All in a week's work...

Well... more like a week and a half.

So it's been busy busy busy since Thanksgiving!  We spent Thanksgiving at Shaun's sister's house.  Last year, I had cooked up a little "belated" shin-dig for my family and some friends at Shaun's house. 

This is a picture from last year:

Cute huh?

...but I think we look even happier THIS year:

AFTER Thanksgiving, Cheyanne came to visit to work on a school project with her Dad & Uncle.  She got an A+ (of course).  It was great to have her visit!

The next week was super-busy helping my Mom move into MY apartment before the beginning of December... and trying to move most of my things out to make room for her. 

Thank GOD for my unbelievably good friends who all came after long work days, drove 45 min to Mom's and helped me do it all last minute.  It was a lot of work and my "ride" to work the next day looked a lot like this:

Snaaazzzy huh? 

Mom's still weeding her way through everything, but the good news is that because my apartment is only 3 streets away from Shaun's house, when we're married and I move into his place ...she'll be close by from now on.  I cannot adequately express my gratitude enough for the help of my friends who were unbelievable LIFESAVERS!!! 

I'm ALSO thankful that we got this done before Shaun hurt himself at work.  Unfortunately he was injured at work on Friday and was diagnosed today with a "torn rotator cuff".  He's no wimp, so I KNEW it was a big deal when he couldn't lift his arm almost at all and needed to ask for my help to do even little things.

We're not sure what's going to happen with him and work, but it's led to a lot of discussions about how much real love shows itself in difficult moments.  We've been so blessed in so many ways, we have to "roll with the punches" and trust that God will help us through anything, anything at all...

We also had a great time at Shaun's company Christmas party and I was so proud of him when SOooo many people came up to me and utterly "sang his praises" telling me what a "great worker" and "wonderful guy" he was.  "I wish I had a hundred Shaun's" I heard among many other comments.  I am really lucky to love a man who I know has such integrity in every area of his life that I can be proud of him ...whether he's WITH me or AWAY from me.  I am truly blessed. 

We cleaned up and got all snazzed out for the night

...he in his suit:

...and I in my pretty purple dress

On Sunday...

I was SO grateful once again that some of the parents from the school got together to help me make some of our Wedding favors!  Nearly 600 in fact!!!!  Here are some photos of the "Popper making Party". 

Turns out this little guy's daddy WORKS with Shaun ...and here' I've been teaching him all year!

He doesn't much like pictures, though...

 Team-work! Team-work!  Everybody do their SHARE!

 This little guy helped dad hold the poppers while he tied, then he'c hop on my lap and "inspect" each popper to make sure it was labeled and all the ribbons were "curled"

...while Mom was nearby working hard too!

 Taking time out for a quick snack!

One of the parents (a former teacher) organized a station where the kids even painted handmade ornaments for our first tree!!!

 

 The party "Host" and her cherub!

One of the Dad's commented that I sounded like "Tiny Tim" when he said "God Bless us... everyone!" ...but he's not too far off with my level of increasing gratitude.

But honestly... after looking at all of these... wouldn't YOU be grateful too???? 

Thank you thank you EVERYONE!!!