Happy Thanksgiving!

We celebrated Thanksgiving this year with Peter's Dad, Uncle Chris and his family, and Grammy and Granddad. I am so thankful for all my family, extended and close, abroad and down the street. We went to Uncle Chris and Aunt Helen's house for dinner this year, along with Peter's Dad who was out to visit from Seattle, Washington. We celebrated Stephen's 5th birthday the day before with going to Chuck E Cheese with some friends and lunch at Chickfilet and he was able to open his gifts after breakfast. We had a great time seeing cousins home from college, eating great food, and playing lots of games. The boys had a blast with their cousins Amy and David as they entertained them into the evening playing DS, Wii, and board games. With all of this, it made my heart miss my family, Mom in Maine, sister in Korea with her family, another sister in Ohio with her family and my Dad, Bobbie-Mom, Christiana, and brother Caleb, who is in the Air Force Academy. I am truly grateful for all I am given and the opportunities I have including catching up with my loved ones on the computer or phone. It makes it like they are not so far away. I am reminded of the first thanksgiving, when the pilgrims were here for their first winter and they didn't have many of their family members or loved ones or easy ways to communicate with them. They didn't even know if they would make it through the winter. Here is a copy of the first Thanksgiving proclamation by George Washington. It really puts things into perspective!

FW: A Thanksgiving Proclamation...
George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.


Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

G Washington

Happy 5th Birthday Stephen!

Oh my son, how I am thankful for you and your 5 years of life! It is amazing to see you transform right before my eyes. It seems as though only yesterday that I held you for the first time in San Antonio, Texas, that I fed you your first foods, that I found you in the midst of a pile of trash because you were no longer contained! It seems as only yesterday that we taught you to walk, talk, and throw a baseball. It feels like only yesterday that you learned to count to 10, became a big brother, learned to ride a bike. Man how these days pass by too fast. Now you are getting ready to go to school, go on play dates, and do so many new things that you were too little to do. I thank God for giving me a son that is so sweet, smart, kind, sharing, giving, loving, gentle, and desires to do what is right. I am thankful for you and can't wait to see the boy to man you will grow to be! Know I am your biggest fan, Son, and I love you with all my heart!

Random Pictures of the Steyaert Boys!

Hope these pics give your day a lift!!

Fun in the night...

So this year we decided to go trick or treating... Scottie wasn't sure about what he thought about it when it was finally time to go. He practiced and practiced for the days leading up to the event but when time came he got shy. He wouldn't dress up and even refused to go to some houses. But then he just wanted to keep up with the big boys and was stoked when he saw the amount of yummy treats he got for being so cute! We went around our neighborhood with some of the boys up the street, Carson and Tyler. Peter stayed home and handed out candy to the kids as they came around.Later that night, Peter and I headed out to his work party. We had a baby sitter for the boys, dressed up and had a good time. Peter dressed as a convict of the Virginia State Prison and I dressed as a pretty convincing cop. I was able to fit into my old Citadel uniform and it made a great costume!

Our town decided to have trick or treating on Saturday night so it worked out when Uncle Chris and Aunt Helen invited us up to their house for the Redskins game and to stay for Trick or Treating around their neighborhood. It was fun to dress up since Scottie was in a better mood this evening. Stephen just took off like he owned the world and knew just what to do. Scottie tried his best to keep up with the big kids but got tired by the end. He got back and got into jammies and then passed out on the couch.

Stephen was a night owl and stayed up until we decided to leave the party. I was able to hang out with my cousin, David, home from U. of Alabama, and play cards for a few hours. Aunt Helen and I won one game and David and his girlfriend won the other round of Spades. I sure miss game night with the Cole's but it was fun to get it in when we could. It was a great night and I look forward to it again.