My Thanksgiving Project

It is finished!! I started this on Thanksgiving day and finished it last night.
(Special thanks to Emily for gifting this to me!!)

Things I'm Thankful For

1. A GODLY HERITAGE. God took my Gram home this fall, but the hardest part about losing her has been losing her prayer cover. She prayed for us every single day by name. I'm trying to keep up with that wonderful act of love by praying for each family one day a week.

2. FAMILY. Although it's never a delight to be together for a funeral, I was blessed to be surrounded by many of my family members. God worked the timing and travel out for that trip like no one else could.

3. MY SMALL GROUP. I have been blessed over and over again by these ladies, and they are so great to have in my life. I thank God for them.

4. MY NIECES!!!!! These two ladies hold a huge chunk of their Shawntante's heart!
(Photo by Sharla)

5. MY JOBS. This past week, I've been on call for United, but working in the bookstore again after a 6 month United-imposed sabbatical. That just means they flew me a ton of hours this summer, so much so that I didn't have time to work at the store. I also haven't had a roommate since August 15th. But considering that my church delivered 7,100 Thanksgiving meal boxes to 71,000 people last Saturday in our area just so they could celebrate Thanksgiving with plenty of food, it could be WAY worse.

Graci: Star Extraordinaire

Graci was quite the little performer while I was there this time.

In fact, she had been watching a home movie I had made of her sister, and she decided she, too needed to stand on a chair and perform for the camera (and any neighbors who cared to look in the front window).

Another Trip to the Middle East

I got to go to the Middle East again on a working trip, and caught some of the local sights. This is the suk (market) we went to.I'm not exactly sure what this guy was making (yufka?) but it was a fun process to watch!

This was the sunset on the way to our next destination. . .

. . .and the hotel we stayed in at night. Looks like a resort, huh?

Dinner Prep Theatre

After visiting with the nieces (and fam) for this past week, I admire my sister, who has to figure out a way to keep two little ones occupied while she tries to provide them with a nourishing meal. Well, this is the idea I came up with, and Coco took it from here!

Quite clever, if you ask me!

Back in Seattle Again

Yet another day of dress-up divas.

Coco wrote me a birthday card. . .we played birthday party a lot today.

Awful picture, but awesome smile. Thus, it made the cut!

Honoring the Fallen

There's only two people whose ever died for me

Laid down their lives just so I could be free
They both went through hell bared crosses and shells
And both got back up again after they fell
They never pick a fight but they're there to pick up the pieces
God only knows where we'd be without soldiers and Jesus

It seems like the news loves to run em, both down
Whenever we need em, there always around
So don't hand me a parties political views
There's left side and right side and then there's the truth

To me they're both heroes for the path that they chose
One fights for my life one fights for my soul

by James Otto

Sister Secrets