We are Thankful

We had a wonderful thanksgiving. Here are a few of things that we were thankful for this trip home.

Family. We got to spend lots of time with all of our family this thanksgiving. My brother Taylor was home for the first time since he enlisted. It was so good to see him. I haven't seen him since May and we have never gone that long without seeing each other. Mary Selwyn calls him Tay-Tay and it is clear as a bell. She has attempted to say Taylor but it comes out more of a Tator, which I guess works too.

Taylor has changed in a lot of ways and is still the same too, if that makes sense. You can tell he has really grown up. We are so proud of him. Oh and he looks like a stud in his uniform.

We were also able to see our grandparents that live here, aunts uncles and cousins. I love getting to see everyone during the holidays. We spent a few days with Shannon, Ben and Kate. Mary Selwyn loves Kate too, it is really cute, she walks around saying "Kate, Kate." Here are some pictures we took for some family Christmas cards and such.




Monday night my family and I took Mary Selwyn to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop..... sounds like a redneck joke I know, but it was free, all free, picture and everything. MSN was very tempted to get close to Santa when he held out the candy cane but instead she decided to let me hold her in the picture. You can tell by the looks of me that I wasn't expecting to be in a picture but again it was free!


Friends. We were also able to spend time with lots of our friends this thanksgiving as well. I got to have breakfast with my roomies Mary, Megan and Brooke. Anytime we can sneak in a visit we do. It was so good to all be together and who doesn't love to eat breakfast. I'm sad I didn't snap a picture.

Then we headed to Birmingham Saturday to spend the night with the Stacy's. Adam and Amy just moved into a fancy new house and we enjoyed trying everything out. Mary Selwyn enjoyed running around like a wild woman but she mostly enjoyed Adam and Amy's new puppy Jo-Jo. She and Jo-Jo chased each other around and had a big time and since returning home she has told everyone about "Jo-Jo a dog." Super cute. We had fun with Aunt Amy and Uncle Adam and wish we saw them more.


Sunday afternoon Mary Selwyn had Price's 2nd birthday party to attend. She went up and down and up and down and up and down the slide. Needless to say we were both worn out but it was fun to play with Price, Mary Townsend and Ross....sorry there was no time for pictures with all the sliding.

Safe Travel. We have done a lot of traveling this thanksgiving. Some in separate cars and I can't tell you how thankful I am that we have been blessed with safe travel. I have severe anxiety when it comes to traveling, especially when we are separated. I guess my travel anxiety plus my separation anxiety isn't the best combination.

Unfortunately we had some friends this weekend who weren't as lucky as us. My sister had a friend who was killed in a car accident. It was really sad to see Daphna and her friends grieve the loss of their friend. They are so young.

Monday night we got even more bad news. Taylor's best since the 2nd grade was also killed in a car wreck. Sammy Ritchey and Taylor were the best of inseparable friends for years and years. I literally watched the two of them grow up together. He was the sweetest little red headed freckled faced kid. For us he was a part of the family and even though he and Taylor went in different directions for the last couple of years they did remain friends. Taylor said they talked about hanging out on Saturday night but Samuel said he had to go to bed because he had to leave very early the next morning. We are so heart broken for their family. The worst part is I can't get Taylor to talk about it at all. You know the army has taught him to be Stonewall Jackson and every time I try he changes the subject. I'm probably not the best candidate for talking about it anyway because I immediately start crying myself. I just know it is really hurting him and I'm just worry wart big sister.

It could just happen to anyone at anytime and it is scary. Keep those two families and my brother in your prayers if you will.

On a happier note, tomorrow MSN and I will be the most thankful for our home. We have been gone a whole week and we are both so burned out on being away. Mary Selwyn is a different child away from home and believe me when I tell you that it is time to go. We have enjoyed our family and friends and feasts but we will like nothing more than to be in our own home, in our own beds. Like it says in my all time favorite movie, "There is no place like home," and we can't wait to get back to daddy.

Hope you all had a blessed thanksgiving as well.