Almost Thanksgiving!

Wow! Thanksgiving is this week!! I have so much to be thankful for!

I'm grateful for my sweet, hardworking husband. He does all he can for our family and I have been able to stay home and be with our children and keep house and bake and sew! It's truly a blessing. This has been an interesting year, a financially tumultuous year, but amazingly, we are keeping our heads up. God has been great to us and we have had many tender mercies!

Rach just ended her soccer season and I'm glad for the freedom of time we have been given once again. Especially now that I am nearing the end of the pregnancy and getting more uncomfortable. HA! Rach's team, the Blue Angels, just won their last game. It was a sweet victory in the fact that the team hadn't won a game all season... they did tie a couple though. I heard from another parent that the Blue Angels did so well last year that they moved them up a division this year. I'm not sure if that is true, but they were saying that may be the reason that the girls were struggling. Rach played goalie and forward and was good at those. We are still trying to figure out if we should keep her in soccer. She enjoys it. That's good. But I don't see her trying to excel in it, which, I rather her be in something that she can be passionate about. But since she's enjoying it, and it's a nice way to meet new girls and get exercise, I think, why not just keep her in it. How does one decide on things like this?? I think she will want to keep playing because her friends do.

We also just had her Parent Teacher Conference for the first trimester and she is doing very well. That was exciting to hear. She got a lot of certificates for her reading, she is top in the class in her reading level and how much she reads. I'm proud of that since I love to read, it's nice to know I passed that on. Rach is also doing excellent in piano. It is exciting to me to watch her fingers move across the keyboard, to see her talent growing. And she is loving her horseback-riding! She loves taking care of them and being out there on the ranch. I hope she can always have this opportunity because it is good for her. I don't see her pursuing anything serious in the horse riding, like competing or anything, but just going there and taking care of them, I think she just enjoys that.

Gabs is 2 and a half now and jabbering like crazy. Very imaginative. She loves pretending things. She is into Barbie, My Little Ponies, and dress up. She likes to play the piano too. If it's Rach's turn to practice, Gabs yells, "It's my turn, it's my turn!" and jumps into the seat. So then she plays all crazy and then quickly gets off. She also plays for us at FHE, and so we just sing something to her playing, like I'm a Child of God. I can't wait for her to be in lessons in a few years! Rach and Gabs play great together and it is fun to watch them. Rach makes some great costumes for Gabs. For one FHE a couple weeks ago, we talked about wearing the Armor of God and Rach made one for Gabs out of tissue paper and foil. Pretty funny. I gotta get the picture up here.

Baby Jake is growing well and kicking and having fun in my tummy. I'm at less than 60 days now. It's fun to think of him being here so soon. We're all very excited. I finished a couple of quilts for him, I'm excited about that. My mom is going to help make the bumpers and curtains to go with one of the quilts. I like that we are designing his nursery instead of just getting a pre-packaged one from Babies R Us. No big deal about those, I just like the fact that we can say, we did that, and that the blanket will stay with him forever. :)

I/we have been richly blessed and for that I am so THANKFUL! I just wanted to make sure that I said my thanks. I am grateful for our health, (this one thing I have been really thinking about lately, I have really taken health for granted!) and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and eternal families. I'm grateful for my calling in Primary, I love the children we have. I'm grateful for our families and our friends and our home.

If I've ever offended anyone or hurt anyone's feelings, I apologize and I pray that we can all become closer. Life is short and precious. I'm grateful to you all for being a part of our lives. We have learned much. Happy Thanksgiving!