my sweet grandma who is not doing so well. Will you pray with me that God will continue to hold her in the palm of His hand and that when her time to go home comes, that He will keep her from suffering anymore than she already has from the terrible disease that is advanced Alzheimer's? Thank you!

Here are a couple of phone pics from our day...

Lance snapped this one of the littles and I right before we left to go to Mimi & Pop's...so that I could send it to my Uncle Pedro and he could show it to my grandma and tell her we were the ones sending her a great big hug. I was able to talk to her on the phone and my uncle said she even tried to utter some words so at least I know she knew in her heart we were loving on her, even from afar.

The littles keep it real around here. They were not in a picture-taking kind of mood. You can see the forced "cheese" smiles - ha!

We didn't host any gatherings this year, but that didn't keep me from setting up fun little place settings throughout the week to make even spaghetti + meatballs more festive! The littles love any little effort I make so it definitely makes it worthwhile...makes my mama heart happy.

We made chocolate chip cookies to share with our sweet next-door neighbor who had shoulder surgery recently. I asked Grace to make her a little card and I went to take a shower. I love what she came up with and I hope it brought a smile to our sweet Mrs. D!

Thank you for hosting Thanksgiving lunch, Mimi & Pop!

The little pumpkin waiting for lunch and drawing some of her "thankfuls" in a diary Mimi gave her...

...and then some funny post-dinner cartoons!  he he he

I think I forgot to share this cute story Hudson drew for his class using Native American symbols during their unit a couple of weeks ago. Drawing is not his thing, so I LOVE having this little treasure to keep! Thank you Mrs. P for coming up with this assignment!

I hope you had a cozy, family-centered Thanksgiving.  If you were lonely or missing loved ones, I hope you felt God's love surrounding you in a special way.  May God's mercies shine upon you and bless you every single day of your beautiful life.