Thanksgiving and a birthday

Have you met my grandpa? He's only the most wonderful person on the planet, that's all. 

Oh, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person...almost everyone feels safe with Grandpa Neal. He turns 80 this month and we had a wonderful time at his surprise party. He cried. I cried.

Can you see my kids off in the distance of the picture? He's watching them play in the shed and corn field. I'm so thankful that they get to know him. Even Hope can appreciate "Hoppa Neal".

 

I can smell this room below just by looking at the picture.

I don't like the phrase "musty" to describe old homes. To me it's just the grandparent house smell and it's wonderful. It was the way my Great Grandma Nellie's house smelled and my grandpa got his kindness from her so in my mind it's just associated with love and protection. 

After hearing lots of memories from my grandpa's 80 years it makes me think. How can I help foster that kind of gentleness around here? Something about farming for 60 years teaches a lot of great life lessons. Specifically about letting people be where they are without thinking you have to fix them. Or even have the ability to.

Humility and faithfulness.

  

This is the only Christmas decoration I have out right now. And that's only because most of it was growing outside and the bulbs/lights were just purchased with in Iowa. I haven't touched a box from the basement.  

Thanksgiving

Here is Hope taking advantage of the flurry of preparation and lack of supervision in order to steal some candy from off the butcher's block.

 Foiled.

Here she is again, on a stool this time, (She's wising up.) "helping Noni" stir the gravy thickener.

Silly girl.

Cranberry sauce in Grandma Dora's bowl.

Happy boy taking in all the cartoon he could possibly squeeze in before the Thanksgiving meal.

Again, who is more helpful in the kitchen than a two year old playing hide and seek with a stool over her head? That depends on if you ask grandma or grandpa. ;-)  

So, we made it 9 1/2 hours to Iowa with only one 20 minute stop (leaving at 4pm so the kids could sleep the last half) and I was just beginning to remember how great car rides can be without a nursing baby when *WHAM* out of the blue John's cousin shows up two days later with the most beautiful baby and then my precious niece Carly slays me with her dimples and now I'm all fuzzy again about which one is better... car rides without screaming baby or peach fuzz and squirmy 6 month olds with that soft adorableness. oh dear.