never would I....

defy a lockdown.

Frost on the pumpkins...and everything else too. Emily and I had fun at Costco yesterday. You could say we had a little bit TOO much fun. We renewed our joint membership, so we had to get our pictures taken, and of course you are asked to pull your mask down to do that. So we just got a tiny bit of Covid, or maybe none, maybe it's too slow and stupid to realize the mask is down, and by the time it zooms toward the face, the mask is back up, and FOILED AGAIN.

(see that large bag of Starbucks Holiday blend? I'm going to share it with Emily, we are excited for it!) As you all know, I do not think this disease is a joke. I feel deep sorrow for those who have lost loved ones, and who cannot visit friends and relatives in hospitals and nursing homes. I also feel great compassion for the doctors and nurses and hospital staff who have to deal with all of this. The hositals here are now requiring the staff to wear masks AND goggles. But the day I stop joking about things...right? Here's some good news!

Kathryn and Darius are having a baby sibling for little Achilles!

I do have a plane ticket to go visit these guys in Oregon, in December.

I sure hope I can still manage to go. Kap is my baby girl, my tenth child, my friend. I miss her like crazy. And someone has to keep the airlines afloat! I'm thinking about finding the white lights I put in the living room windows. If I start little by little, maybe no one around here will notice that I'm decorating so early. I'm doing online shopping mostly this year, there are a lot of people on my list, between all the kids, spouses, grandkids. I want to get them all EVERYTHING, spoil them and bless them. I want them to know how much I care about each of them. Mostly though, the older ones will get one or maybe two things, and the younger ones at home a few more things. So if you read/watch too much news, you might be tempted to get very anxious and depressed. Everything seems dark and hopeless. It seems like the world is spiraling out of control, and there's nothing we can do about it. I keep thinking of the verse that says that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Tim). So then if you think about that for one second, if you have a spirit of fear, and it isn't from God, whom is it from? Is that something we want to revel in, to give in to? NO! Fight! It is a spiritual battle. We need to trust God, hand it all over to Him! This is our life, and we CAN be happy in the midst of these times. I still have these younger kids, and if I were to give in to despair, what would they do? It is a good fight, the fight of faith, and yes, we are tempted, but NO, we do NOT have to give in! And now...to look for some lights, and get some festive vibes going in here!!!