-It is the day after Thanksgiving, and I had the idea that stores wouldn't really be that crowded. Yeah, right...but the boys were so well-behaved and the deals were excellent.

-It never fails that every time I take Cameron with me to find Christmas gifts for his dad, he ends up telling him what they are. We are sitting at lunch today, and he says, "Well, dad, you know that _____ that we got you..." And then I shush him, and he says to me, "What? I am just telling him the secret." Oh well.

-My in-laws are missionaries to South America, and I am putting together their Christmas letter mailing to send out. Dave says his mom's address list, which is around 65 (just the actual letters, not emails) is short compared to the 100 or so she had when he was younger. It makes me feel like they're not so far away when I can help in that way.

-I miss my friends. And I am grateful that they are so wonderful to me and my family.

-I wish it would snow.

-Jack is now crawling and into everything. It's fun to see him explore and a reminder to me to get those outlets covered!

I am in the process of learning that I will never know why things happen the way they do, that in the middle of praying fervently and consistently, it may not be answered the way I want. So, it's a good thing I am not God. I was reminded of that this morning when I was reading Psalm 139 before the worship service started:

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was
laid out before a single day had passed.

There are no easy answers when we go through the times when we are watching the waves coming and can't seem to stay on the water. But in my devotions the other day, the writer reminded me that we have to keep our eyes on the One who walks on the water. That is security.

I am ready for it to snow. The weather has been cold for awhile now, and we might as well have something pretty to look at if it's going to be cold anyway. Maybe it's because I'm pretty much done Christmas shopping that I want it to be winter so badly....I can't wait to decorate. I am holding off until the day after Thanksgiving, but it's not wasy being patient!

-It has been a busy few weeks around the Mowers household. We went to see Veggie Tales live; our friends came for a surprise visit from Indiana (which was great fun); I had a wonderful birthday, complete with early morning presents and ice cream cake from Dairy Queen; we took a trip to Lincoln for a t.v. interview Dave was doing, and Halloween night we went to a community Harvest Party sponsored by local churches (since it was free and since I'm too cheap to buy costumes, and it was inside in a safe place).

-I am almost done Christmas shopping, and I have to say that I have really gotten great deals this year. Coupons keep coming in for my favorite places, and I am stocking up. I am shipping a few packages internationally, since I have missionary in-laws, missionary friends, and a brother in Iraq. I figure I'm doing my part to help keep the postal service in business.

-Cameron has spent most of this afternoon in time-outs.....he is alternating that with hugs and "I wuv you" when he is not sitting on a step for punishment. I guess it's a relaxing way to spend a Saturday.

-We found out that we are expecting another boy. I have decided I am destined to have a house full of males and that God must have a sense of humor. I had four brothers, no sisters, and I value very much the relationships I have with women. Boys are fun, and since this will be our last one, I look forward to all that is to come.