WOW- I didn't realize it was so long since I had written here. There is no way to get caught up on 6 months of life in a few short sentences, but that is usually what a Christmas letter does so in the next few days I will be posting some updates and photos.

We are enjoying having J home with us for 6 days on her college break. She has 5 papers and 2 exams to study for in the next 7 days so she is busy with school work, social time with friends, sleeping in extra long and a babysitting job today and tomorrow afternoon.

We had a wonderfully relaxing Thanksgiving Day. I will share some of our THANKS with you.

K- he was able to eat food this year. Last year he had the stomach flu and didn't eat much of anything.  Friends who came all the time during FLL team meetings. His toys especially Legos. Star Wars movie and Lego Star Wars. His sister being home. Mom feeling better.

B- family, friends and his LEGO team. His LEGOS. A Dr. who knew how to make a retainer that made Mom feel better.

J- family, home. Money to go to college. Her friends that she needs and the friends who need her in their lives.

S- A wonderful husband who cooks a delicious Thanksgiving meal. The privledge of homeschooling. Her job this summer. A warm home. D's job at RA. The WORD of GOD that does not return void, prayers that are answered. Retainers which take the pain away. Life without daily pain!!!!!

D- Job at RA. Family around the table and around the world. Health! The hospital bill from his finger is finally paid in full.

I am very thankful for family who supported me and prayed for me throughout the last four years while I struggled with my health. I am amazed at all I can do in a day now that I am not battling pain. I can concentrate on schooling the boys and the joys of being a wife and mother.

Next week is crammed full of youth group, 4-H meeting, J's college gospel choir concert, Gma and Gpa K flying in to town, RA Christmas party, Women's annual outreach gathering at church and Gpa R's 70th bday party.  The week after that starts with our last week of school for the year and a Cookie Exchange party here at our house, so we need to escape to the kitchen to make cookies too.

I have no plans for tomorrow, Sat or Sun. so we may start the cookie making soon.

We put up the Christmas tree yesterday after our Thanksgiving meal and watching Fiddler on the Roof for J's Old Testament class. She had to write a 4 page paper on the Jewish culture and customs. I look forward to reading it someday. :)

B is reading "Ragweed" by Avi. K is reading 4 pages in his weekly reader. J is writing college papers and reading the New York Times every day. I am reading "Mr. Darcy's Daughters" and in the midst of Beth Moore's bible study "Believing GOD".  We are listening to "The Long Winter" by Laura Ingalls Wilder on audio CD's as we clean and bake.

I got the top of my desk, K's desk all organized and decluttered. K and B sorted thru all their LEGOS and re-organized them into appropriate containers --- again!  I can walk through and around the homeschool room with hurting myself or LEGO creations. 

From Sept. 5- Nov. 15-- we have had 2 weekly FIRST LEGO League meetings here from 1:30-5pm on Tuesdays and 2-5pm and 7-9pm on Fridays. Those were the meetings when 5 families would meet here. M-Th, there were other afternoons or evenings when 1-2 families would come to work on the robot missions. Our competition was Nov. 16th and we scored very well in Technical judging and Teamwork judging. Our presentation went great but our research was weak according to the judges. Our robot did not perform well at all. It was disappointing with all the work that went into the programming but they learned several valuable skills and had fun doing it all together. It was an opportunity to learn and we will be better for it next year. Next year's theme is Transforming Transportation.

Thanks for reading this far and let us know what your prayer concerns you have so we can pray for you!

Blessings and prayers-

Sarah