Prayers and Pictures

Heavenly Father, as I come to you tonight, I feel like I don't have anything else to give. Although I didn't have the normal twenty seven kids competing for my time today, my own kids have lobbed emotional grenades at me today that I simply could not have prepared for. I am so thankful for your constant balm on their wounded hearts (and mine). I pray now for their future spouses, that You would be the center of their marriages and that their children would be protected from the hurt they've known through divorce. Father, I also come to you in an attitude of complete thanksgiving. While my faith was little, you had plans for my future that were incomprehensible. I still stand in awe of the gift you've given our family in Ray. His calm nature and unblemished integrity provide a foundation which has steadied this whole family. Father, I'm laying today's heartbreaks and trials at your feet. Thank you for your grace and the strength that you offer us on a daily (and nanosecond) basis. Amen.

This week in pictures...

Brotherly love

Reading her first book

This was after her first REAL dentist visit where they actually tried to clean her teeth. Moments before this photo, she looked more like a Tasmanian Devil! They even put us in the special room with the door that closed to conceal the screaming!

Intermission at The Rockettes - She was the entertainment.

Everyone was on their "Mama will KILL you if you act crazy" behavior - including the big kid!

Pastor Aaron talking with the kids on Sunday morning.

The girls were up to something!

 

Happy birthday, Grandma!

 

By child #3, sitting on the floor in a restaurant and using your phone is a way to maintain your sanity and that of those around you, as well. Who knew that she was snapping photos of relative's legs?

 

Taking Ray to the airport for a Salesforce.com trip to San Francisco. We toyed with the thought of making it an escape week and I'd go along... but... I have this thing called a job and the week before Thanksgiving break isn't the most opportune time to go AWOL!

Annie is getting ready for her first ballet recital.

Car line commentary - I absolutely LOVE mornings when I can drop the kids off at school. You just never know where the conversation will end up with Annie!

Annie's Thanksgiving Feast - She was the pilgrim in the back row who cried through all four songs!

Pouty Pilgrim wanted her daddy.

Thank goodness, a little turkey and mac n cheese turned her frown upside down!

Finally, a picture of the pilgrim with a smile!

Annie's new favorite - Where's Waldo. These darn books are worse than the I Spy ones or even the Dr. Seuss ones that seem to go on forever! However, Annie is sort of a Waldo freak and can find him faster than I can. I admit to Googling the solution to one page because I was thinking about ripping the page out since I couldn't find him myself!

 And that, my friends, is the photo update for the last week. I know you can all sleep more peacefully knowing that our sanity is still shaky!

Good night, all!