Headbands

I love watching 3 of my favorite people having fun and playing together.  Tonight was Disney Headbands game, a new favorite in our house.  Game nights are the best!

December highlights

A few of my favorite moments in December before I forget after catching up on months of blogging...

ChristmasVille in downtown Rock Hill.

Two sick girls...Tinkerbell was with us all Christmas day and we learned she didn't like pixie dust to eat.  But, Lilli Jane did and licked it out of my hand for 5 minutes.

Lilli Jane, even so sick she just wanted to lie on me gave me her present she made at school and had a little smile.

Blake read the calendar we gave dadd outloud that said all the reasons why we love him.

The girls were "making spirits bright" all month!

Blake made Gingerbread cookies in class with Mrs. Mallone and mommy helping.

We got to try out our new fire pit!

Delaney had pj day at school and loves to climb around in the car.

The kids all enjoyed helping to stamp and decorate the presents wrapped in plain brown paper.

Lilli Jane LOVES baby dolls right now.

I had the best decorated present ever for my birthday and inside was a bright pink umbrella!

We had fun new dress up clothes.

Fun times with friends.

A date night to hear Jazz at the City Club was a great night out.

All the Blake's came to visit and hav Christmas the Sat before.

We donated toys, bikes, and money this Christmas helping many in need.

We also read our Jesse Tree stories and completed it, attended the beautiful Christmas services at church Sunday nights, including my favorite Christmas Eve service that I have missed the past 9 years, went caroling with the GAs, and did our Advent wreath on Sunday nights at home and Christmas morning with Nanny and Grandpa.  The kids were bike helpers and took them and toys to the Toys for Happiness warehouse which was a great experience for them.  Our Christmas and Advent season was FULL of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love!!!  But most of all, full of Him and His Word!!!

Christmas 2014

Christmas Morning pictures...both girls had the flu, all 4 grandparents there with us, beautiful!

Kids,

I just watched a movie called "The Ultimiate Gift" (watch it if you are reading this and I haven't made you already) after a day of cleaning up from Christmas and it made me want to sit down and write to you. We had a great Christmas of course because we were all together, but this year the Advent season meant more to me than ever before and I loved watching you all enjoy it with me.  

Lilli Jane at 1 1/2 years old you are usually in to everything and full of life, but you (and Delaney) had the flu this Christmas, my most memorable moment with you is holding your burning up and lifeless body while the big kids opened her presents and mine waiting on your medicine to start working again.  All I could think about was holding you and making it all go away, the gifts didn't matter, they don't matter...health and love, that's what matters.  Please take care of your bodies through the years, it is a gift!  Drugs, too much alcohol, tattoos, piercings, etc. are not the way to do it, be good to yourself, keep yourself well. "...you were bought at a price, therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:20

Delaney, you are 4 1/2 and so busy this year.  You just want me to hold you and be with you all the time.  You crave love through physical touch.  I know this and I don't feel like I give it to you enough.  Hold those you love, hug them, touch them, kiss them, it matters, I know.  I try to show you this as much as I can, it's so though to all the time though.  You teared up so big today when you just wanted to go for a walk with me.  30 min is all I was going to have to myself today and I wanted it so much that I let you cry, I'm sorry, I should have let you come with me...time together will not last forever, I wish it would, sometimes, many times, it's SO HARD to hold on to that time because life is so busy...SLOW down, cherish the little moments in life.  Each night you all tell me your favorite thing of the day and it never fails that it's something to do with spending time with me or daddy.  Time with each other is so important!  ALWAYS make time for family.  Sometimes I get frustrated, overwhelmed with everything that has to get done in the house and say "wait", "in a minute", "go do something else", "not now".  I wish I wouldn't and I try harder everyday to just "be" with you.  I pray daily for God to help me with that.  "Never be bitter, angry, or mad.  Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others.  Never do anything evil.  Be kind and loving to others.  Forgive others the same as God forgave you through Christ."  Ephesians 4:31-32

Blake, you are 6 (and proud of it).  You love the things in life, the little toys, the things you make, find, build, you hold on to memories through things.  You have really found God this year, you talk about the stories we read and you learn at church, but you feel Him in the things we do for others and in our family.  You have this heart that He has already set up home in.  You love to hear about Him, watch your sister talk about Him (as she preaches from the couch), and talk about how He works in the world through love.  We see Jesus' love in others around town, through missions, and in ourselves as we do things for others during the season and all year long.  You enjoy this so much!  I know that your birth mom and family are probably one of those families that need help at Christmas and other times throughout the year and the things we do I hope in some way reach her through things others like us do in her town.  I think about her and pray for her often, and I hope you do too as you begin to pray on your own soon.  You hold back many times in doing more, giving more of yourself, speaking up about scripture you know, and what your thoughts are.  You memorized this verse this year and it's something you need to remember your whole life.  "Remember that I have commanded you to be brave and strong, so don't be afraid.  The Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go." Joshua 1:9

In the movie I watched tonight a spoiled young man learned what it was like to earn his own money, find his own way in life, and to love for love and nothing else.  I want you to all find that love one day.  A love that doesn't see any material things, but a love that only sees your heart, their heart.  Love for that reason only!  Don't let anyone, not even me, tell you not to love someone because of who they are or what they have or don't have.  Love for love, for happiness and you will turn out just wonderful in life.  Loving God is more important than that even... "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself."  Luke 10:27

How do you love God?  I am trying to teach you, and my answer right now (in case you forgot) at the young ages you are is by loving others like Jesus did.  It doesn't matter who they are what they have or don't have, how they treat you, if they believe, where they live, if they invited you to their birthday party, if they have seen the new movie, if like like Anna better than Elsa, if they ahve dark skin or light, if they speak another language or if they have an accent.  LOVE them, love them like you KNOW Jesus would have and that means you are doing Jesus/God's work here on Earth and that shows Him that you love Him "with all you got" (mission friends version of that verse.  It's the 4-6 year-old answer right now, but many adults don't even have that answer down yet, so if you don't even get any further than that you are doing great to love Him...just be nice, smile at other people.  It's simple.

I love you, 

Mommy

The Perfect Tree

Nanny and Grandpa get a real tree every year.  This year we were able to go with them and Matt's family to hep pick it out, it was fun joining them for this tradition the day after Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day at Nanny and Grandpa's house this year!

Happy Birthday Nanny!

We celebrated Nanny's birthday with all the cousins tonight before the Thanksgiving festivities begin tomorrow.  Delaney made the cake, picking the colors and all!

Fall festival

A fun day at the Greenway at the Fall Festival!

 

 

Date night!

Kevin and I LOVE our date nights, sometimes we go to fundraisers, sometimes we stay home and play yatzee, or have a glass of wine on the porch, and our monthly date is to the theatre in Charlotte with a great meal before.  Tonight we went with David and Brandy to dinner and had a wonderful double date.

Sweet bedtime stories

One of those moments I want to remember because I know I don't have many more years of reading to them every night.

 

Family meeting night

Each Sunday night we have a family meeting. Each person tells each family member something they appreciated this week, we go over our calendar, pick chores, get allounce, say a prayer for the week ending in the Lord's Prayer all together and change the special helper for the week. They love family meetings!

 

Spring break beach days