Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year was up in Mesquite, as usual.  We just love Mom Hills Turkey and Stuffing!  We were joined by Mom and Dad,  Erin, Leslie and Uncle Chris and Aunt Stephanie Vogel. 

Later, the next day, We went to the river to allow the kids a chance to play in the kayaks with their Park cousins.  The kids, particularly Lincoln had a lot of fun.  We had one mishap that reminded me how mindful our Heavenly Father is of each of us.  I was concerned about being close to the water with a number of kids who can't swim, something I feel anytime we're close to bodies of water.  I was doing my normal mother-thing of constantly counting heads and following Nyle around like I was his shadow, when we heard Zach's dad yell for Zach to come over to the side of the river, where a cliff was.  The tone of his voice suggested there was a problem.  Zach came running and we saw Ned down at the bottom of the cliff wimpering.  He had wandering off for just a moment, tried to throw a rock in the river and slipped falling off the cliff.  There was only a very small ledge before he would have fallen in the river.  The cliff was lined with broken concrete and exposed Reinforcement Bar.  We realized then that the dangers far outweighed the possibility of landing safely at the bottom of the cliff as Ned apparently had.  When I asked him how he got down there, he just said he slipped.  There was not  a scratch or bruise on him.  I realized then that although I can try to be the most vigilant mother in the world, it wouldn't be good enough and truly, my Father in Heaven was in charge.  We were so grateful for his miraculous protection and sure gave him and his siblings lots of hugs thereafter. 

Gwen had fun making sand angels.