Happy Thanksgiving!

With the onslaught of family, I (Ruth) was too tired to do any blogging last night...so as usual I am "a day late and a dollar short." All my family was here to celebrate with us. It was a pleasant day.

We spent a fair amount of time trying to prepare Jadon for this special day. Still he can be so unpredictable...we weren't sure what to expect. We shouldn't have worried...he did fine. He ate well, declaring the meal "Yummy!" He shared his toys with his cousins without any fuss at all (although he did grouse a bit this morning upon discovery that a number of them had been left lying on the floor...who can blame him for that?). He ended his day with a "sleepover"---he and his siblings on the basement floor. He thought that was pretty good.

Kirsten and I managed to escape for awhile and take a walk...something I desperately needed after eating waaaaaaaay too much food. We had a great time talking. I so enjoy her. She has been a great encouragement to me. (I know others attest to this also.)

Alan was able to do his own escaping and talk with his family for awhile too. He kept everything balanced...his usual role when the whole family is together.

The most major mishap of the day occurred when Andrew ripped a piece of skin from his big toe running to come to dinner. Poor guy was left with blood running down his foot and tears running down his face. But he was brave and allowed me to clip away the damaged skin and bandage his foot. He waited to got through the buffet line until the very end, placing his foot gingerly above his head as he waited. It did not seem to affect his appetite much when he finally got his food. I predict he will be fine in no time.

We certainly have much for which to be thankful. In the past year we brought home our son after a long wait. We have come through the trials...maybe not with blazing colors, but with a much deeper awareness of God's grace bestowed on us in the mundane things of everyday life. What a gift that is!!!!! We have once again experienced our God who lifts us from the pit and sets us on the Rock; leaned on friends who pray tirelessly for our progress and Jadon's; and observed the love of our church family on a deeper level. None of us has experienced any major illness despite all of us being exposed on more than one occasion to the H1N1 virus. God is good.