Thanksgiving, Matthew's Birthday, & a trip to Norwich

Happy Birthday Matthew!!! Our little boy who was less than 6lbs. when we brought him home a couple of days after he was born.......On Nov 27th turned 7!
Yummy cake mix brought over from the states, topped with home made frosting, and flake bars from the UK cut up and added on top. A flake bar is Cadbury chocolate in well a flakey type bar? Hard to describe, but they are yummy!!!
A pink double decker bus??
Yep, that's right folks! For all you pink lovers out there.........here is our daughter's dream bus!
Jonathan & daddy on the bus.....we went up to the second level.....
Grandpa & Abigail as we are walking around Norwich.
The "market" in Norwich...
very busy......
The cathedral in Norwich......did you know in England you are considered a village no matter how many people you have....and a city if you have a cathedral......crazy, but true.
Looks like the movies, but here we are...
Look at that steeple...2nd tallest in England.
Looks very crooked?? Not sure what happened here?
Yep, still looking scary to me.
The cobblestone road....oldest in the area....which in England is a whole lot older than anything in the US of course....
Here's our sign!
Here we are huddled under the sign...
The riverway in Norwich...pretty
Daddy & Jonathan....
Grandma & Elizabeth....hey...the kids got balloons when we stopped to eat at McDonalds and it was entertainment for the whole day- amazing and I love how our children are easily occupied with simple pleasures....
Us on the cobblestone road...made a funny noise when a car went by too.
Thatched roof. Yep, crazy, but here it is slate, lead, or thatch- actually the traditional. Fun to see.

our trip into Norwich...as usual my pics are a bit backwards...sorry again. Oh well.
Joshua....hello :)
Jonathan....so excited to be on the top of the bus, but he kept saying buckle, buckle, and I explained that there are no buckles on the bus you just have to trust the driver. Cute for a child that came from a country where you don't ever buckle, now he is just used to it.
Our cutie pie girls......
Matthew working on his puzzle...one of his birthday presents.
Opening presents.....
Happy Birthday our big boy!
Thanksgiving dinner topped with our paper hats..
Jonathan's first Thanksgiving dinner....what is that beside him you ask.....
It is a traditional English cracker. It is a carboard type tube covered in wrapping paper with a piece that when pulled traditionally by 2 people makes a popping noise. What is inside....a paper crown for the children of THE KING OF KINGS of course, a silly joke just for fun typed on paper, and a cheap toy (well if you get the rediculously expensive ones you can get really nice things, but hey, we are not rich!)
The man I am most Thankful for !!!!! Without whom....I have NO IDEA what I would do!
My sweet babes - you are all my favorites!!! No idea why Sarah isn't smiling?? Maybe she didn't see my camera......????

So there you have it all the pics are backwards because Thanksgiving was Thursday, then Matthew's Birthday was Friday, and after opening presents we went to Norwich, but hey...it's all good!

Praying that you all have had a BLESSED time with family and friends like we definitely have! Just wanted to tell you all how much we love your support of our family. It is sooo encouraging to get comments about our family....our blog....our life.....etc. Who knew how much fun it would be to share with others about our journey in Christ. Today in church I was able to share with the congregation about our testimony of working at the camp to spread the GOOD NEWS with all the campers, and also about adoption. Adoption is such a great view into what God really desires. For all of us to be adopted into THE ETERNAL FAMILY of GOD!!! My 2 favorite subjects in my mind go very well together. Winning people to Christ & adopting children :)

We are going to London tomorrow....so if I don't have time before we leave for London tomorrow......I will not be posting until at least Thursday or Friday? I will be putting pics of LONDON though soon.......

Got to see baby seals on Thanksgiving day!

So even though today is Thanksgiving......well since we are in England....it's a bit different. So we decided to go to Horsey- yep that is the correct name. It is along to coast of England. And there are sand dunes all over this particular coastal area.
The kids were just so amuzed that the sand was soo deep! Loved it! Here is Elizabeth showing us how to climb the sand :)
It was pretty windy so we wore hats and gloves- because of the wind. Other than that it was sunny!!! Beautiful day.....and beautiful children to go with it.....
Love that scarf!!!....... and the smile
Matthew & Joshua.....I think Matthew has reminded me at least a 100- no closer to 1,000 times that today is the last day he will be 6 and tomorrow he will be 7! How does that happen???
Here is Andrew reading about the grey seals......
the kids......
grandpa pointing out something I am sure that is riveting to grandma.....
A windmill that is on the historical listing......
And here is the beach....
Bunches of seals.......
Baby nursing....
Enjoying the sun mommy & baby.....There was between 10-15 seal pups that we saw and loads of mommies & daddies too.

At one point there were 2 males fighting.....biting each other on the neck. It got pretty bloody......and the kids were saying how it wasn't nice. I agreed, but it was interesting to see. Of course a nearby mommy pushed her baby out of the way and gave them a strict warning to get out of her area.

Funny how our lives reflect this same thing. We fight all the time....even make each other bleed- by our actions and words....hurtful things that we do. Onlookers probably say look at those two making loads of noise, hurting each other, making each other bleed- for what?

And my favorite a protective mommy! Loving her pup and saying to those around...I love my babe beware!

Praying that we would remember to not hurt each other during our time with family this Thanksgiving. That we would use words to Glorify & uplift, not cut and hurt. That we would turn the other cheek, and not cut deep. That we would heal old wounds and not create new ones.

As the last chapter I read in the Crazy Love book clearly states- You may not finish reading this chapter.....life is short....you don't have time to waste....spend it on what is REALLY most important!!!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Hingham.....hanging out

The road my parents live on....by the way...this is their road sign- lower to the ground than ours here....
The town sign.....(actually this is a village technically)
Georgian houses near the village center...
speed limit sign....downtown area...
The kids....sort of looking at the camera (he he he - hey at least with 7 you have a chance that some will be looking, at least one will be upset, and well you know some will be looking anywhere but at the camera)
The kids had fun looking at the sheep in a pasture are as we were walking along. Don't see many in Louisiana....

A very old church in Hingham.....still standing...I guess they knew how to build them. Great lessons for homeschooling!!!

So there you have it today we relaxed.

Praying for all those who have court dates fast approaching. Praying for those in Ethiopia right now. It is always hard to wait, to not know....but praying for all of those in that time now.

Have started reading the book Crazy Love, and I LOVE IT!!! What an eye opener!!! I highly recommend it to everyone.

Planned today for our trip into London next week....watch out London here we all come!!!! We plan on going on the London Eye, seeing all kinds of sights, going to the Tower of London- seeing the crown jewels, climbing the Monument (where the Great Fire of London started), and all kinds of bits and pieces. It will be great!