In the last few years, Ellie has turned into quite a theater kid. Ellie is currently rehearsing for her part in a production of Shrek Jr. the musical. Her directors decided to arrange a field trip to a nearby theater for their cast to see the Broadway production of Shrek! I was delighted that Ellie asked me to go with her and Gwen to the performance.
It was a wonderful, warm afternoon and Ellie enjoyed seeing this with her theater friends. I am so blessed to be able to have these experiences alongside of my kids and grandkids. I would never have seen this show on my own. I am now looking forward to seeing Ellies production the second week of January, 2025! Just wait for that blog - and hopefully it won't be months late!
The weather was typically not what you might expect in the fall. But since we live in Chicago, you just never know what the weather will be until you step outside. The next week had a really warm spell.
It was warm enough for me to take Grace and Jimmy to their local playground on a day that Grace had a shortened school day. 
Jimmy really needs time to run and play outside and this day he was showing his very good climbing ability for a three year old! This section of their playground is supposed to be for kids over five, but Jimmy has mastered everything. I am thinking it is going to be a long winter if it is too cold to be outside!
The following week, I took Gwen, Ellie and Anna to see the Broadway production of Frozen. Susie had already taken Grace on the same day that we had tickets to Shrek, so sadly we couldn't go together; This was Anna's first time seeing a Broadway show, and it was a good one!.
The weather had turned into winter (which was very appropriate if you know the Frozen storyline) and we walked to the theater from the parking garage, in the snow! It was just at the freezing mark, so we didn't think it would stick, but it sure did. The cast of this show was extraordinary. There was not one bad singer in the entire cast. Ellie was happy to see several of the cast that she follows on line. What a wonderful day. Again, so thankful to get to these shows!
The next day, I was with Jimmy and Grace and there was snow! Grace was home sick, so we skipped Jimmy's preschool. After lunch, he begged to go outside. It was windy and so cold and actually snowing. I did not have boots and was not prepared for the weather. But, I bundled him up and sent him out in the backyard. 
He actually stayed out for a long time. He made snowballs and ran around the entire yard. You can tell by this picture, he was one very happy little boy! I stood next to the house, protected from the wind, and watched from afar. I was able to get him to come inside, only with a promise of a snack. As much as this boy loves the outside, he also loves to eat! He pretty much grazes all day!
Our normally healthy crew actually had a bout of unexpected sickness in late October and early November. Lia actually got sick at college (which is a nightmare for parents with their first kid at college). She ended up having pneumonia, which has really been going around this year. The same week, both Ellie and Zeke tested positive for strep. Grace actually tested positive for strep also. Zeke did not recover with the antibiotics, and was also diagnosed with pneumonia. Somehow, Anna and Jimmy sailed through without getting sick. Everyone got better quickly and I managed to stay healthy also even though I see the kids often! We are very thankful for medical care, medicines and general good health!
One of the highlights of this fall for me has been attending my churches Wednesday Night Ministry. There is a meal every week and then an hour of small group study time. I love getting a chance to meet more people and to have time to just fellowship over food. If there is one thing my church excels at, it is eating! But also, seeing over 100 people come out every Wednesday evening to grow closer to Jesus is just the best. I have a long drive to my church, but it is certainly worth every mile.
There should be no complaining about snow in November. But we had such a warm fall that it was a bit jarring to pull out the winter wear. Thanksgiving was extremely late this year - the 28th of November. That makes for a very long lead up to Thanksgiving and a very short time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But, again, there is really no good excuse for the lateness of this blog. But it feels good to be putting these memories onto the page. Keep watching for the Thanksgiving update and a Christmas report (hopefully) before the end of 2024!
Jesus, thank you for fun outings and the change of seasons. Holy Spirit, bring comfort to everyone struggling with health issues this year. Give us reminders to slow down, eat well, and get enough rest. Be especially close to the families who have members dealing with mental illness. Give wisdom to health care workers during this season. Jesus, remind us that you are the light of the world during these dark days. Thank you for your peace. Amen
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