Faithful followers

There was a time when I updated this blog regularly. To those few sweet people who still click on the link and check for an update despite my lack of attention...this update is for you. (Jillian ;-)

Liz has been doing a lot of cheering this fall. She cheered for her school football team and she competed on the school cheerleading competition squad. Now she is cheering for a local all-star cheer gym. She loves it all! She also loves hanging out with her friends and she just enjoyed an amazing 13th birthday.

Cael has been playing baseball, running around outside and learning more and more skills on the guitar and piano.  He loves playing music and singing all the time.

Gabe has been learning how to read. He has learned so much this Fall with his amazing teachers. He has also enjoyed playing baseball and PS4. He had another surgery to remove a bony tumor from his wrist and is recovering well. 

Grace loves being part of the crowd and helping mom with everything. She also loves playing with her dolls and toys. She is working hard to learn her letters. 

We just spent an amazing week in Virginia at a lake house with Adam's parents, grandparents and his brothers and their families. It was the first time we have all been together in 13 years...so we now have 10 children and 2 more on the way. We made some great memories together and have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. 

A few sweet/fun stories to share:

While decorating the Christmas tree, Grace was very enthusiastic about all of the different ornaments, especially the handmade ones. She wanted to know what was written on the back of each one.

"Elizabeth 2006"

"Cael 2009"

EJT 2009"

Liz "2005"

Cael "2010"

You get the point. 

Then, she found an ornament that didn't have anything on the back. It is a purchased ornament, not handmade. It is a wooden cross. She said, "Can I put my name on the back of this one?"

Sweet girl. The cross does have a way of making everything right. 

Then, there was an ornament "Thompson Family 2009...Adam, Jill, Elizabeth and Cael". Grace asked me to read it to her, which I did. "You were just a baby then. Isn't that funny to think of yourself as a baby?" She said, "I didn't even know who my mom was yet?!?!?!" Bless.

I will end with a heart-warming story from Gabriel:

As a family we shopped for the items and assembled shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. We talked about the children that would be receiving our boxes and how this would likely be the only gifts they would get for Christmas and then we made a circle as a family and prayed for the boxes and the kids who would receive them. Gabe said, "I am not going to pray" (He usually says he is not going to do something if he is uncomfortable with it but he almost always comes around with a little time.) We told him he didn't have to pray out loud but we would go around and he would be last if he changed his mind. Everyone prayed and then it came to Gabe. He prayed. Out loud. "God, help this child to have a family because it is good. I pray they have a father like me."

No more words.

Abundantly blessed.