Giving Thanks Week Two

`Here is to another week of being thankful for all of our very many blessings.  I am finding it harder to narrow down the list and still be descriptive... but here it goes...
#8
Good health and Modern Medicine.  Our family has been sick this past week.  It hasn't been anything too terrible, mostly head colds.  I am so thankful that neither of my kids get sick easily, and when they do it isn't anything very terrible.  Duncan has only been really sick once when he was about a year (he caught the flu and took three full weeks to get better).  Even then he didn't have to go to the hospital or anything.  The most Millie has had is a cold, and I am still not convinced that it isn't just teething.  On the injury front we haven't had the best of luck.  But even with injuries in the family there has been nothing life threatening... a few stitches, some torn muscles, aches and pains for a while.  With the exception of Chris' knee, which will take a while to heal after surgery and physical therapy.  Even with that, nothing permanent, no broken bones, no long hospital stays... I am SO thankful.
#9
Generous hearts and helping hands.  I am so very grateful to all of the people that surround us with the love

Giving Thanks Week One

I have seen a myriad of posts already this month about giving thanks.  It occurred to me that it would be a wonderful thing for me to participate in.  There has been a distinct funk going on in this house over the last few weeks, and reflecting on all of the things that we (that I) am grateful for would be a wonderful change of scenery.  A new month (nearly) and a fresh start.

Hurry up and wait...

October was a long month for us.  It seems to be that way every year.  October hits hard, but when it is over we meekly peek through slitted lids to see if the smoke has cleared.  Then we sit back and wonder where the year went.
This year's October seemed especially packed with emotion, and not just for my hormonally imbalanced and pregnant self.  Quiet a few family members had a rough month too.  Lots of highs and lows all around.  Maybe it is the season change.

Amazing Likeness

I was just going through some pics on my phone.  They are arranged by month and not year, so I get to see all of the old photo's of Duncan at the same time of year and pretty much the same age as Millie. It is pretty amazing how different, and yet how very alike they are.  So I decided that I would go through some on

Time is Flying By

Where does the time go?
Autumn is now in full swing here in Great Falls.  Most of the leaves have changed, the weather has started to get chilly, and winter is showing it's quick approach. Sprinklers have all been turned off and lines blown out for the year.  Coats are once again hanging on the pegs. There was even some snow back in Utah.  I was pretty ready for fall this year.  I am not a fan of winter however.  Fall temps seem to be my favorite.  Not to mention all of the beautiful colors.  I was a bit surprised to see Christmas stuff out in the stores already!!!  What happened to Halloween and Thanksgiving?
Things seem to be in a holding pattern for us.  The house is up for sale, but no bites, or even real interest in it.  We still haven't heard if the extension on Chris' orders was apporved.  We have no future travel plans (a first for us). It makes it seem like nothing new is really going on around here... but there is.

Bring it!

I can handle all of this...that is to say WE can handle all of this, right?

Lets start from the beginning.
The last day of June we found out that we were expecting another baby.  That's right folks, our last two children are only going to be 13 months apart... if we are lucky.  I was NOT happy about it.  We had discussed the possibility of having another child in a few years... maybe... but not any time soon.  So it isn't as though this child wont be "wanted", just a little (a lot) too soon for us.  We decided not to tell anyone, at all, until after we were given the "all clear and healthy" from the Dr.  and I scheduled the first appointment as far down the road as possible.  It probably seems pretty negative as you are reading this.  I will admit, I couldn't find anything nice to say about it for weeks, but it is, ever so slowly, growing on us and sinking into reality that it might not be the end of the world. Not completely anyway.  I am going to work on

Latest trip to Utah

We recently made another trip down to Utah.  We went down again to see Chris' baby sister Courtni for her farewell before she heads out on her mission.  It was really more like a mini McDonald family reunion.  All of "the McDonald kids" and their families came for the festivities. Our numbers seem to be growing rapidly. Just since last year there has been two new additions with Emilia and Issac.