Happy New Years to all and to all a good night

I'm sitting here in the midst of another beautiful moment. Jamie's reading books to Matthew, Mark is in Grandma's lap and they are looking at the balls and bells on the tree. Papa is watching football and I'm just enjoying the sounds of my children and being with family. We're with Jamie's family this time. What a wonderful holiday season we've had. This past two weeks we've spent a lot of time with a lot of family. It's been so nice. I need to update a bunch of pictures but right now I'm not at home, not on my computer. ... so I'll do that next week.

Last year I spent a long post reflecting on the past months of travel and events. I will tell you that I'll spare us all that month by month break downthis year. Let's see if I can do this in a shorter way... I was blessed last year on Dec 23rd with my second son, so I can tell you that the first several months of 2009 were HARD and LONG and sleep-deprived. But of course worth it all the same. In March I was able to surprise my best friend for her birthday, that was definately a highlight of the year. Another highlight for our family was in August spending a week in CO with our family, my parents, my sister and her boyfriend and his family. It was a very neat joint vacation. The end of the year has been my favorite so far. I've been surounded with family and yesterday my sister and her boyfriend got engaged. It's so exciting to see them start to plan their lives together for the long haul. They have some obstacles facing them to start off but I knwo that they can do it. I am so happy for them both! My sister has worked so hard and so long and she deserves to be loved and cherrished and I know that this man will do just that.

In addition to my reflections post last year... I mad ea big long todo about my goals for the year to come. I will not be doing that again this year. I can tell you some thoughts, but not specific goals. 1. Lose weight. Period. Last year I put a number on it and didn't make that number. Not bad, I'm not far from it, but still no dice. There were a lot of other weight related goals last year but they weren't reached, and this year I'm not interested in setting myself up for failure. I need to lose the rest of this weight. That's all there is to it.

2. I need to be more in the Word. Daily. No excuses. No but no if no after no whenever I can maybe put the baby... no... I need to be in the Word daily. I read what I wrote last year about me talking to my earthly husband and telling him that I love him daily, but neglecting my Heavenly Father and my Heavenly Husband. Why????!? Am I really too busy to love Jesus every day? To show Jesus my love by honoring Him and reading His word?? The answer better be no.

That's all.

Good night everyone. Merry New Year.

Perfection

As I looked around the living room this evening, I was touched... blessed. There was a moment when my heart just soared, I was on cloud nine. I was smiling ear to ear and it wasn't because of the beautiful music coming from the tv. It was because my family. Most everyone that I hold dear to my heart was in the same room, with the same purpose. My oldest son sat in his daddy's lap, my youngest in mine, a dog between us, my parents on the couch across from us, my sister in a big comfy chair, her boyfriend at her feet, another dog next to him, ....Christmas carols being sung by a choir... it was perfection. I felt my heart just beat faster thinking about it again. It was just beautiful. I watched my son watch my uncle's chorus sing these beautiful songs and my heart just was so happy. As they sang songs he is getting familiar with, it was just beautiful--- I wish I could come up with another word, but it was just simply beautiful to watch him know the songs that tell the story of Christ's birth. He knows that tomorrow is Jesus' birthday and we give gifts to celebrate that God gave us a gift. He gave us Jesus. There is nothing more touching than that child-like-faith.

For more information on the amazing choir we watched tonight, click here to learn about the Ambassadors of Harmony located out of St. Louis, MO. I love them. They are amazing.

My baby is one.

Happy Birthday Mark Edward!!!
It's hard to believe it's been a year already.
Look wear we came from in just a fast flying year.

We weren't sure we were going to all come home together for a moment of our hospital stay. I am so blessed. I am so grateful that God made you healthy and let you come home with us. It has been such a joy watching you grow from baby to a big boy.

Look at this big one-year old! Happy Birthday angel boy.

You started walking yesterday. Walked before your birthday. How about that?!

Snowman cake

The dreaming stages for Mark's birthday cake. Theme of party: snowman. Cake desires: A huge snowman cake! I really wanted to make a great cake for his party. I really wanted it to turn out...

And I was SO pleased with how it did! Isn't he cute?!

Mark of course got his own "smash-it" cake!

Not too sure at first, but eventually dove in...

And I do mean, dove in.

Jesus Jesus Precious Jesus

There is nothing sweeter than my 3 year old son singing words of Praise! This afternoon he was singing without prompting "Jesus Jesus Precious Jesus Oh I trust Him Jesus Jesus Precious Jesus" We listen to a CD with this song on it often in the car... here are all the words, in case you aren't familiar with it or if you'd just like to read the words again. Do you trust in Jesus? Can you sing to Him, "Jesus Jesus Precious Jesus, oh for Grace to trust you more!"? How God works in my son to tug at my heartstrings... I'm always amazed.

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

Text: Louisa M. R. Stead, c. 1850-1917
Music: William J. Kirkpatrick, 1838-1921

1. 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
and to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise,
and to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I've proved him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

2. O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
and in simple faith to plunge me
neath the healing, cleansing flood!

(Refrain)

3. Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace.
(Refrain)

4. I'm so glad I learned to trust thee,
precious Jesus, Savior, friend;
and I know that thou art with me,
wilt be with me to the end.

(Refrain)

Nothing Compares

This weekend our church put on our annual Christmas Concert. This year we did a marvelous Travis Cottrell book, King of Glory King of Love. Go here to check out more of his website.

The point of this blog post though is to take just a moment and share with you something from my heart. I know there are those reading that I've never met. You don't know me from Adam... here's a window into my life. Click on this video and watch our Choir sing this song called Nothing Compares. I have a solo part way into the song. I'd love to share that with you. I'd love share with you this song.... there's a line that says "I could count all the ways that my heart has been blessed, but nothing compares, to this."

Do you have that joy? I do hope so. May God bless you.

Enjoy this song.

... and ignore the larger than life shepherd standing next to me. To my right on the stage was manger scene. hehe!

something special about a baby

There is just something special about a baby being born...

This week has been interesting for my family. Monday night I drove with Markie to KY to be with a friend of mine while she prepared to deliver a baby. There is something special about the arrival of a newborn...the long wait finally over... the baby that God gave a momma breathes his first breath outside the womb. It's truly amazing. There is no greater miracle than the gift of life. Psalms 139 says that the Lord knew us in our mothers' wombs. The Bible says that He knew us before we were formed. That He knows our names. He knows how many hairs are on our heads.... just amazing.

When you are abe to be a witness of life being born... it's so hard to imagine that God could give up His only son for you and me. but He did. amazing isn't it?? I love counting down the days to Jesus' birth so we can celebrate THAT miracle!

Thanksgiving recap

I know I'd already started a "Christmas" type post but I just got all my pictures edited from Thanksgiving. We drove ten hours to STL, paused for about 3-4 hours and then kept driving another 4 hours to KC. We spent Thanskgiving day with my best friend and her family. Then drove back to STL in the evening to spend the rest of the weekend with my family. I think we had a great visit with both families. Thanksgiving day was wonderful. And then our Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday was also wonderful. I was able to reconnect with long lost family members that we hadn't seen in years. It was really a great day. All aside from GA Tech losing. :( Boo. Oh well, maybe next year!

"well, hi!"

So sorry it's been so long since I last wrote... Almost two weeks... The holidays are BUSY aren't they? Things start taking on their own routines and schedules and priorities. I will be glad for January just to be back in a normal routine again. This month of December we have 4 parties, 3 concerts, 2 additional church days, a blood drive, a preschool program, professional pictures, and a partridge in a pear tree!!! It seems like it just doesn't stop. My baby will be one in just 20 more days. It is hard to believe. I'm looking at all these "have tos" on my calendar and wonder how much are REALLY "have tos"? How many things could we bag if we needed to? At what point is your family more important than all the "things you have to do"? Are you making your family important at this time of year? It's easy to get caught up in all the running around...

If you're reading this... post a comment for me on what's a tradition that is just focused on family. What's something you do as a family or with your family/for your family that doesn't include running a shuttle from point A to point Q? I'll be curious to see what traditions are out there!