One blessing after another

Saturday morning, my sister and I took the little ones to the Dallas Zoo while my big three enjoyed their choir retreat and Aaron stayed at home to study for his comprehensive exams.

Katherine loved the meerkats...

and she wanted to take a picture of me when we rode the carousel.

My sister can make me laugh like nobody else can, and funny things happen when she is around.  Seconds after I took this picture with the goats, another goat sneaked up, grabbed the zoo map out of Melissa's bag, and ran off chomping as quickly as possible.  Then the zoo keeper told us that goat was known for stealing and eating maps!

I took this picture of the gorillas just before one of them nonchalantly walked past the window and out of nowhere banged on the glass (I wish you could see my sister's impersonation of this gorilla).  Katherine and her little cousin both screamed and Melissa and I both jumped.  The gorilla obviously didn't want his breakfast disturbed!

The cousins rode horses

and the monorail.  This was our first trip to the Dallas Zoo, and we liked it so much that I will be taking my big kids very soon.

We came home in time for Aaron to go pick up the kids from their choir retreat and for me to make cookies for Little Red Riding Hood's to take to Grandma.

Our church hosted a fall festival Saturday afternoon, so we took the cousins over to play games and ride on the hay.

Because we have lived overseas for the last four years, our family is just overwhelmed with thankfulness by so many little things.  We are loving the cooler weather, the foods that are in season, fellowship with a church again, and time with our families.  The last few days have been full of all those things.  Wow.

"From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."  John 1:16