Veterans Dinner

 

In which we make the parish hall ready for the annual veterans dinner. xo 

All Things October (and November)

 

October began with a tour of Brown University (lead by the fabulous DG president Kelsey)! We had the most perfect October weather for our journey around Brown followed by a lovely meal and DG meeting afterward. The newly renovated Marlborough Public Library was finally completed and ready for visitors. We went on Opening Day and were in awe of how gorgeous it turned out (prior to this renovation the library was not a very welcoming space). A couple of days later we found outselvs back there during Morning Lesson. It was a lovely change of scenery and we decided to make that our Wednesday lessosn hang-out. Our hearts broke when Isreal was attacked by Hamas and Lewiston Maine became the latest place to have a mass shooting. It would be really fabulous if America would get its gun problem under control. Friendship bracelts were made and eras outfits chosen and we attended the Eras Tour concert movie not once but twice (the second time was just as incredible but the venue was 1000% better than the first)! Grace passed her drivers test on the first try and then went off to Production practice a couple of hours later! A Halloween lock-in at church and family pictures rounded out October. 

Since I forgot to "save" a post for November, pictures and summary are below: 

November was the month that I resigned from my job as Director of Children's Ministry in Holliston. While it had been almost five years that I ahd been there, and while I knew that my time there would likely end at the end of this school year, I ended up resigning shortly after Halloween. While I miss the children and families of the church, and was sad to leave while the senior pastor was on sabbatical, it was most definietly time for me to take my leave. 

November saw the girls take their first drive with Grace behind the wheel and me at home. It was yet another moment where I am sure that I saw the girls (espeically Grace) grow right before my eyes! We celerbrated Martinas and helped with the set up and logistics of the Veterans Day dinner at church. Emma did a beautiful job reading the Missing Man Table ceremony. She also spent much time knitting, whcih was a lovely surprise given that she had not picked up knitting needles in eight years and yet when she did this time she knit as beauifully as if she had been knitting all that time. Grace was at OSV a couple of times this month. Once on Veterans Day weekend and again during the first weekend of Christmas by Candlelight. 

We rounded out Novemebr with a lovely Thanksgiving gathering (and a rooster statue from Portugal that Jane brought back for us) and our traditional attendance of opening Night of The Nutcracker the following day. Other than the fact that it took us over an hour to get out of the garage after the show it was a fabulous way to being the festive season! xo 

Honoring Our Veterans

 

In which we helped out (and read the Missing Person table ceremony) at the veterans dinner at church. xo

On Veterans Day

We spent some time after church today helping to set up for the veterans dinner tonight, and then we spent a lovely evening at church celebrating those who had served in our armed services. I had the honor of working the check-in table (while Grace, along with the youth group, helped serve dinner and then did clean up after, and Emma was the raffle ticket girl). Many times during check-in I was treated to some wonderful stories from those who had served. Even all these years later, the pride that radiated from those who had served (especially from members of The Greatest Generation) was still very evident. During dinner we were fortunate to sit with a lovely family. The husband and wife had been married for seventy-three years! They married while the husband was home on leave during World War II, and at ninety-two and ninety-three definitely had some wonderful wisdom to impart.

And so, on this veterans day, we would like to take a moment to thank those who have served our country. We extend our deepest thanks to every man and every woman who believed so completely and so deeply in our country that they would choose to answer the call, take up arms and defend our freedoms.

Thank you, especially to my father and brother, both of my grandfathers, and to my uncles who believed so fiercely in this country that they would be willing to risk their lives for it. It is because of the service of patriots like them that America continues to remain a beacon of hope and freedom. Today, and every day, we salute you. xo