Happy Thanksgiving

There is so much to be thankful for this year. In such uncertain times, the love of family means so much.
We were fortunate to be able to celebrate the holiday with Hill's family in Denver. His mother and Hugh have just moved into their beautiful new home and opened it to each of us. Lauren is home safe and sound from a semester in South Africa. Bryson and Kathryn came from Portland with their new baby girl. And Amy was had an amazing year with the first graduating class from her first high school in May and the opening of her second high school in August.


We are so blessed.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.- Melody Beattie


(Thanks, Jenelle, for the quote...it is beautiful.)

Show and Tell

After our trip to Portland, Annie and Emery headed to Holyoke to help Trudy with her kids while Dennis is in India for work. Emery simply adores Austin, Josie and Lauren...so it will be a fun week.

Josie had show and tell today and wanted to bring in Emery. He was a big hit and gave everyone in the classroom a high five.

Addilyn and Portland

We were so lucky to be able to travel to Portland this week to meet Addilyn and spend some time with Hill's brother Bryson and his wife Kathryn. They have a beautiful home in a beautiful location. We will treasure the time spent with them. It was so special to see the three of them as a new family. Thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of this very intimate time.

Addilyn with her Uncle Hill and cousin Emery.


Hill putting Addilyn in the magic sideways hold to calm her. And Bryson putting Emery in the magical upsidedown hold to un-calm him.


The Slothower ladies.


Emery listening to a secret from Addi. What do you think she is telling him?


Emery, Hill and Kathryn at the water crank in the Portland Children's Museum


Emery brushing the alligator's teeth at the museum. (This one is for you, Russ and Julie.)


Emery and the St. John's Bridge.