Giving Thanks

This week of Thanksgiving reminds me once again all of the many blessings in my life. Often the blessings are in the form of friends and family who share our joys, concerns, and work-loads. These are some of the folks who did that for me this week......

After Bible study on Wednesday morning, some of the JOY Club members helped to make wreaths that our church family will use during the Advent season. There are some folks you can always count on, who are never too old for ministry, and who have a heart of service!

My friends Lyda and Elaine

Even Jay's help is needed!

Elaine and Angie

Our family gathered for supper on Thanksgiving Day - minus Laura and Ben, who we always miss on these special occasions. Nieces Margie and Ricki and nephew Kenny joined for dinner :)

We were especially grateful to have Grandma with us this year!! She has made a slow but steady recovery after her fall a few weeks ago. The progress the last few days is incredible and she is eager to leave the care facility and return home.

Deven and Great-Grandma

Tom and Anna's family all wore their 'Thankful Shirts' :)

This isn't a great picture, so I'm adding one you can also find on Anna's blog so you can see the shirts the kids decorated.....

Lynn and Tori

Ever since our kids were young, our house has always been more like a gymnasium than anything else. Steve carries on the tradition of wrestling and rough-housing very well :)
Here Zac is fending off Steve's 'attacks'.


Deven and Kenny had - for lack of a better term - an ear war. They seemed to love the battle - must be a guy thing.....

Doesn't really show how red their ears really were - ouch!

While the guys were battling, the girls were quietly coloring pictures of things they are thankful for....

Sophie and Abby

Sophie loves monkeys!

Tori is a great artist!

Friday noon Bill and I met Kenny and Ricki for lunch....it was great to spend a bit of time with both of them.


Laura emailed this picture taken yesterday at 36 weeks! She is now off the meds that were helping to keep her contractions in check, so Baby Girl could come any time. We're hoping she stays cozy and warm right where she's at for another couple of weeks.


This picture of an old lock and key was taken in Iceland during my visit there with Meike and Ute last May.

A thankful heart is the key
that opens our eyes
to the amazing blessings all around us.
So many blessings.

Psalm 145:3 & 7
Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
We celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Old, Young, and In-Between

On Monday we moved Bill's mom into a nursing center after she spent a week in the hospital. It is a rough transition for her and we're praying she regains enough strength that it will be a temporary home for only a few weeks. Her room is pretty sparse, but we are decorating it with the cards she is receiving and a few things from home. It's wonderful that one of her good friends is right across the hall and shares a dining room table with her.


Tuesday afternoons are my special time with Abby, Sophie, and Noah. The snow (!) was beautiful and they had a great time playing outdoors :)

Noah, Abby, Sophie

Noah is ready to come inside after an hour in the backyard

Wednesday afternoon is my special time with Tori. This week she made a special couch for her stuffed animals out of a shoe box, wrapping paper, tin cans, and tape. She spent a long time on it.....

....and this is the final product - arm rests, pillows, and all!


Friday afternoon I picked up Abby, Sophie, and Noah from pre-school. They did a 'science experiment' with the snow, watching how quickly it melts in water, in their hands, and in a baggie.

Abby

Sophie

Noah

Anna went to a luncheon with her sister Martha and won a wonderful basket full of surprises -
That's her with nephew Gordie :)

On Friday, nephew Joey and I went out for ice cream. He took great delight in teaching me a few more Spanish words :)

We made a stop at the Dollar Store where he picked out a toy for himself and one for brother Kristofer. Lots of fun for a buck!

Joey

Kristofer

This last picture of a pile of wool was taken at Greenfield Village last summer.
Only a skilled weaver can take a wad of wool and then dye, spin, and weave it into something beautiful.

I'm reminded that our Master Weaver takes the 'wads' in our lives,
saturates them with incredible color,
and weaves them into patterns
we could never design for ourselves.

Corn Stalk Reminders

Simple pictures of simple pleasures....

Lunch with Rick & Beckie last Friday. It's surprising they're smiling
after the morning they had - including hitting a deer which demolished their windshield.
We're thankful they had only minor cuts even though glass flew everywhere!

Saturday night we celebrated birthdays with our 'dearest and best', Jacque and Dick.
Sorry I didn't get a picture of Dick this time - his hair is returning and his health is restored
after his bout with cancer. PTL and STJ!

Steve and Lynn and kids came for dinner on Sunday so we could spend a bit of time with Zac before he headed back to school....he's got a new car!

He wasn't sure how many more trips his Saturn could make down to Ohio and back.

Tori was all excited about taking these bronzed shoes to school for 'Show and Share'. They are her dad's first shoes that he wore back in 1971.

Monday night we had dinner with John and Jo - in downtown Holland where the 'Plague of '08' was running rampant on Hope's campus. We managed to escape without catching the bug. As always, we enjoyed our time with John and Jo and, if you know our connection, you won't be surprised that much of our conversation was about the kids we share and the granddaughter we'll share soon :)

Prayers for Bill's mom, please. She has been hospitalized since Tuesday following an adverse reaction to an antibiotic. She is very weak and will be moved to a place of 'transition' on Monday. It will be a while before she is able to return to her home.

After a difficult morning of finding Bill's mom in such distress and then getting her to the hospital, I was able to meet my friend Marcia for coffee. It had months since we'd seen each other and it was great to 'catch up'. The Lord always knows when I just need a good friend!

(This is one of those stretch-out-your-arm-and-take-it-yourself pictures:)

Went from coffee to supper out with Rachel. We share October birthdays and every year we treat ourselves to dinner in celebration. She is doing well and has her own business, operating a coffee stand at Hope Network. I was blessed to spend some time with her and hear about her new venture. Way to go, Rachel!

Fun day on Wednesday! First Bible study with the 'old folks', who are so dear to me, and then lunch with some high-school friends. Thanks, Joan S., for your hospitality! (Sorry I missed Phyllis on the picture....)

Ruth, Cherie, Joan S., Carol

Tori and I made our usual Wednesday stop at the Dollar Store. She was willing to give up her stop there next week in exchange for getting two things this week and was delighted with her new hat and gloves :)


This is a picture of some of Grandma's visitors who brightened her day on Wednesday - four of her 19 great-granchildren.....

Eden, Abby, Noah, Sophie

Bill had off from school on Friday, so we headed up to Manistee - perfect timing for a break for him. These stalks of corn were along the road on our drive north. It was a refreshing scene that reminded me of the good ol' days before the crops were shrink-wrapped in white plastic.

The picture reminds me of God's promise....

As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.

Thank you, God, for your faithfulness.
Thank you, Lord, for family and friends who have blessed my life this week.
Thank you for unexpected joys, meaningful conversations, and treasured moments.
Amen and Amen!

Moments

Another week of special moments.....

This first picture is of Laura, taken last Friday - 32 weeks pregnant! She emails pictures every two weeks :) Please pray Baby Girl stays safely in utero for several more weeks.


Does it look like Ty and Deven had fun 'mudding' in the vacant lot next door? Ty was busy washing his clothes when we were there Sunday night....think it took about three rinses before he could even wash them.

Tori is taking piano lessons :)

....and she is a giggly girl :)


This is a short video clip showing Tori's piano skills :)


Tuesday afternoon was spent in Holland. Abby, Sophie, Noah and I made stops out for lunch, the Peanut Store, and Kollen Park. It was a gorgeous fall day - perfect for outdoor fun!

Sophie, Abby, Noah

Okay, so we renamed our Tuesday night gathering - the Victory Party became the Election Night Party.....but we had a great time with friends and family who watched the returns with us. It was a pretty partisan crowd, but some ardent friends from 'the other party' joined us as well.

Ji Su, Lidia, Brad

Rick, Beckie, and our beloved John (should have seen the other picture!)

Mom Bonnema and friend Ardis

Nephews Byron and Johnny

Sister Marva and nephew Ben

Wednesday afternoons are my special time with Tori each week. It's only a couple of hours, but it's always fun to spend time with her. This week we spent a lot of time drawing - she's quite an artist! The bracelet on her arm was this week's purchase at the Dollar Store :)

Wednesday night I spent some time with my 'chips and beverage' friend Sue. No picture this time (our secret), but just wanted an opportunity to say how special she is and how much I admire her. What a gem!

May you always have friends to sit in your swing with you!