Thankful

It normally takes until the week of Thanksgiving before I reflect back on all the blessings in my life. Then I become selfish as we get into theChristmas season and somehow those blessings aren't "enough"--I want more and make my wish lists to hand out. Even though I have a few updates left from October (which I will get to!), the Lord has been showing me this week through my internship and Bible study how blessed I am. Being at the hospital gives such perspective. This week alone my caseload includes two 19 month old babies with malignant brain tumors, one 17 yo girl in coma who a couple of weeks ago was dancing on the football field as captain of the drill team, another 16 yo girl who was head cheerleader and now is trached and can't eat or talk, one 8 mos old baby boy who has never left the hospital, and multiple kids that have such severe behavioral and sensory feeding disorders that they are getting permanent tubes. One patient died yesterday. And that's just this week. Wow, so when I'm complaining about being stressed because I have the Praxis next week and baby shower stuff to do and laundry to fold....the Lord totally overwhelms me and gives me perspective. All this to say, I am so blessed. I am thankful that I am healthy, Caleb is healthy, and our family is healthy. I know that a time is coming when someone will get sick, and I pray that I can say "blessed be the name of the Lord", He gives and takes away. I'm at a period right now where He is giving and giving and my sin stares me in the face when I think it's not enough.

On a lighter note....

Oct 26 Caleb had his "golden birthday". The big 26! Yes, of course I got him a gift again that I returned the next week. Tradition continues. We went to a haunted house---after that experience we both decided I will never go to one again. Picture this: Caleb wearing a black jacket, draped over my head, with my head in his armpit refusing to open my eyes. Miserable. I really did try to have a good attitude, those things really just freak me out though. His bday continued through the weekend.....3 hours of disc golf on Saturday, watching the UT/Nebraska game, and then back to reality on Sunday.

Oct 31: Best Halloween party EVER! We went to our our friends Heather and Read's house for their annual "Halloween in the Hood" party. The rule to come was to bring a bag of candy---they had over 2000 trick or treaters! I didn't put in an extra zero--seriously TWO THOUSAND! CRAZY! So, we took turns handing out candy and hanging out with friends on the porch with great food and drinks! Here's our picture: Caleb was a UT football player (yes, since so many have been to jail in the past few months) and I was lame...I came from work, so I was a "nurse"