The Thanksgiving season is not over. It is just the launching to the rest of the year of being thankful for what God and others have done to benefit our lives.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/CWRPgoItmN4[/youtube]Paul sure is growing and doing his best to learn how to walk. He is almost nine months old.

While on our way to a graduation of some friends, we were able to stop by the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory near Austin Texas. It was so much fun and quite yummy!

Here we have a picture of the International Ministerial Institute that some of our friends were graduating from. It is one of the most unique schools where students actually end up writing their own commentary on each book of the Bible before they graduate. They also structure it in such a way so students study for three months and then return home for three months of application and ministry. They then repeat this cycle for three or four years. I was very impressed with what God is doing in the hearts and lives of the young people through this program.

Also, while were in Texas, we were able to visit Priscilla’s sister Rebekah and her husband Josh along with their two little girls. Both families were able to run the 5k that was sponsored by Josh’s work. It was so much fun to be together and to top it off with a fun running event made for lots of fun memories.

David went for speed and being that it was the first official 5K all of us, we all did well. David came in 22:28 taking first place for his age category and Priscilla pushing Paul in the stroller came in 26:49. Being that it was a small town race with less than 500 runners, we were able to enjoy it as a family.

Paul even got to sit in the driver’s seat of a fire truck that was parked near the finish line.

Paul got to meet his two cousins, Annabel and Alyssa and they had a lot of fun together.

The National Bible Bee

We were also able to attend the National Bible Bee. Here are some of the resources that we have really appreciated which we have made available to the families attending the Bible Bee. The National Bible started after a young lady passed away who really loved the Scriptures. Through her death and subsequent funeral, God placed it in someones heart that the memorizing of Scripture could change the course of so many people’s lives. So the Bible Bee was created. It is a program similar to the National Spelling Bee, only doubling the prize money. Over $270,000 was given away in prize money this year. Hundreds of families across the United States were blessed as God’s Word was proclaimed and honored.

Josh and Anna Duggar were able to be at the National Bible Bee with their sweet children. Josh is working with Family Research Counsel in Washington DC and was able to inform attending families of ways they can make a difference in our nation.

Michael and Mackynzie are best friends. They love playing together and always seem to find creative ways to have fun.

On our way down to Florida for Thanksgiving, we were able to stop and visit Priscilla’s brother Daniel.

Paul got to meet yet another of his cousins. Daniel and Candice have a sweet little boy named Brighton.

Arriving in Florida, the kids thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors. Michael was having fun with a golf hole marker pretending that he was in the army and marching with the flag!

Priscilla’s siblings Anna Duggar and David Keller were doing the dishes getting things cleaned up after all the cooking.After a hot tennis match with the boys, Josh Duggar and David carved up the turkey.

Yum! Everything was so delicious!

Now for the couple’s duel–Josh and Anna Duggar vs. David and Priscilla Waller. We honestly thought it would be a quick match and we would totally take the game, but we won with just a narrow margin.What a blessing it is to have such good parents and Mom and Dad Keller are no exception.

David’s sister Sarah moved down to North Florida several months ago to minister in one of the women’s prisons near Ocala, Florida. God has been doing incredible things in and through her ministry down there. Please continue to pray for her as the Lord brings her to your mind. A candid shot of Michael and Mackynzie tackling their daddy. Josh sure is a good dad! It is so important for Dads to be involved in the lives of their children starting at an early age by spending “Daddy time.” The Scriptures tell us that the glory of children are their fathers.To cap off our Thanksgiving we usually decorate for Christmas. After a good evening doing that we settled down to play Bible Charades. Any guess on what story Michael and Mackynzie might be acting out with their baby brother Marcus?