it is the eve of the tree cutting...

last year...

this year we are going to brave it... take it an extra hour and a half away from the hospital... that is two hours we will be away from the hospital... but we will come home with good memories of family and friends... a belly full of soup and sweets... and a TREE attached to the top of the car.

we can then officially start to drink hot chocolate ( i have been practicing that though... ), listening to christmas music and decking all the halls.

noble's nursery

thanks aunt anna for pat the bunny

cozy

my goodwill aesop's fable project

the sweater that little nanny, Hilda Walter,

aka "the german great grandmother"

knitted

... all of the mccoy kids wore it

the plate my dad won for grannee

at the fair

beautifully perfect art by evie

i love having evie and marty in the nursery

Sisters Make Everything Better... For That I Am Thankful!

lima bean day and i am rather pensive

pensar= to think in spanish
pensive = to be in deep thought...

last night i soaked a huge bag of lima beans and today i will begin to cook them slow on low heat with ham... and i am pensive... and a little sad. for the past 15 hours i have been wrestling with the sadness and nastiness of the world... and how so many people accept it as "normal" ... i am just NOT okay with it. it makes my stomach turn ... so much that at one point i thought that morning sickness (at night) might be returning OR i might be having contractions.

this morning i am resolved to NOT accept things the way they are but not allow them to disable me. to know that i am here to LOVE and keep LOVING( but that does not mean i have to love the state of the world... just the people in it).

__________________

on a much lighter side... the MACY's Thanksgiving Day Parade is TOMORRROW!!! i get to see my family and i am especially excited to see my cousin Newt.

I'm Making Pies

Today is Pie making day. I will make the crust this morning and then complete the pies tonight.

The McCoy family likes to have at least one of 4 types of pies where some families have just Pumpkin or Pecan ... We like to have a little more variety ...Apple, Pecan, Pumpkin, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Pecan, and then my Aunt always brings a delicious Vegan Pie normally apple.

This year I am using pumpkin crushed mixed with my grandmothers pie crust recipe. Will let you know how that goes...

I sure love having this week off... and I love baking... and I love the Macy's day parade with coffee in PJ's. This sure is and will continue to be a GREAT day!

One year ago today... I woke up as Mrs. Thomas

and it was really kind of like that... a whirlwind of life and its trials and blessings i met and married an amazing manly man named chip. met - september 20th, first date - march 28th, engaged - august 14, MARRIED - november 21st...

the first year there is so much to process and understand... somethings i have come to understand that i just won't understand. i have learned so much this year about chip, myself, hunting, fishing, chip, small towns in georgia, pregnancy... WHIRLWIND! i have been loved more than i knew was possible, i have laughed more than possible, i have cried at legitimate and ridiculous times (PREGNANCY CAUSES CRYING), i have prayed with some GUSTO, and i loved. i have learned that anniversary's are a BIG DEAL and should be celebrated... even if in a homemade fashion... THEY SHOULD BE CELEBRATED!

i am thankful for EARL FLOYD THOMAS II "chip" his love and commitment. he makes me laugh when i get to serious. i have found that he actually SINGS MORE than i do randomly through out the day. he loves my family and friends well. he has made life so rich for me in so many different "simple" ways.

MOST IMPORTANTLY i have learned that i MUST love GOD more than chip.

course work completed... its almost official

in the weeks to come the final paperwork will be completed and i will be MASTER THOMAS! woohoo! so thankful to be done!

reflection pictures to come... including my robot, graduation non-alcoholic celebratory beer, and my final log off.