Two Weeks Until Thanksgiving But Feeling Very Thankful Already

Maliana ~

Monday was Veterans' Day and while we did make sure to discuss what a veteran is and what they have done and are doing...we also were able to have an easy morning before school. I had some carpet cleaners coming at 8:30am, so we hunkered down in the family room with breakfast, Nickelodeon, and a game of checkers until they were done. Afterwards, we headed outside for a walk in the leaves with Abby and got just cold enough to really appreciate the hot tomato soup, grilled cheese, and hot cocoa lunch that I made before taking you to daycare to ride to school with your friends.

crunching through the leaves

mmm...tomato soup and grilled cheese!

You wanted me to stay at daycare long enough to watch you get on the big bus and head off to your school. As I waved and watched you climbing on the bus, I yelled, "Have fun! I love you!" as you peeked out the windows and waved back at me. Once again, I got that pang of wishing I could do this kind of thing every day. I love our stolen moments together.

Tuesday you accompanied me to the monthly PTA meeting and got to play in the gym with some other kids while us parents discussed everything. Luckily, you saw a little boy who is in your kindergarten class (which was nice) but you also enjoyed some new kids, making good on your statement just before we left for the school of "I can make new friends!" You do have your shy moments but I'm so glad that you can be a much more outgoing kid than I was at your age. You had a good time and it was neat to notice a couple more teachers at the school who knew you by name. I love that you are fitting in so wonderfully here.

You ran over to Lowes with me after the meeting and we got to see Markie at work who showed you how he uses the big lumber saw. Pretty cool...

explaining how that big saw works to you

And you were very amazed when we walked into the garden center and took in all of their holiday decorations, breathlessly exclaiming..."Ohhhh....wow!" I have to admit, it definitely helped get me in the spirit too. Maybe we'll decorate earlier than usual this year.

reading some of the Christmas books on display

this tree was so huge, I couldn't even fit it all in the picture

In keeping with this ever-growing Christmas spirit, we also decided to try something a little different this Wednesday night. It is typically the one night of the week that Memaw and Papaw help out at their church's food pantry and so I had an idea. Our friend and adopted "Auntie" Jo in Colorado has recently shared with us her current self-proclaimed mission to step up and reach out to help the homeless in her area. We are so proud of what she is doing with her friends out there and I am very thankful as it has given me endless opportunities to discuss with you the issue of poverty and homelessness. It has led to many questions and some great ideas. With you being only 5 (and a half ~ can't forget the half!), I realize you are trying very hard to grasp the concepts but it is tough...after all, your brain is still working in very concrete ways for the next few years. It dawned on me that we could kill two birds with one stone by pitching in at the food pantry...helping all of the wonderful people out down there and giving you a real life experience at the same time.

We arrived at the church and walked around back, where the line for the pantry began. Memaw and Papaw were so happy to see you! They let us help in the bagging area where we spent most of the evening putting together grocery bags full of food that more volunteers would then wheel out to peoples' cars so they could take them home. I am happy to report that you LOVED it. You did amazingly well and were cranking out the bags *almost* as fast as some of the adults. I was so proud of you for holding your own so well. You were such a huge help. Some of the others joked that you must have been the youngest volunteer they'd ever had and made more jokes about child labor laws. Ha. By the time we left, we were all pretty hungry. We went out to eat at a local burger joint and as you said, "I'm starving!" while we waited for our food, it gave me another excellent opportunity to talk to you about poverty and hunger and how it must feel to have to go to bed at night feeling that hungry. Once again, I tried bringing it all back to what we were doing there at the pantry earlier. I tried to make it click. I'm hoping that some of what we did that night resonates with you...I'm hoping that we planted some good seeds in there...I'm hoping that all of those families that we helped tonight can find some peace as we go into a cold and difficult time of year for so many...I'm just hoping.

helping Memaw load the grocery bags with food

helping with the grandparents was fun and I am so thankful
for all they do for others on a regular basis...we couldn't
leave the pantry tonight and not feel quite humbled
by the experience. very, very grateful...

After a pretty good week, the weekend had finally arrived and we kicked it off in style on Friday with a visit from Audrey Ayi ~ always a fun time with her!

craziness

Saturday morning we woke up to breakfast with Memaw and Papaw at Cracker Barrel. Love time spent with these two!

checkers with Papaw after breakfast

and a piggyback from Memaw on the way to the car

Then it was the beginning of the weekend of birthday parties! Saturday we celebrated with Lainey and Sunday we celebrated with Jack ~ both turning the big 5!! How in the world are all of you kids getting so old?!

just before Daddy stuck his nose in your cupcake icing,
goofy Daddy

Lainey's party

silly girls

while Jack opened his gifts, you had a special job from Ms. Pam

you wrote down the list of who gave Jack which gifts...
and loved every minute of being Pam's big helper

playing trains with the birthday boy before we left

A fun weekend that went way too fast, as usual.
Now off to begin the new week!
Love,
Mama