Happy Thanksgiving

Our day was full and beautiful. There is much to be thankful for.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving 
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Psalm 100:4-5

Happy Five!

Wow. I promise you it was just yesterday that I brought him home from the hospital. I can still feel those first days of sleep deprivation and pain mingled with the most intense joy. Blink. Blink.
Now he's a boy who thinks he's big like BawBaw and Daddy yet still needs help putting on his socks. He mostly resides in his own little world where he is a different animal every day. He lives them and breathes them. Last week he was an otter. This week a flying squirrel. He rarely answers to his given name. "I AM a squirrel," he says with deep conviction.

Each morning he climbs into our bed and snuggles with Lillian. He whispers "I love you." and "I'll take care of you." into her ear. He spends his days poring over books and playing with trucks. He pulls Sophia into it all at every chance. They are thick as thieves those two.

Five years ago this little boy stole my heart, and I don't ever want it back.

William "Bill" Cole Jr.

Stephan's father passed away today. He had been in declining health for awhile, but over the past month he worsened. Two weeks ago Stephan traveled to Florida to visit him for what we were afraid might be the last time. We are grateful that he had that opportunity.

We've spent part of our evening flipping through old photo albums. I thought I'd share a few of our favorite pictures of these two handsome fellas from back in the day.

We are very thankful for all of the prayers and kind words we've received from family and friends. Past Novembers have seen deaths on both sides of Stephan's family, so this was already an especially hard month. I am reminded, though, of this verse:

 

"Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 

~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

Our hope is in Him.