Missing you..

...today especially! 

Boy, 3 years?  Can it really be!  I think it's hitting hard this year because...

I can almost see him here...

following Trent and Drew aroud,
getting into stuff and making messes like his big brothers,
talking, asking lots of questions,
smiling,
carrying around his favorite blanket and stuffed animal,
laughing,
playing with Thomas the Train,
dancing around,
messing up the pieces on the board as his older brothers play Candy Land,

tearing into all his Christmas presents and jumping up and down with delight.

It's the little things that I'm grieving today, not experiencing WITH him.

...today especially...

I Cackled at this Gaggle!!!

I was surprised this morning when I looked out the window!

S-N-O-W!

The pond has frozen over - though I'm sure not very thick since it was not frozen yesterday.  But this morning the geese were STROLLING over to the bank.

Thanksgiving...

We traveled to "Misery" as named by the GPS Missouri to spend Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family.  My grandparents live there and it was great to see some other extended family.  What a godly heritage!  I'm so thankful for them.  I found them both asleep in their recliners in front of the tv one evening with their hands like this...

My mom and 2 of my brothers

Busy cookin'

The boys enjoyed playing with my cousin and 2nd cousin.  They went fishing, hiking, and of course did some Wii-ing!!

I enjoyed taking some pictures of my aunt, uncle, and cousin.  The weather was beautiful, sunny, and warm!

...B-L-I-T-Z!!...

On the way home we stopped to see the St. Louis Arch.  We wanted to go up, but the lines were just way to long!!

On the road again...

Wild for Turkeys!

Trent and Drew went to my friend's house and all the kids got to work! They made some pretty Thankful Turkeys! {Thanks for being so creative with my kids, J!! Her post is here.}

Are you Ready for some...

...BASKETBALL??

The boys have been asking to see Mike play b-ball, so we headed out Monday night to watch.  Trent really got a kick out of changing the numbers on the scoreboard.  The boys were excited to see some friends and they were the best cheer squad I've ever heard.  They got so into it.

"Oh...oh...oh...NO!"  Excitement...Dissappointment...can't you just see it on their faces :o)

Music Concert

Trent's grade had a music concert.   It was cute, and he was so excited for us to hear him sing.  He wouldn't sing anything for us before the concert, but I could hear him singing it in his room or just when he thought we weren't listening.  His teacher told us she was so proud of him.  She said she could hear him and that he really "sang his heart out!"

Trent's class performed on the pouy-sticks.  After the concert we broused some of his artwork.  He painted a city and made a pinched clay bowl.  Man, he's growing up.

Noah's Hope

This was the first time I organized and prepared for ladies from Wallen to make the memory books.  My friend Carol moved down to Florida and she was such a big help organizing and making a tutorial for us to follow.  {It worked GREAT!  Thanks so much, Carol.}  It was a great success.  We kept everyone busy and I think the ladies enjoyed working together to make such a cherished gift for grieving moms.  Thank you ladies for helping me!!  Your time and willingness to help is a special gift to me too.