Big Things in November

The first week of November was very exciting. The Beireises moved to Pratt, the Gordons all got Covid, and...drumroll...Chrysta had her baby! Fiona Michelle Barnes was born November 7th in Wichita Kansas. She is healthy and strong, classically beautiful, and the fulfillment of all my hopes and dreams. AND thanks to an inconvenient global pandemic, almost a month has gone by and I still haven't been able to hold her!

 

Creepy Covid Halloween

Halloween ended up being pretty darn normal this year. We were able to dress up and go trick or treating down town with Chrysta and Jonny and the girls. And on Halloween night we hit up the Barneses' neighborhood (our favorite) for after dark and door to door.  As a closer, it was pretty magical to sit around the fire pit in Chrysta and Jonny's backyard and binge candy. Every time we have the slightest bit of a gathering, it is not lost on me that we are still together, still whole (including Nolan), and I treasure it - so grateful.

 

Dia De Los Muertos (2nd Annual)

This is secretly my new favorite holiday, even though I don't know if anyone else is diggin' it as much as I am. Seriously, researching our family history to come up with stories to share on Day of the Dead has helped me feel the Spirit of the Lord and a love/link to our ancestors that is so strong. I know that our family ties are eternal! And I know that "our love for each will live on forever" - I can FEEL it!

This year I talked about Scotty's relatives through his paternal line (Edgar and Jemima Gordon and kids). My mom talked about her parents (Grandma and Grandpa Gilliland). We repeated our traditions from last year of eating Mexican food, decorating sugar skull cookies, and watching Coco. The Barneses and McElyeas were here for the festivities, which was great, but I was so busy I hardly took any pictures.