November 2016

We began this month with our family camping trip.  It was a little warmer than we'd have liked and we had to contend with yellow jackets, but we had a great time.

After telling Phillip not to walk around the campground without a flashlight, I did exactly that, tripped on a tree root and landed on my face.  This is not a camping experience that I want to repeat.  Next time I'll take my own advice.

We had  a baby shower for Catherine.  What a blessing to celebrate this little girl!

We were thrilled to hold Catherine for the first time, and to take a picture of the three Thomassons together.

We said "Goodbye" to Roanoke Memorial Hospital and Catherine came home at last.

We celebrated Jimmy's birthday

and Lilly's birthday.

We celebrated Thanksgiving.

Catherine had her first Thanksgiving.

Lucy spent the night with us and ate the leftover Cool Whip.

She polished our fingernails.

Then we celebrated Lucy's birthday.  

We'll end the month with this beautiful face.  How thankful we are to God for His blessing to our family.

October 2016

In October

I celebrated my 62nd birthday but somehow must have deleted all the pictures.  We had a nice family meal.  The weather was warm enough to eat outside.  When we went to Virginia, Jaclyn cooked chicken and dumplings for me.  This is the meal that I always asked my mom to cook for my birthday, and Jaclyn's is just as good.  I felt very loved.  

On the 19th, we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary. No pictures for that, either.  We went camping and were blessed with great weather and a very quiet campground.  

Catherine celebrated her 2 month birthday.  It is amazing to see how much she grew and changed in a month. Those signs are the same size. The meaning of Catherine's name is "pure strength" and she has certainly demonstrated that in an amazing way.  Our family is thankful for the many, many people who have prayed for her and shown their love and concern.  Catherine is very blessed.

Jonas found some left behind potatoes in the potato bed and was happy to harvest them.  

Abram walked barefoot in the grass.

Hannah planned a family Halloween party.  Even most of the grown-ups wore costumes.  

Lilly

Lucy

Jonas

Hannah and Michael used their costumes to make an announcement to the family.  Baby Worley is due in April.

Even Catherine wore her costume.  She was the cutest Batgirl in the NICU.

September 2016

We spent more time with this guy in Roanoke.

We were able to see a little bit of this beautiful city.

We celebrated Hannah's 22nd birthday

and

Abram's 1st birthday.

And this little girl got rid of her cpap.  Catherine is doing very well, weighing 1 pound 14 ounces now.  Keep growing, sweet Catherine.

August 2016

This August was a month of surprises.

Phillip caught a raccoon in his squirrel trap. He carried this angry fellow down to the woods and released him.

Jonas artfully arranged the plastic snakes around the dog's food dishes.  I love his sense of humor!

The final August surprise has changed our lives forever.  Emily gave birth to Catherine Valeria Thomasson on August 22.  Catherine was born very early and weighed only 1 pound. She is tiny but quite a fighter.  She's at 1 pound 4 ounces now and is off the ventilator.  And she is very loved.  Please join our family in praying that Catherine will be protected from the possible complications of prematurity and that she will thrive.  Pray for Emily and Jon as they navigate this new reality that they were not expecting.  

July 2016

July has been packed full for our family.  Hannah and Michael's wedding was July 1.

Phillip demonstrated a talent we didn't realize he had by making Hannah's bridal bouquet.  Someone she works with gave her some beautiful hydrangeas from her garden.  They were exactly what she had wanted for her bouquet.

It was perfect.

Man and Wife

We celebrated the Fourth of July.

Lucy and Abram

Jonas

Phillip and Abram

There was a serious water balloon fight.

Jason providing ammunition for Jonas, Lucy, and Lilly.

Lilly and Jimmy

After the balloons were gone, we got out the slip and slide.

Lucy

Lilly

Jonas

Even Jason took a turn.

Jonas found out that he does not share his Pom-Pom's liking for pickled eggs.

We had a family reception for Hannah and Michael on July 17.  

Sam was able to stay and spend a few days and they got to have more water fun.

Hannah, Sam, and Michael

Sam, Lilly, and Lucy

We celebrated Michael's birthday.  He blew out all the candles.

We ended the month with Lucy's sleepover.

Lucy loves Libby and Libby loves Lucy.

She loves the tire swing, too.