In Memory of "Jason"...the fish

Last night, Greg and I (along w/ Jay & Tre, since they were here at the house) said our last goodbyes to "Jason" the beta fish...as we wished him well on his journey to the great unknown via the swirly bowl. I've never actually known a beta fish to live as long as we had "Jason", thus the need to actually blog about the death of our fish. For my 30th birthday, Greg had surprised me with a Luau theme party and had beta fish in bowls on the tables as centerpieces. Of the three betas I brought home (in separate bowls of course) two died with in weeks/months...but "Jason", as he was affectionately called, lived on for over three years. He will be missed.

Thanksgiving day at Mom's

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I'm thankful for:
my husband
family
friends
salvation
grandma's pearled onions
little kid's laughter
fried turkeys
the smells of mom's kitchen
pumpkin pie
my home
sitting around a dining table
candles
I could go on...these are just a few off the top of my head...I'm so grateful to God for all the many blessings He's given me...He has been faithful!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Thanksgiving at Rachel & Jason's

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This year Greg and I had two amazing thanksgiving meals...on Monday we celebrated at my sister's home up in Fresno along with her family. We woke up early and started cooking at 8 am. There were so many wonderful sides and her turkey was scruptous...finished up with homemade pumpkin pie. It's not a wonder why we look forward to this day every year. What a feast!

Billy Joel Concert

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Greg and I celebrated an early Thanksgiving with my sis Rach and her family up in Fresno. Two weeks earlier she mentioned there was a Billy Joel Concert in town and "would we be interested?"...Greg is a big Billy Joel fan so I decided to say yes but keep it a surprise. So, we told Greg that Rach & Jay got a babysitter so we could all go hang out (which rarely happens). As we're driving up to the center where the concert was being held, Greg saw the sign..."Hey Billy Joel is here??? I wonder when, that would be fun...oh it looks like we missed it...wait when is he playing? Nov. 19? yeah, we missed it...wait, today is Nov 19!..." At this point I revealed the tickets to Greg and he was completely shocked. We all had such a good time singing along to some old favorites and dancing along to the newer ones. I was sandwiched between my crazy sis & Greg who serenaded each other the whole evening. What a blast!!

Pastor Larry's 50th Birthday Bash

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Last Sat. Greg and I celebrated, along with many others, Pastor Larry's 50th birthday. Deb did an amazing job transforming their home into the perfect setting to celebrate the occasion...it started off with valet parking, coat check, a catered dinner of prime rib and wonderful fellowship. It was an honor to be a part of the festivities. Happy Birthday Larry!

Tea parties and Top Hats

My niece, Chloe, spent her very first weekend away from her parents. I invited her over (from two blocks away where my folks live) to have a tea party. She was shy with Greg because its been a little while since she last saw him but as soon as he donned the top hat she was warmed up and ready to go. She was so cute playing the "hostess" of our tea, being sure each of our cups were brimming with tea the entire time. It completely took me back to my childhood, as my mom did the same tea parties with me...teaching me the importance of slowing down to enjoy a cup of tea and the presence of a good friend.

Inspections and classes....

have begun...we're in the thick of finishing our certification for foster care. Thus, the reason I haven't been the best blogger these days. Two weeks ago we had an inspection from our agency and ended up with a nice little checklist of all the things we needed to get done before our final inspection...in 6 weeks! Just in time for Christmas. Greg's been busy adding magnetic child locks to our cupboards, I'm ebaying stuff left and right to clear out our "spare" bedroom to make room for bassinets and baby gear. I can see why God usually gives 9 months to a typical couple to get ready :-) Last week we started parenting classes through our agency and it is incredibly informative. I actually am grateful to learn what they are presenting...I think it's not such a bad idea for anyone becoming a parent. We are being taught through "Boy's Town". So, I just wanted to give a little insight into what we are gearing up for and ask for your prayers as we anticipate the light at the end of the tunnel in regards to certification and the arrival of a "chosen" child. (The director of our Foster care agency calls her foster kids "chosen" children-I think that's rather appropriate.)