Christmas celebrations

What a dear thing to celebrate the birth of the Savior with our family this past week! It felt like a very unusual Christmas with the greater amount of driving this year, but we were so glad to see our families!
We went to Union Station a couple weeks ago for some family fun and to what turned out to be a rather disappointing model train display. We took the Metro, and let me tell you, you have never seen two kids more excited about riding mass transit! They were far more impressed by riding a "choo choo" than the display at Union Station. The Capital is just two blocks from there so we made the cold walk for a short visit.
We enjoyed our own little family Christmas before heading south with a big breakfast then presents. Isaac came running back upstairs that morning saying, "Mommy, there's presents under the tree!!!" We were grateful to be able to give our kids a couple small gifts, but even more grateful that we can tell them of the greatest gift of all and why we celebrate Christmas.

We first made the long leg of the journey to Tennessee to be with my family for a couple short days. Isaac and Samy didn't sleep well the whole trip which made for some irritable children (and now we know they were getting sick too). Samy loved playing with her cousins! Maybe it's because they don't hit her all the time like her usual playmate :o) Isaac just wasn't quite himself and kept disappearing and wanting to play alone (or with Grammy). But he was so patient as we drew names for opening presents and was next to last of the 9 grand kids.

On to Georgia! Isaac had hours of fun with his favorite thing at Grandan & Bubbe's, Pac Man (one of those plug-in joysticks with several old school video games). In times past he's only wanted to watch others get "ate up" by the ghosts or crash the car in Pole Position, but this time he actually played and did pretty well for a 3 year old. We took on a 3-D puzzle and the four-wheeler.

Merry Christmas!

As I'm sure the next few days will be even more crazy than the last week has been, I want to wish you all a very blessed Christmas!!! We are so grateful to God for the amazing miracle of Christmas. We do not celebrate just a babe in a manger, but the Great I Am becoming flesh and blood so that He might bear the righteous wrath of God for our sins! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Christ by highest heaven adored

Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come

Offspring of a Virgin's womb

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see

Hail the incarnate Deity

Pleased as man with man to dwell

Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Peaceful situation

I have been reading an excellent biography on John Newton (author of Amazing Grace) by Jonathan Aitken, which I would highly recommend! I just had to share this wonderful quote from Mr. Newton with you.
It comes shortly after his deliverance from a nearly sinking ship. God had spared his life again and again in the craziest of circumstances, most of which were brought on by his own sinful lifestyle. And the Lord kindly delivered him again as his ship was nearly lost at sea in a horrible storm. After they arrived to the “safety” of land, Newton went hunting with the mayor. He broke all the rules of safety by leaving his loaded gun with barrels tilted toward his face. The gun accidently went off, coming so close to his head that it burned the corner of his hat! This was Newton’s reflection on this close call:
“Thus when we think of ourselves in the greatest safety we are no less exposed to danger than when all seems conspiring to destroy us. The divine providence that is sufficient to deliver us in our utmost extremity is equally necessary in the most peaceful situation.”

May we all take comfort in the One who holds all of our days!

If you shop online you should try this!

I signed up with ebates a few months ago and have made almost $30 just doing the online shopping I would have done anyway (and that was only on 2 purchases)! I have yet to look for a store they don't have and you get cash back for your purchases. If you sign up through me we both get a $5 bonus just for you signing up (though you have to make your first purchase to actually get it). Just follow this link: click here

Ultimate Man part 2

As a really funny follow-up to my post on Ultimate Man, you just have to watch this very short video!!! This is the man Keith works for :o)

Tag, you're it!!!

So Crystal Law tagged me, which I didn't even know was something you could do on a blog, so I'm joining in the fun :o)

Here are the rules for those of you whom I'm about to tag: go to your Pictures file go to the 5th folder open up the 5th picture and post it then tag 5 people when you are done.

Meghann Roberts, Jen Altrogge, Kim Pfaller, Tiffany Hansen and Melissa Goins --TAG, YOU'RE IT!! And like Crystal, it's just fun so no pressure :o)

Here is my picture. It is from Isaac's swim lessons with Miss Coco this past summer. Guess we won't be using those skills anytime soon :o)

A wintery weekend

I'm missing Florida quite a bit by now...the wind chill Sunday was in the teens! There was snow on Saturday! And it's only mid-December. But there was much fun and joy to be had indoors and even a little in the snow.

Saturday I got to enjoy the company of many dear ladies at the PC Wives Christmas Tea! What a delight to be included in this event! We played a game that tested how well we all knew the PC couples' wedding stories. And though our rowdy team lost our legitimate win because of our lack of subtraction skills, we were vindicated in the end as every lady at our table won a special prize. It was so much fun and such an encouragement to talk to the ladies at my table.
Thank you to all the wonderful women who helped pull this event off!!

Saturday afternoon the snow began to fall and stick! The kids went on the back porch to make a few small snowballs. We were supposed to do family pictures on Sunday outside but since the wind was so fierce we had to reschedule, though snow would have been beautiful in the pictures!

After baths Sunday night Samy was begging to sit on the potty, and though nothing happened, she's too darn cute not to include those pictures :o)

The Ultimate Man

Jeff Purswell gave an astounding message yesterday at CLC on the incarnation. It was such a timely reminder at the beginning of the Christmas season to guard against the allurement of the world to a watered-down Christ. Jesus is so much more than a humble baby lying in a feeding trough--He is the living, reigning, enduring Word of God who became flesh then suffered and died for the sins of the world. But Jesus is even more than that! He is the RISEN Son of God, who has conquered death and is seated in heaven at the right hand of God the Father interceding for those who love Him!
As the December days roll by may we all be reminded that: "The incarnation is the ultimate display of God for the ultimate need of sinners. The Son of God revealed his glory and grace not only by becoming a man but also by dying on the cross for mankind."
And if you're wondering about "the ultimate man," you'll just have to listen to the message--you would never expect the explanation!

So very thankful!

We got to go to my parents' house in Tennessee for Thanksgiving last week. It was a long trip, but well worth it for the wonderful fun and fellowship we had there!!
Lots of eating on Thursday, the girls went shopping on Friday and Friday night we all went downtown to a special Christmas tree lighting with lots of fun things for the kids. There was even a big model train set with several of the Thomas engines. Isaac was beside himself and we had to drag him away.

It was such a blessing to get to spend lots of time with my sister and her family who we haven't seen since last Christmas. Those little girls grow so fast!

Sheep for wood?

A few weeks ago we had two other couples over to play the Settlers of Catan--one of our favorite games! One of the other couples knew the game, but the others were new to it. We had a great time even if Tiffany won :o)