Thanksgiving with Alex and a thorough beating...

The Thanksgiving break was too short for our University attending nephew 

to make the long trip home so he came and celebrated with us instead - win win.

The twigs worked hard to get homework done so we could play

and play we did!  :)

We played Carcassonne till the cows came home. 

This guy beat us over and over and over. 

How did he do that? 

He didn't know - beginners luck he said?

My beautiful little blue-eyed Mother loved to play games too. 

She was clever and quick and thought it was good 

for kids to lose - pretty wise of her.

Here

Alex played the Mr.'s game with him too. 

Did you know the Mr. invented a game?

It's called Black Box +.

It's a hexagonal version of an old favorite game called Black Box

 that he played with his buddy, Brad, in High School. 

The Mr. contacted the original game inventor, Eric Solomon, years ago and told him 

about this hexagonal version. 

Mr. Solomon said it had been tried dozens of times 

but he would take a look at the Mr.'s idea. 

Next thing we knew it was in production and royalty checks started coming in. 

How neat is that?

This guy played lots of fetch when he wasn't watching us play games. 

I'm thankful for family and friends and furry creatures.

Especially I'm grateful for my God. 

God bless you all.

:)

It won't be this in the morning...

One of my sisters-in-law grew up as her father's right hand "man" on their ranch in Idaho. She tells great stories about her adventures with her father and siblings. One thing her father often said to the kids was "It won't be this in the morning."

She first told me about this little saying when I was just 12 years old so I've had a few decades to learn it's meaning. It's an interesting little saying full of hope but also containing more than just a dose of warning and reality.

Her Dad would say "It won't be this in the morning" when the kids were staying up way too late having a rippin' good time. He knew morning chores would come... before the kids were rested...yet come, they would. And he was right, it wasn't rippin' good fun anymore when the sun came up and the kids were bone tired, short on sleep, and dragging themselves out to do chores.

Happily, though, the saying applies equally to dark times, dark nights when pain and worry creep in, yet there is light, beautiful warm light, in the morning.
I believe "It won't be this in the morning" testifies of Jesus. He is The Light, He is my Light, and I'm so grateful for Him, and I'm so grateful for all those who let His light shine through them.

We've had a few dark nights the past month. The Mr. got a rippin' infection in his leg which was all cleared up by antibiotics (thank Heaven) but the swelling was so severe it killed part of his leg. The question just remained to see how much would he lose. The wound care Dr. was guardedly optimistic that it wasn't into the muscle but said "we'll see."

I posted this picture (close your eye's if you're squeamish) of the Mr.'s "zombie bite" for Halloween and never imagined the flood of kindness that would follow.

Thank you, dear friends and family, for the texts, messages, cards, phone calls, treats, meals, and prayers! You've been so thoughtful and generous!! We are tremendously grateful!

You are the definition of "bearing one another's burdens."

We went back to the wound care Dr. after just three days to check on the edema and healing. Dr. M raved about the healing! We testified to him of the power of prayer - all your prayers - offered to a loving Father in Heaven who hears and answers His children.

Thanks be to God and thanks be to you.   xoxo