Thankfulness and family

Look what Raini found me on Ebay! Vintage Santa salt & pepper shakers!

I can hardly believe Christmas is less than 4 weeks away!

We enjoyed a very busy holiday. We drove to North Carolina & West Virginia to visit our family.

This Thanksgiving was especially bittersweet. With Papa Bud gone and my father in law battling cancer, it made me truly stop and give thanks to God for the many blessings that my family still has.

It didn't make it easier when I visited Papa Bud's grave. I bitterly wept. It didn't seem fair to me that he would not be able to enjoy Mama Jo's turkey. Or taste the dressing for her while she cooks to make sure it tasted "ok".

But then I reminded myself of the pain he was in and how the life he now has in heaven is so much better than I can imagine. So maybe Papa was in heaven thinking that it wasn't fair that I wasn't with him.

The drive into West Virginia from NC is always a beautiful one. Driving past Pilot Mountain (also known as Mount Pilot for all the Andy Griffith fans out there) is always neat.

Even after you pass into Virginia as you climb higher into the mountains you can still clearly see the knob.

It was a busy trip but worth every minute.

The best present was when my precious Tate decided last week that while we were home he wanted to get baptized. And then my cousin Grady, and brother in law Tom also decided they too wanted to have the most precious gift, the gift of an everlasting life and so today they were all three baptized this Sunday before we headed home.

I don't think Papa Bud could have been more thankful. To know that one day --and I firmly believe this --that my loved ones will be reunited is a peace of mind that truly gets me past the hardest days.

My precious youngest son, Tate being baptized by our
Children's Minister & family friend, Mr. Tim

Then it was Grady's turn.

And finally, Tom.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and that during these next three frantic weeks before Christmas you are able to spend precious moments with the gifts that will always matter the most--your loved ones.