Thanksgiving 2009

We had Thanksgiving at our house for the first time this year.  I have a really big family and 44 of them were here!  We had a great time! 

We picked up mama early and got her settled so she could be here during the hustle and bustle of the morning.

My son David.

Russell and our son Matt.

Tommy and Claudia, AND our newest grandchild due next June!

We missed our oldest son, Paul and his family.  I hope that one day we can have all of our immediate family together at one time.  But if that happens, remember children, no one can drive me crazy!

Claudia's brother Collis joined us this year.

Thanksgiving wouldn't have happened without my husband!  He did so much, I'm so thankful for him!!!

Soon the food started arriving!  My sister in law, Lois.

My sister Debbie and her husband Mike.

My sister Cathy and her husband Dick.

My niece and her family with Grandma Duncan.

My MIL and DIL and Roscoe.

At the appetizer table.

Preparing to give thanks for our many blessings!

The dogs were NO trouble.  They had plenty of people to entertain them!

Lois, her mother and MIL.....our mother.

Mr. Cutright.....

My niece and her sister!

My youngest brother, his wife and two of his children.  My mother's youngest grandchildren.

Youngest brother and his oldest.....Bryce.

We missed my brother Michael and his family, and several nieces and nephews.  

The food!

A strange quiet fell over the crowd as the eating started!

The children's table.

Eating in every nook and cranny.

In the garage and out by the pool.  It was a beautiful day, for which I am soooo thankful!

Me with great nephew and niece...

Joshua, Mike, Debbie (sister) and Mike's mother.

I could go on posting pictures, but that's enough!  The day was truly one to count blessings.  We are so fortunate as a family to have so many to love and so much love.  I believe it is a testament to our parents that we love getting together!

I hope each of you had a wonderful day.  I will be slowly putting my Thanksgiving stuff up and very slowly getting out my Christmas stuff.  Daunting task!

Twas the Eve of Thanksgiving

I'm a bit calmer tonight as we have all the tables ready for tomorrow's Thanksgiving feast.  I have a big family.....one of my many blessings!  Here's a sampling of what's to come tomorrow.

Maybe I should explain this first one......Russell's dad had this Wild Turkey decanter and I have had it in the guest room.....I walked by it the other day and thought, well, it is a turkey!  So I put it in the back bathroom.

I really liked this mirror and put it in the same bathroom......I think I got these tin turkeys at P**lix several years ago.

I would love to claim this as my handiwork.  But it's not.  Last week I was so stressed about having the house clean for Thanksgiving, but still wasn't up to using my arm full force.  On a whim I called M*r*y M*ids and begged them to come clean.  What a relief!  I wouldn't want them all the time, but for the times when my plate is just overflowing, it's a good thing to have a little help!  Anyway, this is their handiwork!  I'm taking it out of the bathroom until Thanksgiving afternoon when guests are here.

Dining room table all set and ready.

We rearranged and put a table in the living room.

Two of the tables set in the garage.

The other two tables in the garage...we're counting on cool and sunny tomorrow!

We will have two more tables out by the pool, but we are setting them up in the morning.  We have a canopy that we'll put up over those tables. 

So, tomorrow is family and friends day around our house.

There are many we will miss who can't come.....but we know they'll have a great day too!

Happy Thanksgiving all!  I'm thankful for each of you friends here in blogland!

Baptism Day for Grady and Happy Birthday Beau!

By the way, Happy Birthday to Beau!!!  Love you!

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Today we had the sweet pleasure of traveling to see little Grady be baptized!  We didn't get a good picture in the church, so here is mama and daddy with Grady!  Grady did a great job until the preacher actually took him in his arms, then he protested just a little.

They had so many family and friends in attendance!  After church, we went to their home for lunch and to spend some time with them.  It was a wonderful lunch and great fellowship!  Below are some pictures from the day.

 Grady was happy to get out of his Sunday Clothes and get to playing!

 

 

I don't know why I couldn't flip this cake picture, but it's a precious cake!

 

 

My mama thinks I'm tired and want a nap, but I'm just getting started!  I think I'll get a little treat out of the pantry!

It was a wonderful day and we're so thankful to have been included!

Three out of four!

Russell and I have four sons and last Sunday three of them were in church with us....I couldn't have been happier.....well, I would have been happier if all four were there with us.

And no, before you ask, I'm not pregnant.....however, I didn't realize how fat I have gotten.  I'll be taking care of that soon......right after I finish the ice cream I bought today.....oh, and of course after Thanksgiving....it's mandatory that you eat a lot that day.  *sigh*  Well, one day!

It's been a busy week around here, trying to get things ready for Thanksgiving....as busy as it seems, there's still a lot to do!  I'll think about that tomorrow.

One more week of physical therapy and I'll be finished with that, and I'll be happy!  I think my arm is doing well.

And now, I think I'll go make a casserole!
Or two!

 

How blessed we are!

Seventeen and a half years ago, when this sweet girl was born, I thought my heart would burst with love!  Having had boys, I really never expected a girl....and what a girl!  She is everything a grandmother would desire!  She's beautiful outside and more importantly inside!

Ashley has been such a light in our lives and we are so thankful to be a part of hers!  My constant prayer is that she use her multiple talents to the glory of God!

Four year later, here comes Adam!  The happiest, sweetest baby you would ever want to meet!  He was born smiling and laughing!  He does have a little bit of a temper, but he's learned how to control it over the years!  I'm sure God has something special in mind for Adam!

He has an incredible insight into people and situations and can fix anything!

He's helpful at home and I love him to the moon and back! He loves anything reptile! 

 

I am fortunate enough to have many bonus children and grandchildren in my life!  This is Angelina, the half sister of Ashley and Adam.  Can't you just look at her and see how she could be a bit mischievous?

Before she was born, Ashley asked me in one of our rare "just the two of us" moments if I would be her baby sister's Nana too.  I answered of course!  Ashley's answer melted my heart....... Nana, I knew you would say that!  She has a Nana, so she calls me Nana Nancy.

Another bonus is Zoe, their step sister.  She's a sweet and precocious little girl!

Frank, the son we sponsor in Uganda

AND...............HERE IS OUR NEWEST BLESSING!!!

We're getting a new grandchild!  We're so excited!  Tommy and Claudia are having a baby!  This sweet child is due right in between Ashley and Adam's birthdays!  Maybe we'll have a double birthday.

Can you see that perfect baby God is knitting together in her womb?  The baby He knew before the foundation of the world?

It's been a while since we have had a baby grandchild and we are getting our rocking arms in shape!  

When Ashley was born, I was sure I could never love another child like I love her.  Then Adam was born.....and I knew that God provides all the love we need!  Each one that comes along I love as much as the one that came before! 

Life has thrown it's share of curves, God has allowed us joys and sorrows, but the blessings far, far outweigh the sorrows. 

Welcome our new little love!  We can't wait to meet you!

Update Day

A funny thing happened on the way to this update.....

Try to remember that this is completely random!

Phone rings.....I answer......man asks for my husband.....I hand the phone to husband as he mouths  who is it?  I mouth back the guys name.....husband mouths back a name that was actually similar but the wrong name.  All of a sudden I'm thinking....WHY DON'T YOU JUST SAY HELLO AND YOU'LL KNOW WHO'S CALLING???   I guess he read my mind because he said hello.  Or maybe it was me laughing....just not sure! 


O.K. now on to the updates. 



I'm having problems uploading pictures tonight, so this will just be a short and sweet update.....or not!  Sometimes I have a lot of nothing to say.

My shoulder is doing pretty good.  Therapy isn't too bad.  I did notice the arm I'm doing the therapy on is toning up and the other isn't....could be a problem!


David had his appointment with the cardiologist.  I really liked the doctor, he seemed truly concerned and thorough.  He seems to think David has PSVT .  Paroxysmal supraventricular (atrial) tachycardia is a regular, fast (160 to 220 beats per minute) heart rate that begins and ends suddenly and originates in heart tissue other than that in the ventricles.

According to the doctor, this is less serious than SVT.  Whew!  David wore a Holter Monitor for 24 hours and will have a stress test and an echocardiogram.   The doctor also thinks that David is on a much lower dose of medicine than he will need to control the heart rate, but won't determine that until all the tests come back.  Unless something serious shows up, he won't go back until the first of January. 


I know you know I'm not going to finish this without a complaint about the cardiologist office!  :)  You're right!  The doctor examined David and talked about the medication.  When David called the office back to tell them he would run out of medicine before his appointment, he was told he would have to call his regular doctor.  I'm sorry, I just don't get that.......


BUT!  I guess I really don't have to, do I? 

Thinking of my veteran

My parents didn't take their yellow ribbon down until Paul got home.  Sorry, I cut part of you out of the picture!  Just a little FYI, my daddy wasn't mad, he just always looked like that!  He was happy, I promise.

Paul served in the first Gulf War in the Navy, stationed on the U.S.S. New Orleans.  The night the war started, my husband, younger son and I were at a little Mexican restaurant.  They stopped the music and started broadcasting that the war had started.  I remember starting to cry and saying we have to go home. 

We didn't know the day the war started if Paul's ship was actually in the Gulf or on the way.......nonetheless, we were very concerned.  I would just sit in front of the t.v. watching for any news of how things were going.  I grasped for every piece of news of those Naval ships.  I also prayed a lot!

As the Lord would have it, Paul came home safe and sound!  Shortly after getting back to his home base, he married and he and his wife came home for a visit.  We were so excited, our son was safe and we had a new daughter!

I am so thankful for all the men and women who have served our country by going to war so that we could live in safety and freedom.  I also pray for their families who are left behind often taking responsibilities on that they've never done alone before.

May we always be free!