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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Pre-holiday Activities:

1) Spent Christmas bonus on a new camera- YAY!


2) Fun in the Snow! Josiah calls it ---"dnnooooow". He fell face first, which he didn't like. He actually stood at our back door and said,"Go, go," meaning that he wanted to go inside. Josiah has never made this request on that side of the door before.






(Unfortunately, this was on the way out the door. It is always a wrestling match, and here he is flinging his boots off (for probably the fifth time) before we went out this morning!)



3) Made a ginger bread house. Chris had never done one before, and has always mentioned that it may be fun. So we gave it a whirl.



The results kind of look like we drank a bit too much while we were doing it. Next year...I will make my own from scratch. The icing was too drippy!




4) Counting down.. this is a new advent calendar I got while we were on our trip. Josiah really likes the doors. He tries to climb up and reach it. I think it will be more fun for him next year.



5) Setting boundaries...that Josiah is pushing every day! I love his energy and 'life'...really, I do! I just have to remind myself of that sparkle in his eye when I am experiencing the negative side to his personality. I wouldn't trade his spunk in the good times, but he has been a bit hard to manage as of late. We wrestle with how to discipline without damaging his spirit and 'wild side'! Wish us luck! Oh, and he is cutting five new teeth all at once, which probably isn't making the behaviours any better!



6) Events: We attended my staff party a couple of weeks ago. It was the Allison Baptist dinner theater. Very well done! My mom came up to visit, so she babysat for us.  She also watched Josiah so we could shop for his presents.  I didn't realize how hard it was to not spoil your kid/s at Christmas! We did well, but it was hard to not buy two of everything we thought he would like (until I thought of how I might fit it all into our already overcrowded space). Chris went to his staff party on Saturday night. It was a house party. I made two pumpkin cheesecakes to send with him (without the usual candied pecans that go on top, because I burned them very badly!).The family festivities (on my side) begin this weekend, so that will be fun.

7) Decorating. Very minimal this year. Josiah is just at that phase where I can't be bothered to try and keep him out of even more stuff, so we kept it to the basics.  A tree with all non-breakable ornaments and lights, and a few decorations on some top shelves. Glad that Christmas means way more than how my place looks!

8) Listening to great Christmas music, and starting to watch those funny and sappy holiday movies...I just can't help it!

9) Finding ways to both quiet my heart and celebrate!!!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Today, I am feeling so thankful, and needed to share.

 In the midst of busyness (and sickness), God has given me a gift today.

He has allowed my heart to pause, and give thanks for these guys, and so much more.




It was two years ago around this time that I completely surrendered my dream of having a child to God. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. That fall, I had miscarried our third baby. I didn't know what God had in store for our future. It seems like such a long time ago, but really it hasn't been all that long since God has blessed us with Josiah. I was talking to my mom when she was up last, and we realized that if the other three pregnancies had worked out, there would probably not be a Josiah in our family today (Chris definitely didn't want 4 kids!). It made me that much more thankful for him!

Since that time, God has been slowly been restoring my hope. This Christmas season reminds me of that more than any other. I have hope that if God carried Jesus from the manger to the cross, He will see me through whatever he has planned...and even give me BIG, unexpected blessings along the way!



Blessings on you all as you prepare to celebrate this amazing season!

Just a Peek