Double Trouble and other things to be thankful for!

Thanksgiving seemed to go by in a blur for me--does anyone else feel that way?  We have joked in our house that things were just too crazy for us to stop and reflect on our blessings before stuffing ourselves with all the delicious food.  It is true, 16 people staying in one farm house with exactly half of those people being 13 and under makes for a crazy time!  Looking back, I realize we didn't stop and share blessings from the past year or even express thanks for specific blessings, although we were sure to thank The Provider for the meal.  And I do feel sad about all that.  But my time of reflection has come since returning home.  What I've realized as I look back over our days together with my parents,and my two sisters and their families, is that we were surrounded by one of God's greatest gifts to us--a healthy, loving family.  My two sisters and I live in 3 different states, so time together is precious.  God gave us these days to enjoy being together again, just laughing, talking, eating, and one attempt at shopping--just doing life together for a few days.  Mom and Dad got to see grandkids that they don't see very often and I don't think there was a boring minute as long as "Double Trouble" were both awake.  These two little fellows absolutely LOVE getting together but something happens whenever they do.  Instead of just your average (or maybe even above average) energy level for a normal 3 year old boy, when these two cousins meet, there seems to be an explosion of energy and testosterone!  Things get broken, fake fruit gets eaten (sorry, Nee-Nee!), and lots of laughter as well as fighting occurs.  But I absolutely LOVE watching my youngest hang out with my sister's little boy.  They are big buddies!

Of course, the newest member of "the Senter clan" is this little fellow's baby sister who can steal your heart in a minute with her big blue eyes and huge grin!  My girls and I never feel that we have enough time to love on her, so these days were great for us!  We held her as long as she would let us, but eventually she wanted to be free to crawl around and see what the boys were playing with.  She is a go-getter, for sure!  It is a thankful moment to realize that both of these beautiful, healthy children were born to my sister who is a rigid diabetic.  Isn't God good??

Another blessing from this week was the gift of time with a sweet little girl our family has grown to love over the past few months.  She is seen here with "the girls" and seems to enjoy being part of a large family every now and then.  I'm sure when she goes back home to her mama, she relishes the quiet but our family loves having her around.  And since the weather at the farm was just perfect, some of the girls thought fishing was in order.  No fishing rod?  No problem.  They created one from a stick, borrowed line and a borrowed hook.  Were they successful?  Not using grasshoppers for bait, but when they stuck to just using crickets, YES, they were successful!

So much to be thankful for. . .and days with extended family are at the top of my list this year!  Thanks, Mom and Dad, for loving God, each other, and your children in such a way that makes being together with family so special.  I am grateful to be your child.  Thanks, Sisters, for changing your work schedules and dragging your wonderful husbands to the farm to hang out with us for a few days.  I love you both!  Thanks to my awesome husband for allowing me to be "sister and daughter" for a few days, and hopefully you didn't have to take up too much slack. :)  I love you!  Most of all I'm so grateful to my heavenly Father who blessed me beyond measure by placing me in my family in the first place and now blessing me with a wonderful family of my own.  I am so unworthy, so undeserving, yet so humbled and thankful on this Thanksgiving weekend.