And lastly, a big ole photo/event dump from the fall and all of the various events that took place.
We started our 10th and 11th year of teaching. We are both still at the same school.
We have been able to throw some girl's nights in there.
Maddie started working with me in my classroom this year and she has been a joy to work with and it has been incredibly sweet seeing her love on the kiddos and enjoy what she's doing. This is from her bridal shower! She has had the most fun/busy fall and the wedding pictures are to follow.
I don't wake up early unless I have to--aka--for work but at least I am able to catch these beautiful early morning views when I get to work at the crack of dawn.
I always love getting to see these little cuties on Sundays.
Ann Hatten was showing James the forgiveness rock she made in children's church.
A long overdue game night with these friends
We celebrated N I N E years since our very first date and per usual, went to the same place.
We walked with our school in the Homecoming Parade and went "under the sea"
And hosted a shower for Maddie along with some other work friends.
And soon after, celebrated her big day!
Also, Jason made the cheesecakes that were seven at the wedding. They were so delicious!
Halloween weekend came and we dressed up for school as Pirates and then attended the Annual "Bad and Boozy with the Thomases"
Our sweet family dog, Tobey, passed away.
We got Tobey when I was in the 10th grade and I remember Mary Claire begging Mom to get him from the Walmart parking lot. When we got home, we cracked the door to the computer room and stuck his little body in there to show Papa Steve what we had done.
Better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission, right?
He had the sweetest demeanor and while he could yap up a storm, he always had his “smile” on his face and made for the sweetest little companion.
We will miss seeing him under the magazine rack, by Mom’s side in her chair, in his little bed, or laying on the porch.
This little pup gave us 16 years of sweetness and joy
Had a girls night with these two. We went to Dumbos and had delicious food and fun times.
And soon after that went to our first Broadway show since Covid came about.
We went and saw Anastasia and it was so nice seeing live shows again.
And lastly, this last week of Thanksgiving Break has been such a nice time to reset, spend time with family, get some cross stitching done, sleep in (ha!), and relax to the max. It has been an awesome week!
We can thank Ann Hatten for this one--Jason was trying to tell her to make sure she pointed it at us and not the ground--ha!
Ann Hatten LOVED holding Baby Luke. It was the cutest thing. She kept asking people if they wanted to come and "pet" him.
The Thanksgiving Sangria in all its boozey glory.
Well, we tried getting some pictures of them! Ha!
I wanted to share a liturgy from "Every Moment Holy" about feasting with friends (and I say, family)--this is not the whole thing but some lines from it here and there.
But the joy of fellowship, and the welcome and comfort of friends/family, new and old, and the celebration of these blessings of food and drink and conversation and laughter are the true evidences of things eternal, and are the first fruits of that great glad joy that is to come and that will be unending.
So let our feast this day be joined to those sure victories secured by Christ, let it be to us now a delight, and a glad foretaste of his eternal kingdom. Bless us, O Lord, in this feast.
Bless us, O Lord, as we linger over our cups, and over this table laden with good things, as we relish the delights of varied texture and flavor, of aromas and savory spices, of dishes prepared as acts of love and blessing, of sweet delights made sweeter by the communion of saints.
May this our feast like a great hammer blow against that brittle night, shattering the gloom, reawakening our hearts, stirring our imaginations, focusing our vision on the kingdom of heaven that is to come, on the kingdom that is promised, on the kingdom that is already, indeed, among us, for the resurrection of all good things has already joyfully begun.
May this feast be an echo of that great Supper of The Lamb, a foreshadowing of the great celebration that awaits the children of God.
Take joy! All will be well!
All will be well! Nothing good and right and true will be lost forever. All good things will be restored. Feast and be reminded! Take joy, little flock. Take joy! Let battle be joined! Let battle be joined!
Now you who are loved by The Father, prepare your hearts and give yourself wholly to this celebration of joy, to the glad company of saints, to the comforting fellowship of The Spirit, and to the abiding presence of Christ who is seated among us both as our host and as our honored guest, and still yet as our conquering king. Amen.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, take seat, take feast, take delight!
We ended the break by going to Vicksburg for Black Friday to take part in a pottery sale for a friend of Mary Claire's. It was a fun girls outing and look at the precious nativity.
I love the fall.
