A Christmas Letter

To the boys,

Let me begin by saying how much I love you, how much you have brought to my life. I thought I had everything in life that I needed and was content, but then God gave me you and suddenly I knew a deeper joy, a greater love, of how to love and what it meant to be loved in return. And part of that is in knowing my Saviour, my God, my Jesus.

He is the reason for celebrating at Christmas, He is the one gift I most want you to have. Please understand that Christmas is about Him, not me, not you and certainly not Santa Claus. If we never watch Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer again or exchange another gift, I'd be okay with that. Because really I have all I need in Christ and you. Having received Gods gift in Jesus we can then give the gift of giving ourselves to those whose needs are greater than ours, sharing a warm smile, a kind word or a much needed hug and a whispered prayer.

I so often feel inadequate, when trying to express my love for Christ and when it comes to modeling that love in my life, I fail miserably. So please forgive me, please understand that when I am struggling with my own human brokenness that I love you and that I want the best for you. That I want you to know and love Jesus as much as I do. I am often shy and fearful especially around crowds of people and that fear paralyzes but you have shown me that it's okay to shake a strangers hand and perhaps make a friend.

Especially you HT, there isn't a shy bone in your body, so willing are you to be friendly that sometimes it scares me. I think that sometimes you are testing peoples willingness to be friendly. You are my charming boy and I am often charmed by your antics, the stories you tell and your exuberance for life. My prayer for you this Christmas is that you will have wisdom and discernment and an angel on your shoulder when I am not there to guide and protect you.

And for you my sweet baby boy, my littlest one, you are so young and so cute and cuddly, sometimes I think I just can't get enough of you, you give the best hugs and melt your mama's heart when you give her that half grin, that little smirk and that look that says, "I see you Mama". You seem to be a bit more reserved than your brother, but are certainly no less charming than he, you have such a sweet spirit and a quiet nature, always watching, looking and then deciding if its for you or not. My prayer for you this Christmas is that you will keep that heart of tenderness pure and that you will have a heart for Jesus.

Last, but not least, to my dear husband, I meant it when I said yes, all of it, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health. We've known a bit of triumph and of trial, the last few years. The former brought us joy and the latter, I hope, has made us stronger. I love you for always and forever, no matter what. My prayer for you my love this Christmas and always is that you will find comfort and purpose as you walk this road of uncertainty that you sometimes find yourself on. Know that you are not alone, that the one who cares for you is He who made the heavens and the earth. And God has given me you and you me and we are "together for good".

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

Kid Friendly Nativity

I have wanted a kid friendly nativity set for a couple of years now and this year my sister-in-law found this set by Melissa and Doug and it fits the bill perfectly.  Thanks Dawn!  

The set we had when I was young my grandmother brought home from Jerusalem.  Its amazing that it survived the trip.  However it did not survive us kids and there were several casualties over the years.  My brother Jared is now the proud owner of what's left of it.

I love that the boys can touch it and play with it and perhaps learn hands on what Christmas is all about and its a good visual for the verses we are reading daily with our advent calendar.  Most importantly they like it too.  The baby Jesus piece is two-sided (the only piece that is) one side shows an empty cradle and the other shows the baby.  HT  has decided that he likes the side with the baby in the cradle best and immediately turned him around when we set it up with the empty cradle side facing outward.

Take a good look, because this is probably the last time you will see it all together.  I have already picked up several pieces and put them back more than once as EM seems to favor the sheep and the shepherds.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. . .  

Isaiah 9:6

Advent Calendar

As I'm sure many of you already know, Sunday was the first day of Advent.  From now until Christmas we celebrate the coming birth of Jesus.

So I was inspired by this website to make an advent calendar.  It was very easy to do using a mini muffin tin some card stock and a sheet of scrapbook paper that had all the numbers printed on it and a few magnets.  I filled each hole with a piece of candy and a scripture verse to be read each day, telling the story of the first coming of Christ.  

Mine was done very simply because I didn't have time to do any thing else, since I only put it together yesterday,  I may or may not add a few little embellishments to a few numbers or add December at the top or I may just leave it alone.  I didn't paint the tin as recommended, that way I can put it back in the drawer after Christmas.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

(P.S. Happy Birthday Phil!)

Happy (burp) Thanksgiving

The table was set with fine crystal and silver

 with family and friends all gathered around

 the turkey was roasted all golden and browned

with trimmings galore we sat ourselves down

gave thanks for our blessings with Gods grace to abound

 we carved up that bird then passed it 'round

'til not an empty plate was to be found

we ate and we laughed, sharing stories

and telling of times shared together

with this one or that one, good times all around

 and then we ate more

with belly's now full 

our plates are now empty

and our hearts are so full

we are thankful and happy

 for pants that are stretchy

for no sooner was dinner down in our belly

we all had pie with ice cream, do tell

So with thankful hearts and full bellies

we give thanks to God, for family and friends

and wish you all Happy (burp) Thanksgiving blessings!

The End.

Psalm 145:21
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.


Amen.

Forever Young

Okay maybe not, but wasn't I cute!

One year old me.

Today is my birthday so I am shamelessly going to wish myself Happy Birthday on this here blog and encourage you to do the same.  

Maybe 18 months here.

Wish me a happy birthday that is . . .

5 or 6 and my first pair of glasses.

. . .  so all you lurkers out there who have come and read my blog but have never commented this is the perfect opportunity to say hello.

8 or 9 perhaps, hello toothless grin!

As you can tell my mother wasn't very good about putting dates on pictures so the only one I know for sure is the first one, 'cuz back in the day they used to put the baby's first year birthday picture and announcement in the local newspaper and I know she got my picture took, but whether or not I made it into print, I just don't know.

My softball career didn't last long, but my knees have fond memories.  NOT! 

I seem to have been very adept at avoiding the camera during part of the late 80's and most of the 90's.  I did scan a few more pictures in but blogger seems to think I don't have permission to use my own pictures and it won't upload them.  Stupid blogger.  I tried adding them to my flickr account but blogger didn't like the url and still wouldn't let me add the photos.  Stupid blogger.  If any of you all have any suggestions, please let me know.  And if you must see a current picture of me there's one in the previous blog post.

Anyhoo, I digress.

If you promise not to ask how old I am, I promise not to tell.

Let's just say I'm old enough to know better, m-kay.

Ya know,  they say that aging is a state of mind, but would someone please tell that to my knees or my aching back or the wrinkles or the really blonde hairs that are taking over and the bags under my eyes, we can't forget about them, no matter how much we try to cover them up.  Some days I wonder what in the heck am doing with two little boys.  Supposedly they keep me young, but by the end of the day I am exhausted.  I'm old enough to be their grandmother, their very "young" beautiful grandmother, but none the less, I'm that old.  I worry about having enough energy to keep up with them, when they start school or when they become teenagers or when they graduate from college or get married, will I still be around?  My own parents died relatively young by today's standard so if you average that with how old I am I should be dead in 20 years.

So far this is the oldest I've ever been.

But lets not think about that.  All in all I am very thankful for my life and the people in it and I wouldn't change a thing, now lets get back to you leaving me a comment and wishing me the happiest of birthdays and making my day all warm and fuzzy.

Thanks all.

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear me, happy birthday to me.

Oh, Snowy Day

We woke up this morning to nearly 10" of snow and they are saying that we are going to get even more this evening into tomorrow and then getting another storm tomorrow night.

HT was very excited to see the snow and insisted on going out this morning before breakfast.  Papa was shoveling the driveway so I let him go.  He wanted to build a snowman but I made him wait until after we got home from church.

How'd we do?

Our poor tree lost several of its branches so we used them for the arms.

 And if anyone can explain the next three pictures to me, 

 especially why my son decided to stick his head in the snow, 

 I would really like to know.

They came inside cold and wet, then snuggled under a blanket and watched cartoons the rest of the afternoon.

I'm thinking we'll have coffee cake and hot cocoa for supper.

Happy Sunday!

Finally, Some Answers!

HT with bobble head Nora, September 2007

Well I shouldn't say finally, 'cuz we have been asking these questions for quite some time and have received several answers along the way.

Let me back up a little.

You remember this post, the one where I tagged you, well since none of you (and YOU know who YOU are) have responded and I have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for someone to put on their writers cap and play along, because it really is kinda fun, I will share with you the answers we have received from Nora Roberts to said questions in said post.

HT, September 2007

I say we because my sister is a huge fan of Nora Roberts and is also one of the administrators for the fan club website Adwoff (A Day With Out French Fries).  Anyway, there is a page on this website where anyone can ask Nora a "Stoopid Question" and Nora has agreed to answer.  My sister has even met Nora and had lunch with her and had the opportunity to ask her in person if the "stoopid questions" drove her nuts.  To which she replied that she enjoyed them as it gave her a challenge and was more entertaining then the usual "stoopid questions".

HT, September 2007

So without further ado here are the questions as posed to Nora and her answers. There is a slight variation in some of the questions posed in my blog post and the way they were posed to Nora, but you get the idea.

1.   How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

"The amount of wood the woodchuck can chuck varies depending on the type of wood to be chucked and the age, weight and experience of the wood chuck.  And, of course, the quality of his dental hygiene.  Not all woodchucks are created equal." - Nora


2.  We know that Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,  but how could he pick a peck of pickled peppers, because don't peppers have to be pickled after they are picked?

"Perhaps the progress of pickling and peppers is a puzzle to you. Proponents proudly produce peck upon peck of previously pickled peppers for the pickled pepper prefering public." - Nora


3.  When Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch that pail of water, why did Jack fall down and break his crown and did Jill really come tumbling after?

"Jack has such an ego he thought he should be wearing a crown. He actually fell down and broke his butt, and Jill laughed hers off." - Nora


4.  I heard when Tweetle Beetles battle in a bottle with their paddles and the bottles on a poodle and the poodle's eating noodles they call this a muddle puddle tweetle poodle beetle noodle bottle paddle battle and I was wondering, why do they battle and what kind of noodle is the poodle eating?

"Tweetle Beetles are born to battle even though the paddle rabble gets them addled. The poodle gets kudos for eating egg noodles till she can say toodles and go back to her doodles." - Nora


Hm, do Tweetle Beetles Twitter?

Sorry, got distracted for a moment.

Continuing on.

5.  Did the North-Going Zax and the South-Going Zax ever solve their dispute or are they still standing there in their tracks in the prairie of Prax?  Don't the North & South going dudes have to pee yet?

"As neither will accept the facts, Zax North-Going and South stubbornly stand stalemated on the Prairie of Prax.  Like all guys, North and South pee as they go." - Nora


6.  If you could wish to wish a wish, what wish would you wish for?

"If I could wish for a wish I'd wish for everybody to wish for a wish so we have a wish for a wish-a-thon." - Nora

7.  For Christmas would you rather have Merry Christmas Mush to munch or flapjacks flapped by a fat flapjack flapper in a flat flapped-jack cap?

"My mouth says muh to Merry Christmas Mush, but I do flips for flapjacks." - Nora

8.  I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought. If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, which thought would I have thought?

"I'm always thinking I thought I thought but often I only thought I thought and have only begun to think. However, I think if we think we thought then we did indeed think the thought. (It's very Zen.)" - Nora


There you have it, the famous Nora Roberts playing blog tag, and on my blog!

Is that exciting or what!?

Okay maybe not.

As my 4 year old would say . . .  "Mama you're lloosional!"


It probably was delusional to think that someone would play along, so its good to know Nora's got my back.

Thanks Nora.