HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the smells of pies baking, turkey roasting and the sounds of laughter and the closeness of family and friends. I am thankful for friends who stand beside us through thick and thin and loves us in spite of our faults. I am thankful for a healthy, happy 2 year old and so very thankful for the wonderful father that Mark is. I am thankful for a wonderful church to attend and a good Pastor who truly is the BEST! I am also thankful for the wonderful Pappaw that I had, it was 6 years ago on Thanksgiving Day that we all made the trip from my Aunt's house to the hospital to visit him. For many of us grandkids it was the last time we saw him. I could go on and on about things I am thankful for, but I won't. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!

Happy Birthday!!

It was 41 years ago today that James and Dorothy Richards welcomed anther baby boy into the family. Who would have ever guessed this little boy would one day be the father of my little boy. Happy Birthday Mark!! I love you!!
(sorry for the "grainy" look of the pic of Mark and Kendrick, it was nearly dark out so I had to do some "lightening" of the pic)

Mark and his Mom

UH-OH!!

What happens when you mix snow, ice, a tree and 35 MPH?? Well the tree doesn't look any worse for the wear. Actually it could have been a LOT worse than this. Thank the Lord for his protection. Kendrick looked at the tree and said "tree goes BOOM". Thankfully M99 was basically clear of traffic (which is unusual at 3:30 in the afternoon) so when we were sliding sideways in the other lane there was NO on coming traffic.

Dressed Up for Church!

I decided to dress Kendrick in this little suit that my Mom made for my brother Ken to wear in my Aunt and Uncles wedding. The suit has survived 40 years in a cedar chest and now Kendrick is wearing it. Today we woke up for the first time this year to a definite blanket of snow!! Kendrick was so excited he kept saying over and over again "It's snowing, it's snowing". The forecast says we are to get up to 3 inches by this time tomorrow night, so maybe it will last long enough to get a few new pics of my "boys" playing in the snow. On a personal note to Bethany "asksfjhwijkdjwiekdjdaiiejwjdkdiiojew" from Kendrick I am assuming it means "I missed you in Church today and hope to see you next weekend!"

Fall

We have enjoyed some of the "colder" days of fall lately complete with rain/snow showers. I am ready for winter and the snow and the beauty that comes with it. I wanted to share some really cute pics my mom took of Kendrick today while he was watching Papa wash the car.

My favorite time of day is that quiet stillness right before darkness covers the earth. Mark and Kendrick were out raking leaves (or should I say playing in the leaves) one evening and I couldn't resist taking a couple pictures and a video of them.

LOL

Tonight was a very special night for Alpha Omega. It was our Second Annual Laugh out Loud Benefit!! We had an AWESOME turn out with I am guessing around 250-300 people in attendance. Not only was it a night of laughter, but it was also a night of hearing a very moving story about a young woman who became pregnant with her first child at the age of 14. At the age of 16 she became pregnant with her second child. While her second child was fighting for his life (at a few months of age later he died) she became pregnant with their third child. At the shocking news that she was pregnant she and her husband decided that they could not afford another child and what if this one would be sick also. They made the decision to have an abortion. BUT when she looked in the yellow pages under abortion, the only listing in Hillsdale phone book was Alpha Omega Women's Care Center. Thinking that she had found the "answer" they were looking for, she walked through the doors of a building that would change her life forever. The counselor administered the pregnancy test and after the positive result she started telling the counselor why she "had to have an abortion". The counselor was able to talk with her, showed her pictures of what an abortion really was and how it can devastate a woman's life. At the end of the counseling session, she chose LIFE!! Not only did she choose life for her child, but she found the true meaning of LIFE and the Giver of Life. There was also another story given from a boyfriends perspective. I have been privileged to know Steve for a few years now and I have worked with him at Alpha Omega for several months. He gave his story of a girlfriend becoming pregnant and he as the boyfriend forced her into an abortion. I have heard his story many times and it NEVER ceases to make me cry. The Lord helped him tonight to once again share from his heart. After the stories were given we laughed till our sides ached at the comedy of Donna East. She is a hilarious lady who also could have been a victim of abortion her mother became pregnant out of wedlock at the age of 20. Donna herself has just come through a pregnancy that her Dr. tried to get her to terminate. It was a great evening, and fun was had by all who attended, the best part was it helped raise money for Alpha Omega. Thanks to Pastor Dan Johnson and the people at St Paul's Lutheran Church for the use of their beautiful gym. The benefit committee from AO did an awesome job at decorating and pulling tonight off without a hitch.