Gift #364- My Max

Max- October 2009

My little nephew Max has always held a special place in my heart.  When I saw him several months back, he introduced me to his Sunday School teacher and to his new little friends from church.  As I was walking away from his class, he called out over the noise, pointed to me and said "Aunt Amy, I am taking you to lunch!"  That was one of my very favorite lunch dates ever! Happy Birthday Mr. Max

Gift #363- My Brother Ted

Happy Birthday to my Baby Brother.  I remember the night that Ted was born.  We were at the Panama City Christian fall festival when we learned that he was on his way.  Kim and I spent the night at Mikki and Amy Thomas's house and we woke up the next morning with news of a new little brother.  He had the fullest head of dark black hair!  I remember thinking that maybe someone had given mom the wrong baby.  I loved him from the moment I laid eyes on him and I treated him like he was my baby until he was at least 10 years old!  Maybe a little longer.  :0)  Now he is all grown with a family of his own and has become an amazing husband, father and minister.   I am very proud.  Happy Birthday Ted.

Gift #362- The Way Her Eyes Cross

20 Blessings
20 Things That I Never Want to Forget

1.  The way you smile when you are drifting off to sleep
2.  The smell of your soft head
3.  The wrinkles in your forehead
4.   The way your bottom lip pokes out when you are about to cry
5.  The way your cry sounds like a little lamb
6.  Your dark hair (like your daddy's and Jack's and maybe even Nana's)
7.  The way your eyes cross when you try to focus
8.  The way you stick out your tongue
9.  The way you look when your eyes are crossed and your tongue is sticking out
10.  The way you make an O with your sweet little pink lips
11. The way you love laying on your daddy's chest
12.  Your long thin fingers
13.  The way your arms hang down and your hands relax when you are sleeping on your daddy
14.  Your soft neck
15.  The way you look in your Very Hungry Caterpillar suit that Aunt Beth made for you
16.  The way your sister holds you
17.  The new "talking" sound that you are starting to make
18.  The way you sound when you yawn
19.  Your heavy breathing just before you fall asleep
20.  The way your fingers wrap around mine

Dear Time,

Please slow down.  I want to stay in this season forever.

Gift #361- Complete Chaos

cha·os  

/ˈkāäs/

Noun Complete disorder and confusion. Behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing to great sensitivity to small changes in conditions.

Synonyms confusion - disorder - mess - clutter - muddle - welter A few weeks back, I posted about having time to mosey.  I knew that the time would be short lived and did my best to take advantage of my moseying days.  As predicted, those days are over.  We are back into the full swing of crazy around here.  And I wouldn't have it any other way! I have not done the best job of keeping up with my posts as of late.  It is not due to a shortage of things to be thankful for.  It is the exact opposite!  So many gifts, so few hours in a day!  I will try to do better.

Gift #360- Having a Sister!

Having a sister has been one of God's greatest gifts to me.  Having two has been more than I could have ever hoped for or imagined.  I am so happy that Macy has a sister of her own.

Gift #359- Avery Grace Elizabeth Thomas

September 14, 2013 7:29 am JST

8 pounds 14 ounces

21 inches long

Perfectly Perfect in Every Way

Baby girl arrived one day after her daddy arrived in Yokosuka.  We were hoping that she would come on September 13th (her Nana's birthday), and she did in a way-  it was still September 13th in Panama City!  It was 5:29 pm CST on September 13th in PC.  My family had gathered together at Luigi's to celebrate mom's birthday when Avery Grace did finally make her entrance into the world.  Her daddy delivered her and he did a very good job.  Of course he is a fighter pilot you know.   He likes to remind me of that from time to time.  :)  We had such a wonderful experience with the doctors and nurses and corpsman.  We couldn't have asked for better care.  We stayed in the hospital for just over 24 hours.  We were released shortly after our Celebration Lunch which included shrimp and lobster!  A typhoon was set to come through the very next day so the base shut down completely.  Because of the base closure, we were unable to take care of the details that would allow us to return home.  So we were given an extra day at the Storks Nest to get to know this new little Thomas and to spend the day together being lazy.  We enjoyed it very much!  We arrived home on Wednesday the 18th to pink balloons, a decorative clothes line complete with sweet baby clothes and wooden flowers hanging from our tree branches.  Macy and our very sweet neighbors had decorated.  It was such a happy return!  Avery Grace  brought presents for her brothers and sisters including a chillow for Macy who had been  begging for one all summer since we saw one on an infomercial in Okinawa!  We have been home for a week today.  Avery Grace is 11 days old.  She is fitting right in.  We said goodbye to Mimi and Papa this morning.  It was hard to see them go and I am not sure if we could ever thank them enough.  God has been so very good to us and my heart is overflowing with  thanksgiving.

Every good and perfect gift is from above.  James 1:17a

Gift #358- A Familiar Face

(A "selfy" of the two of us the day Hank arrived)

Hank arrived in Yokosuka! It was so nice to see his face after 11 long weeks apart.  

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Gift #357- Cinnabon!

Cinnabon is truly a gift from God.  Although I am not sure that having one within walking distance is.  If this little girl decides to hang on for too much longer, she is going to be a 10 pounder!  

Gift #356- Time to Mosey

 mo·sey  

/ˈmōzē/

Verb Walk or move in a leisurely manner.

 This evening, as I was out walking, I realized that I was mosey-ing.  The air was a little cool and there was a nice breeze.  I smiled when I realized what I was doing.  I can't remember the last time that I moseyed anywhere!  It is usually rush to the commissary, to practice, to get the towels folded, to get to the next thing on the to do list.  And, although I would trade the moseying for the crazy rush any day, I will do my best to appreciate this time of "walking or moving in a leisurely manner".  Knowing that the crazy rush of every day is about to get even more wonderfully crazy!

Gift #355- An Outing With Your Grandparents

Mimi, Papa, and the Thomas Kids at the Kintai Bridge. 

Gift #354- Homecomings!

As far as deployments go, this was a short one.  Only 10 weeks.  But it sure did seem long.  Hank sent this picture today.  He is on his way home!  If we didn't have these deployments, then we wouldn't get to have all of these happy reunions!  Homecomings are a gift!