Thanksgiving 2016

My pictures uploaded backwards, and for some reason I can't get them moved, so I'll start backwards on Thanksgiving week with our family! I also can't get the text to publish right, so sorry about that. It's mostly for my own personal record, so I'll just be confused someday as to why this is!

This picture is the State Semifinals game, which we won! We're headed, once again, to the State Championship!! It's so exciting and brings back lots of great memories from years past. This photo is our son, backup quarterback, who played several minutes at the end of the game. Since we were so much ahead, he was coached to just take a knew for the last few downs. I love this picture of him looking back at the coach, his cousin. :)

This picture below is of the cinnamon rolls our oldest son made for Thanksgiving week. He made the dough for these, as well as the hot roll dough. He did such a great job! They were delicious! This brings back memories of Thanksgivings past where my father-in-law and my husband's grandmother used to make the rolls. What a wonderful family tradition!


Next photo: The younger cousins' table keeps growing and growing! Second cousins and family guests make this photo even more special. We love welcoming new family members into the family :). The newest little family member attending was three months old. It was his first visit to Oklahoma!

Next: The annual pumpkin bash was lots of fun!  There weren't too many that splattered everywhere, but when they do, they are picture-perfect moments that are fun to capture!  One pumpkin was filled with whipped cream and water, making it a surprise splatter!  But at least it smelled better than a rotten pumpkin!

The annual "cousins" picture is always a big group, no matter who is missing or here. There's just a BUNCH of them, no matter what!  And what a blessing that is!

I captured a sweet picture of my husband coloring with a niece and great-nieces and nephews.  Love this one!

And back to the football game...A family picture with our immediate family...the next to last one we will have with this Senior.  So thankful for those memories and for those who came. We had lots of relatives who were able to be there, which was extra-special!

Our youngest son is the official team videographer. He got to be in the press box and wear the special press pass.  He felt pretty important - and was important for his cousin, the head coach! :)

The next picture is our nephew (the head coach), another nephew who plays on the team, our son who plays, and a niece who's a cheerleader.  On the end is our brother-in-law and uncle to these three in the middle...dad to the head coach.  He's the defensive coach.  What a special picture!

And back to Thanksgiving day!  The annual Turkey Trot, in its 10th year.  This nephew and his wife are newlyweds. They "ran" to the finish line dramatically making it seem like they were finishing the tedious run with tears and sweat. Ha ha! Not sure they ever broke a sweat, actually, but boy, did they have fun and make it look like a dramatic ending! Not surprising because he's in the photo/video industry and he knows exactly what it takes to have great photos captured!! :)

Last picture is the group Turkey Trot picture.  A big group in the great weather!

I designed this graphic for t-shirts, thinking it would be a neat family thing.  It didn't quite work out like I wanted it to, but I'm thankful we have them for the memories and traditions it represents.  Sometimes things don't work out like we want it, but for me it was important.  So it matters to me and is special to me. 

I am thankful for God's blessings in my life and in the life of my family.  I am thankful for this tradition and the memories that we have shared together. This is THANKSGIVING.  Thank you, God.

Rest

Yesterday after school, my youngest son, Tyler and I went to the nearest large (to us) town to do some shopping. I let him pick what he wanted to eat, but then we stopped by to get Panda Express for the next oldest son, Jacob, who had been at football practice for a few hours after school.  My husband is out of town, so didn't have to worry about his supper.

We didn't take the Panda Express order until 6:15, so got home about 7:15.  Surprisingly, when I hollered at Jacob, he didn't respond.  I hollered again. Still nothing. I went into the living room and he was laying (or lying...sorry if that's not proper :) ) and he was asleep! I couldn't believe it because he NEVER takes a nap!  I went over to him and poked him a little, saying his name.  Still nothing!  Finally I figured if he was that sound asleep, I should just put the food on warm in the oven.

A few hours passed and Jacob stayed asleep.  Tyler and I both went to bed, still surprised Jacob was snoozing!  I woke up during the night and remembered Jacob being on the couch.  I went to check and he was still there!

I set my alarm a little early, just to be sure to wake Jacob up when he likes to be up.  When I woke up, he was awake.  He said he'd gotten up a little bit before then, but was surprised, himself, that he slept on the couch all night long.  He figures that he got 12 hours of sleep!  I honestly am not sure he's ever done that before - in his WHOLE LIFE!  It was crazy!  But, obviously he needed it.  The funny thing is that he said he dreamed about Panda Express! He'll have it for lunch today.

Rest is important. We must have rest.  Sometimes we don't rest well because we don't allow ourselves to do so.  Rarely is Jacob home alone, but he never just lays down on the couch like that at that time of the day.  He had done school homework, college homework, unloaded the dishwasher for me, then laid down to watch Monday Night Football, which hadn't started.  Something about that couch just made him relaxed and he fell asleep. (I tell my family all of the time that it's the best place for sleeping!  That's why I never allow myself to sit there during the day! If I have to sit, I sit at the dining or kitchen table.  Otherwise I would fall asleep!)

Jesus came to earth as a human.  He rested. EVEN THE SON OF GOD NEEDED REST!  Why do we think we don't need rest when He did?

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Matthew 6:31-32

Jesus knew He had to have rest so that He could do what God sent Him to do.  He could only fulfill His mission on earth if He got proper rest.  It's the same way with us.  We can only do what God needs us to do if we get proper rest.  And I'm speaking to myself as much as anyone else! It's hard for me to rest sometimes.  I get too busy.  But then I crash.  That's not good!

How about you? Do you need rest?  Maybe you need a 12 hour sleep like Jacob had!  Or maybe you just need an hour.  Either way, take the time to rest today.  Meditate on God's Word.  Get alone for awhile.  I've noticed that I can be "alone" without being alone...you know?  I have to deliberately be quiet and find a quiet place to really be alone - without distractions.  Find a place to rest.  You'll be refreshed and ready to serve again.