Thankful Blessings Part 1

What a wonderful Thanksgiving Day service at Madison Square this morning! Laura Carpenter was the preacher and her message about our Anxiety List but also our Thankful List was very powerful. Made me re-think my anxieties for a little bit.

Maddy's dance group also danced to a wonderful song, Sanctuary. As always, Maddy puts her all into her dancing. Her dance group this year has many younger, smaller girls in it and you can see that Maddy has leadership potential. I'm attempted to upload her dancing video but I'm having trouble figuring out how to do this. Maybe over the weekend, when I have more time. **I used the movie function on my camera and didn't have my tripod to use so hopefully it's viewable. I zoomed in on Maddy at times so the picture is a little fuzzy at times but you get the idea of her dance. I hope you'll be able to see it.....

More Thankful Blessings this afternoon as the whole family, including 2 grand-dogs, invades Mom and Dad's house for dinner, the annual showing of the Polar Express, and then a giant slumber party with 5 grandkids, 2 dogs, 2 aunts, and 1 uncle (the three older adults are heading out shopping in the wee hours). The entire event will be topped off by a breakfast brunch following the early morning escapades by all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sleep, sleep, I want more sleep....

Why is it that when you wake up in the middle of the night, toss around for a bit and then, just as you fall back to sleep, the stupid alarm starts to go off? Not a very restful night and I'd even gone to bed early (by my standards). Oh well, good thing I can sleep in tomorrow.

One tired pooch!

Boy, getting a haircut and hanging out all day at Posh Pet Doggie Salon was utterly exhausting! Time for bed, NOW.

My wonderful students

My class is just the best!!! Everyone gets along and helps each other out. On this beautiful fall day, we took a walk on the nature trail to use our 5 senses to experience the world around us. We'd just had a whopper of a weekend with tons of rain so everything was bright, green, and fresh. We could've stayed out there all day but we had to get back to class, where we promptly started writing about our walk on the trail. Don't we just look so happy to be in school, er....outside?

Grandpa's 90th birthday

Birthdays are a milestone. Every year they come whether we want them to or not. Some birthdays are eagerly anticipated while others are dreaded with every breath we take. Milestone birthdays are extra special. And while all birthdays should be celebrated, BIG birthdays deserve special recognition and even a party (or possibly 2). Such was the case with Grandpa Post turning 90 years old. It seems like just yesterday that we had a 75th surprise birthday party for him for him at Oakdale Park Church. His 80th birthday was celebrated at the now closed Mountain Jack's restaurant. All of the family came but the number was much smaller than it is now. The 85th birthday was a celebration with the children but included a dvd that had been made of his life and was set to music.

This past summer Grandpa started to go down hill, health-wise. When he entered the hospital on May 21, that was the last day he actually lived at his house. After discharge, he went to Raybrook Manor and in September was moved to Faith Hospice at Trillium Woods. During all this time, the thought about a birthday party started to grow in my mind. After all, birthdays are a big deal. I stuck to my guns about wanting this party for him (and the family), planned the birthday event (with some help from mom and dad as the event became bigger than I'd planned it to be) and even though he said he wouldn't be around to attend it, he made it to his party. What an event it was!!!! He stayed for the entire event, eating pizza, cake with ice cream, watching movies and slide shows about himself, visiting with children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, and others. The evening was topped off by celebrating communion together. It was such an warm and memorable night for all. Exactly what birthdays are supposed to be......

Retinopathy of Prematurity

What is it about having a deadline for a class and I can find 1,001 other things much more interesting to do? I guess I'll just have to turn the computer off and work on my laptop which doesn't have internet if I hope to get this 10 page paper cranked out today!!!

Halloween 2008

So, Halloween has arrived again. Unlike last year, which was cold, wet, and rainy, this year's was the perfect weather--slightly warm with a cool breeze and tons of sunshine. The time change hasn't occurred yet, so it will be plenty light for all of the trick-or-treaters. Trick-or-Treaters don't come to doors in Georgetown Condominiums so no fear of any tricks being played on me. Instead, some friends and I went to Mangiamo's for a quick Happy Hour. Nothing like a glass of Sangria to kick off a beautiful weekend!
At school, we had a Fall Festival afternoon event. I missed the entire last half of October last year due to my asthma flare-up so it was tons of fun spending the afternoon with my students, eating yummy (and somewhat healthy) food, doing a pumpkin magnet project, and watching Charlie Brown. Crazy, busy teacher that I am, I didn't even take a single picture.
Saturday, November 1, was the family big Halloween event. It's always so much fun to see the kids in their costumes and see them interact with each other. Its' been a few weeks since we were all together so it was fun to spend another beautiful weather afternoon with family. The kids just looked soooooo adorable!!!!! Kyle & Emma kicked the afternoon off with playing a trick on all of us---Kyle was 'home sick' but Emma had snuck (?) downstairs, yelled that there was a spider down there and Grandpa had to come kill it. When Grandpa finally made it downstairs, Kyle jumped out and scared him (and everyone else!) He is indeed growing up. What a perfect day.