The M&M Story

1. A one-piece-of-pumpkin-pie conviction to remind me that my body is a temple. 2. A new grease spot on the kitchen floor to remind me that this world shall pass away. 3. A crisis right before Thanksgiving dinner to remind me who is in control. 4. Smiles, kisses, and snuggles to remind me who gives good gifts. 5. Helpful friends who show up just in time to remind me that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. 6. Stories of redemption throughout history to remind me who is our true Hero. And the list goes on.

Holidays have never been easy for me. Plenty of drama. Too many spinning plates. And I'm not a good juggler. So it is always a relief when real crisis hits. As the turkey aroma tugged at our taste buds and organization of side dishes ensued, my oldest took a dive into a pool of hardwood. Not really the right metaphor, it was actually more like a slip and crash and "I didn't catch myself, Mommy." There were tears followed by bandaids and wait time and then "Yes, we need to go to the ER." As my friends arrived, I hugged and said, "the kitchen is yours," and M and I headed to Missouri Baptist. Several stitches later (on the chin), along with a popsicle, a movie, and many phone calls home (regarding turkey instructions), we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner. P.S. M proved to be his father's son. He was brave and strong during the entire ordeal. And the turkey turned out just right.

He's back in M's bed. The separation lasted all of three nights.

Fall fun Originally uploaded by smaynor Check out the eyes.

Cousins Originally uploaded by smaynor Such hams.

B's prayer this evening: With his hands clasped and his eyes squeezed shut, he prayed with such enthusiasm: "Tank you, Jesus, foh pasta, and foh beans, and foh salad, and foh ouwr fork. And tank you foh ouwr family. And for ouwr daddy. And that when we are old we will die and go to heaven and be with daddy. Amen."

Scary Dragon Originally uploaded by smaynor B was all about being a scary dragon. And he loved telling jokes to the neighbors. His favorite was about a pumpkin that chased a cupcake. M and I weren't sure where the punchline was, but B would crack up everytime he finished telling it.

The Detective Originally uploaded by smaynor M wanted to be a detective for Halloween. The jacket, tie, and hat came from our small collection of Brian's clothes. He looked so, so handsome!