Money, turkey, a man who sews, and the spoiled wife

• Dave is doing fantastic with his classes! It has required alot of "family schedule rearranging". So far it's working well. I think we have both been surprised at how much he has been enjoying school this time around. The schedule, not so much. The learning - yes.
• It's hard to pretend that Halloween candy is not there. Because it is. And most of it is really good stuff.
• I greatly enjoyed the relaxation of the Center for Women volunteer's retreat last weekend. I was gone for about 24 hors. It took several people to make it possible for me to go - and I am ever so grateful for their help.
• I will be going on another retreat this weekend. I know, I know! Two weekends in a row - crazy! Maybe even a little bit spoiled... And now I am feeling a little bit guilty.This is so not normal for me at all - and it will likely be a year until I do it again, but opportunity presented itself and everything just happened to fall into place very nicely. I am so excited to spend this weekend with some wonderful friends, enjoy an indoor water park, great food, and devotional times together.
• K is still doing well. It is amazing to see him go day after day with out a migraine! We would appreciate prayers for wisdom as we go to a consultation on his hearing test and hearing aid fitting this Thursday afternoon.
• In the last month I have mentioned some financial changes that have occurred in our family. These changes mostly pertained to K and the help we received for his special needs. I have learned alot about prayer and God's sovereignty through all of this. I prayed often that God would put our situation back to how it was. That we would not lose the help we had been getting. That is not how he chose to answer our prayers. I was absolutely blown away by his answers. One week we received an insurance settlement that we weren't sure would come through. The next week we were gifted unexpectedly with a check. A couple of weeks after that we sold a snow blower that we no longer needed. We were then mailed a letter that a particular bill that had been paid was overpaid and we would receive a significant (to us) amount back. I do not look at any of these things as coincidence or inconsequential. Not at all. I want to be very careful not to proclaim too loudly or exalt ourselves for something that is to be done between us and God - but let me just say that I believe some of our recent blessings are due to our not holding back what is God's even when things were very tight. We are learning so much in the realm of finances and tithing.
• I have been using my crock pot alot lately. I just love having supper taken care of early in the day! It helps my day go smoother and that "high stress time" of early evening become more of a "family togetherness relax time". I can not express how good that change is.
• While I was getting a massage next to a fireplace in a beautiful lodge on a lake last weekend, my husband took all 4 boys into a fabric store, stood in line with fabric, got out of line to take one to the bathroom, finally bought his choices, and then came home and sewed (!) a costume for Jay. That does not need to be followed up with any commentary. I was so impressed when I heard about it I could not speak momentarily.
• I am still waiting to get all of my energy back after being sick for almost an entire week. It's a bit frustrating.
• I can.not.wait to have my sister and her family here for Thanksgiving! It is exciting for us to be branching out and starting some of our very own traditions. I am already planning my menu. I know that my sister and I will have tons of fun in the kitchen and that all NINE of the guys we love will do an awesome job of eating everything we create. ;)

Peace out for now.