They're Here!

 November 21st, We Are Thankful For:

Kim: Safe Travel for my parents.  It is a lot of hours, and they were traveling on little sleep...and tired...which I knew because my dad had been working really hard to get the beds finished in time.  They arrived, and we were so excited, and as my Dad unloaded (with a little help from me and Lucas), Gigi pulled out the bags of special things she had picked up here and there for the twins (stickers, pajamas, church clothes, etc.).  Which brings me to Ryan's thankful:

Ryan: Lightning Pajamas.  Yup.  He has outgrown all of his other Lightning McQueen Pajamas (he had 4 pairs last year).  Getting him to get ready for bed has been a challenge (he liked his other pajamas for about a week, and then he wanted his Lightning McQueen back).  Gigi showed up with brand new Lightning pajamas and all was well with the world again.  Unfortunately, only 1 pair.  I see a lot of laundry in my future...

Kim: Yes, I realize the format is a bit different...but it is to allow me to tell the story through our thankfuls in the order of their occurrence.   I am thankful for My Dad.  Who immediately got to work putting together the beds that he made. 

 Let me tell you a little about these beds.  Way back when Lucas was in seminary and we had no children I saw an Ikea catalogue with a picture of a kids room.  It had a loft bed with a tent and a cool reading nook underneath and I thought it was the most amazing kids room I had ever seen.  Fast forward about 5 years and the twins were getting too big for their cribs, and I was starting to think about putting together their "big kid" rooms.  I could not get that picture out of my head.  I wanted a loft bed that would leave their entire floor space open for play and that would create a cozy nook-like environment for a reading space.  But I wanted them to be super sturdy (kids are destructive...my kids seem especially), and I wanted them to be really nice.  So, last Christmas, I talked with my dad about what I wanted.  We hashed out some points of design, and then he got to work.  Basically, he made my dream beds/room a reality.  He's pretty amazing.

Allie: My New Bed.  The finished product was AMAZING.  The kids literally could not get enough.  The adults couldn't either.  Honestly, I'm writing this 4 days later and they still can't get enough of their beds.

On the ladders.  They LOVE climbing up and down!

 Under the beds.  It really is cozy under there!!

Kim: The new beds.  Words cannot express how much I love the new beds and the new room!  The kids LOVE sleeping in them.  It has made bed and naptime easier.  The beds look amazing - and the room looks really amazing and more put together with them.  The reading nook is perfect.  

The kids love reading and playing under there.  I do too.  They already have piles of stuffed animals and pillows to snuggle in.  I love it.   But the thing I love the most?  The imaginative play that is happening in these beds!  Within 24 hours the beds had been a boat, a plane, and a bus.  They are not only a great piece of furniture but a favorite new toy!  Best of all, they aren't just something nice we bought at a store.  They are handmade by someone we love...and who loves us a lot!  I love being surrounded by things that were made by people we love (like the flags we put around the bed and their blankets that were made by Aunt Mindy).

We love the beds!

Thank you, Papa!!!