Thanks, but No Thanks!

The past few days have been a true whirlwind! Our thanksgiving was filled with many good moments but also some pretty rotten ones. Hence, the title of this post - thanks, but no thanks!

I am so thankful for time with family but I am so sad my mom wasn't there! My mom came down with shingles last week and had to miss our family gatherings because she is contagious to all the babies :-( It just wasn't the same without her!

But, I am thankful for my wonderful Aunt Carol who held it all together so well and loved on my kids when Gram wasn't there!

I am so thankful that Jack and Tatum got to spend some quality time with their cousins (on both sides of the family) but I am sad that it had to end and that we live over 4 hours away from the closest ones!

I am thankful for Chris's family! And, a big thank you to "Aunt Kim" for opening up her home that they had only been in for a few weeks to all of us! I am thankful that she allowed me to steal some pictures from her camera but I am sad that my camera bit the dust and needs replacing! I am also thankful that we got to have a nice little chat late on Friday night in the midst of a quiet house getting to know each other a little bit better! Here is a sweet picture of Tatum with her Aunt Kim...

And...here is Chris talking with his brothers and dad!

I am thankful for my awesome husband but I am sad that he had to prove just how awesome he was when I came down with a dreadful stomach virus Saturday morning. He basically traveled home with the kids alone while I was moaning and groaning in the front seat. Once we got home he managed to unload the car, feed the kids dinner, give them baths, and put them to bed all in record time while I went straight to bed. He then went to the grocery store and brought me soup and gatorade in bed at 10:00 at night and didn't complain when I only took 1 bite of soup (even though I was sure I really wanted it)!

I am so thankful for Tatum! She is such a joy but I was pretty sad when she kept me awake from 3:30-6:30 on Friday morning! But, how can you resist this face?

Or, this one?

I am so thankful for my sweet Jack who was so concerned about his mommy being sick but I am very sad that he woke up in the middle of the night last night throwing up too! Thankfully, he only threw up twice and after a long nap with me this morning - he seems to be himself again!

I am so thankful for my dad and the way he loves on my kids but I am sad that he also got a stomach virus on Saturday morning and that he took it home to my mom who started throwing up today! Remember, my mom who has shingles and is already in a ton of pain from that? Yep.

I am also thankful that I got to see my Memaw on this trip. She is now in a nursing home and really not doing well. It's hard to explain the events of the past few months but she is just not herself. I am thankful that someone passed down this Braves outfit in stuff to Tatum even though we aren't really Braves fans! My Memaw is a huge Braves fan! So, I'm thankful that I got to give her this picture of Tatum and that she smiled really big when her great grandkids came in to see her.

I am thankful for her sweet smile and the sweet moments we shared on Thursday evening but I was sad when I walked away wondering if it would be the last time. I hate that feeling. Seriously, I hate it.

So, there you have it! I truly am thankful for my family. I am so blessed. I learned a new term from Chris when we started parenting together called the "no thank-you helping." It's when you take a small helping on your plate and eat a few bites even if you don't like it. Well, that's what I've felt like the past few days - there have been several "no thank-you helpings" on my plate and I haven't like it! But, I have also had a plate full of good food too!

Please please please keep my mom in your prayers. She is so sick with shingles already and then now with that ugly stomach virus. Just pray that she recovers quickly!