Welcome to Friday!
We have had a very busy week. And as they often do, busy weeks bring their fair share of moments and memories. Of course we have had the occasional moments of head scratching, minor irritation, impatience, and fatigue. We have also had a extremely large number of laughs, tears of joy, fun, friends, family, shining moments, good times, and tremendous blessings. If I did the comparison between the two the irritating would be a molehill and the blessings a mountain, like Everest or taller. For example, we were all glued to the TV on Monday night to catch a glimpse of Sydney participating in the honor choir for the Governor's Tree Lighting. Despite Emma's drive by channel surfing (grabbing the TV remote, changing the channel and running off), we caught several good shots of Sydney. The best shot, and the proudest moment came when she stood at the top of the choir stand on the State House steps and applauded the Governor and her family. Sydney was so close she could have reached out to touch them. She was beautifully dressed and her attitude, song, and actions reflected it very well. Especially since she said it was a lot colder on the steps than it appeared from the warm couch in our house. After she returned home, we spent a lot of time that night just listening to Sydney and Trish tell us what it was like to have such and up close and personal view of everything. Trish remarked that it was very nice, well organized, an a great experience. She was particularly fond of the hot chocolate and cookies they enjoyed before the event aired. She was not fond of the cold, crisp night air.
If I continue to rewind the week and previous weekend I have to include the blessings of Thanksgiving last week, especially listening to the "Struggle Stories" from my brother Vincent. They were hilarious, cathartic, and insightful. I'm sure everyone in the whole house over Thanksgiving now knows that the youthful declaration, "I'm a grown man," comes at a cost. I learned that I have had a really blessed childhood, enjoyed some fantastic parents, and even now continue to find joy and strength in the love that my family provides.
I definitely enjoyed spending time with my dad as usual. He was changing the car oil, I was learning, laughing, listening, and enjoying just being there. Heaven must be like that: enjoying being with our Father. Hopefully, in heaven you want have to look for a 13 mm socket, and you won't secretly hope that your father doesn't ask for some tool you've never heard of. Anyway, I digress. The point I was trying to make, the weekend (Thursday - Sunday) was amazing. and it gave rise to an amazing week too.
The amazing week/weekend included the blessings of:
- Thanksgiving with family and an extended weekend
- I'm counting last Thursday as my weekend because I was enjoying the blessing of a company holiday on Thursday and Friday.
- On Saturday we saw "Big Hero 6" with the girls, except Gabbi (Gabbi was chilling in Georgetown)
- Ava enjoyed the movie and behaved mostly
- Emma was a different story, she lasted for a while
- The movie was funny and entertaining
- Cassarra's grandmother (my mother-in-law) gave her a car to use to help out
- She drove Gabbi to school safely this week
- Trish got rest a bit more without the morning taxi routine
- Gabbi and Cassarra seem a bit more motivated to get up on time
- Sydney's honor choir at the State House (worth listing twice, even three times)
- Our health
- No major issues just runny noses, dry coughs and scratchy throats
- The Christmas decorations went up inside at the house
- The tree looks amazing and the garland and stockings are beautiful
- The laughs from Ava and Emma dismantling the candy canes off the tree in a single night
- The laughs from finding the Santa ornament hanging out in the North Pole aka the freezer
- The laughs from Ava and Emma repeatedly dribbling ornaments on the floor (good thing we bought plastic)
- Well, we don't always laugh - but sometimes it is funny
- I was able to get some decorations up outside. It only took a little prompting from Trish
- Ava and Gabbi helped supervise hanging lights around the door and putting up a few pre-lit trees
- Sharing with Ava that Christmas lights should remind us of the "True Light" of the world, when she asked, "Why lights?"
- Good weather this week
- Gabbi's practices have gone well for her upcoming dance performance this weekend
- A great set of interim report cards for the girls
- A successful series of meetings at school
- Hearing about the great progress being made at Sydney and Paige's School
- Meeting with the guidance counselor for Cassarra and knowing she is well on track for graduation in 2016
- Starting new roles at work with new opportunities
- No battery or alternator issues with the truck
- A slow night to catch our breath on Wednesday
- Trish and I watched a movie on the couch and chatted
- Sharing dinner together as a family on Thursday night
- Monthly breakfast with the girls (including Ava and Emma) before school
Top to bottom this has been a jam packed week and on the order very good. Trish and the girls are all doing well. Tired out a bit from the week's activities, but well. I hope that you have had a wonderful week. This weekend we will be enjoying Gabbi's dance recital. She said to tell you she has a performance tonight and tomorrow night at 7pm. She is very excited and has been working very hard. I know it will go very well. I also plan to enjoy my sister's birthday, a coffee date with Trish, some time to rest and recover on Sunday, finishing the decorations in the yard on Saturday afternoon, spending time with friends and family and whatever else comes our way. How about you? I hope you weekend is blessed and filled with love. I hope that you are able to enjoy love, loved ones, and a time of rest and recovery. May things go well for you and all those you love. Blessings and joy... and of course,
Welcome to Friday!
The Universe is infinite, vast, beyond full comprehension, glorious, and amazing,and so too are the great plans that God has for me and you!May a vast and glorious day unfold for you.
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