Thanksgiving

No, we didn't eat it. It's their PET duck.

Hopefully things with Izaih will be finalized tomorrow. Cross some fingers, say some prayers.

We headed south to Arkansas for Thanksgiving to be with my family. It honestly wasn't that bad being back in Searcy. Of course we didn't step foot on Harding campus, nor did we run into too many people from there, so maybe that had something to do with it??? We had so much fun with my family. It was so great to be there with them this year. We did lots of shopping, bonfires in the backyard, hookah smoking, Taboo with the fart-machine "buzzer", and laughing laughing laughing! We saw my mom's side of the family on Saturday, and it was so awesome to see all my aunts, uncles, and cousins who I haven't seen since we left Harding. All my little cousins have gotten so big, I could hardly believe it!!! Gosh, I am blessed with such amazing family!!!!!

Rosa-Mae enlisted for the Air Force, and we are soooo proud of her!! The average score for the entrance exam (or whatever it's called) is a 30, and Rosa-Mae scored in the 90's! She is so amazing. We all adore her, especially Izaih. Speaking of Izaih, he was a royal TERROR most of the time we were there!!! That's what happens when he has tons of people around him spoiling the heck out of him for days at a time:) My dad is a children't therapist, and I think he thought he was getting a vacation for a few days. NOPE! Izaih was like an extended-weekend-long behavior modification session, haha!!! Izaih was in heaven with a backyard to play in, a dog, a duck, and two uncles to roughhouse with the whole stay. It's really fun to watch Mark with my family, too. He is never as happy as when we're with them. It's so funny to watch him and my dad together. They are such goofballs! It makes me so happy and content with where we're at in life. I was sipping coffee after my mom's fanTAStic Thanksgiving lunch, just kind of letting my mind wander. I was remembering Thanksgivings past and what they've been like, and all of a sudden it was just the BEST coffee and the BEST day. Ever have that experience?

God has brought us so far and given us vastly more than we could ever deserve. While we grieve so many losses and afflictions this year, we also can't help but be reminded of how much he loves us - truly just LOVES us. It's so evident in everything around us. My "illness" and how He continues to work in that is proof enough. Some days we are not okay, but my friend reminded me of a song that sums it up well:

It takes some silence to make sound
It takes a loss before you found it
And it takes a road to go nowhere
It takes a toll to make you care
It takes a hole to make a mountain

Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life goes full circle
Ha la la la la la life is wonderful
Ha la la la la la life is meaningful
Ha la la la la la life is wonderful
Ha la la la la la life it is...so... wonderful
It is so meaningful
It is so wonderful
It is meaningful
It is wonderful
It is meaningful
It goes full circle
Wonderful
Meaningful
Full circle

Wonderful

It's all God.