Such a Great Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was nice this year. Bob, Andrew, and I flew to El Paso to stay with my sister and her family. It was such a relaxing time and I enjoyed every minute of it. This was the first time Bob had met my sister's family but it seemed to go off without a hitch. Janet cooked a wonderful Thanksgiving meal; I wish I had some of it right now!
I was really proud of Andrew and how sweet and helpful he was toward his cousins. I will admit that I had convinced myself that Andrew's self-obsession would hinder his ability to be a loving big brother/cousin. But, over Thanksgiving I saw how patient and kind and helpful he could be. It helped me realize that he is just a normal 8-year-old boy. Thank goodness!!
Bob left on Friday and my sister and I had some fun going shopping and hanging out. Usually, when I am hanging with my sister, I feel a bit insecure and I fall into that "little sister" role. But this time, I was able to be myself. That has nothing to do with my sister but with my own insecurities that I lived with for so long. I finally feel more competent and self-assured.
Here are some pictures from the weekend:




I really have a lot to be grateful for. And, I'm getting into the Christmas spirit despite my previously tainted years. In fact, I'm almost finished with my shopping!