Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was so wonderful. My mom and sister Kelly came in from PA to be with me, Michael, Joshua, and my dad and stepmom all celebrated Thanksgiving together in Pinckneyville. The best part was it was a mother-n-law free holiday. The first one since I've been married that I have been able to enjoy just my family. I know that sounds selfish and not nice but it's nice just to be able to be yourself with your own family and not watch everything you do and say.

My mom came in on Wednesday and stayed at my house. It was so nice to just have time with her and Kelly. I was in the end of my semester at Covenant so she was able to help out with Joshua while I was writing papers. Thursday my mom, Kelly, Michael, Joshua and I all went down to Pinckneyville and stuffed ourselves silly. Joshua sat at the table with us and was our entertainment during dinner as he smiled and drooled. Dinner was exceptional and it even included my dad's famous haystack potatoes. (Sorry Christi - we wished you had been there with us) My sister Christi was in California spending Thanksgiving with her boyfriend and his family- we missed her so much.

We came home on Thursday night, Michael had to go to work the next day and Kelly stayed behind so my mom and I were able to spend some time together. Friday - I worked on papers, my mom hung out with Joshua. We also went shopping and found Kelly a dresser for the nursery at Once Upon a Child. It was a great deal. That night we also went out to dinner with Michael's dad, his wife and their granddaughter Megan. Macaroni Grill is always great! And it was nice to catch up and spend time with family.

We went back to Pinckneyville on Saturday for my sister's baby shower. Kelly is due in February with little Iris May. The shower was fun - and it was nice to be able to show Joshua off to all the wonderful ladies who came to his baby shower just a few months ago. Unfortunately, Joshua was cranky all day and pretty much slept the entire party. I think he was a little overwhelmed.

My mom and I were talking on the way home from the shower and she let me know that she has been going to church and she for her 50th birthday wants to be baptized. To those of you who don't know. I have been praying for this for 7 years. If I wouldn't have been driving I think I might have broke down crying. My heart was just swollen with joy and excitement for the journey my mom is beginning and the now shared eternal destiny we both have as believers in Christ. God is so good!!!!!!!!!

Kelly's baby daddy - Jonathan, let us all go to see her 4-D ultrasound. It was really cool but Iris didn't participate well and the pictures weren't that clear. The funniest part was there was a point where the ultrasound tech found Iris licking her umbilical cord - she's a strange little girl already. She'll fit right in with our family. LOL.