thanks!

{for the many of you who have asked... the pictures in my previous post about the baby shower were, indeed, taken by me and my camera-- her cute stuff is just so photogenic I can't help myself}

First of all, me and and Rick have decided not to indulge in Black Friday festivities this year. If you've known us the past 3 years, this is a pretty big announcement from us. We usually plan it all out from midnight til dawn. We just don't quite need anything this year that is worth all that craziness (it IS crazy!). Instead we have decided to snooooze the night away. I will actually be working black friday, evening shift, at Janie & Jack. My best friend is a manager there, and I never get to see her because she is always working, so I decided to get a job there to see her more! brilliant plan ya?!?  Except for the fact that the main boss lady has yet to schedule us together, thus defeating the purpose so far, darn.

Secondly, Thanksgiving is tomorrow?!? holy moly, I don't know if I would've even remembered except that my mother-in-law called asking me to bring the Jell-o.  Yes, my official holiday contribution for the last 3 years is always Jell-o.  Not sure why, it's kinda funny. No one ever eats the jell-o but she insists that's what I bring every holiday.  I look forward to the day when I get to host Thanksgiving, I really do! I'm sure at the time while cooking the turkey and mashing the taters I will look back and say "ugh, if only I just had to do jell-o", ;) haha.  But really, I've always thought it would be so fun to do a big Thanksgiving table outside with a bunch of fall deco, and personalized place settings....

ya?

Although I'm not a fan of turkey, bland mashed potatoes, candied yams, cranberry sauce or pies, I still think that Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday.  We taught a simple "thanksgiving lesson" to our young women at church on Sunday, and the opening statement was ...

"What if you woke up today, with only things that you thanked God for yesterday?"

This simple thought has been stuck in my mind all week, and you better believe my prayers have been tweeked a little bit this week with that idea in mind. It is truly amazing what we can be grateful for when we are looking for it. I could list a million things I'm grateful for to you right now, but I'll spare you, and save it for my prayers later ;)  But really, I do have such a blessed life, and have an endless amount of things to be grateful for. I am very grateful that my mother-in-law has me bring jello, because honestly, before 3 years ago- I had no idea how to even make jello! :) 

Me and Rick both do, have such a beautiful life filled with family, friends, happiness and faith.

Happy Thanksgiving!