Birthday in the House!!

It is my husband's birthday!!!

Carl, you are my best friend, partner, husband, and still the man of my dreams!! 

That night we met, I'm so glad that you were almost annoyingly persistent and wouldn't take no for an answer!

Tomorrow (the 1st) you turn 32 and I know you feel over the hill. But, I would disagree! You even joke your midlife crisis is on the rise. I couldn't disagree more! We have so much more life together! 

You have given me so many things in our marriage and taught me so many things. 

Patience. To not be QUITE so critical. You don't fuss when I give you honey-dos. You know how to love ME for ME. When I'm hard to love and when I'm easy to love.

I love you aren't afraid to tote kids around while my hands are free. In fact you ask to! 

I love that you are involved. You know what makes a great dad! You have learned trade of what makes a great daddy! I love you for that! 

I love how you are spontaneous!

I love that you are such a handyman. You can fix and build things that I may even doubt. Then when it is finished, I'm like "Heck ya that's my husband!" You know how to support your family and community. You bring unity to people just by making them smile. You are so great with just being you and not being in the spotlight. That is why I love you! You do all these great things but don't want the pat on the back. You do them because you are genuinely that nice guy.

You are adventurous! I love that about you. I would be a homebody if it wasn't for you! You take us out for adventures. You bury treasure in the back yard and make a map for the kids to find treasure. I just love how you are always thinking of things to do. 

You forgive quickly.

Have I mentioned you wear a baby well?! I just love you babe! God has truly blessed me with the right match. 

I love that you are in God's word daily. You talk about God's word with me. You hold our family Bible study in the evenings.

You go out of your comfort zone for you children (and persistent wife). Coach Fielder, you rocked your soccer season might I add! Your son will never forget that moment either. 

I love you because the best things in my life happen with you!

Staying up with kids when they just aren't fully up to par and aren't wanting to be in their bed. I love you because you gave me her. 

I love you because you love my family!

I love you because you're always on my side.

I love you because you're a good sport! You let things happen in life and just roll right off you. I just can't let things be sometimes. I truly do love that about you. 

I love that you go to work everyday so that I can stay home with our kids.

I love that you are an outdoorsman. You have brought the love of being out doors to me and our children. 

I love that you know how to make me laugh! Even when I'm trying REALLY hard to NOT! 

I love that you allow the kids to use you as a jungle gym! 

I love how smart you are! 

I love that you take the trash out.

You stand up for what you believe in even if it means loosing someone or something. 

You have became the Spiritual Leader of our household that I have always envisioned.

I love that you cherish your family over anything else in the world. 

You stay up late even though you have to be up early for work the next day just to spend more time with us. You are such an amazing man, Carl! 

I love you because you are YOU! 

Happy Birthday Babe! Looking forward to your next birthday's with you!! 

FYI, I have a whole party for you going on in New York around midnight for you!

Christmas Eve

Our family getting is ready for our candle light service. This is one of my very favorite services of the year. Many reasons.

We are all gathered together to worship for the same reason, Christ's birth!

Bear 4, Itty Bitty and Bubbers 11 mo., & BL 7

We are in a constant reminder that of the true meaning of Christmas. I know that Santa is important to some due to building imagination and all that. We do santa in a very small fashion...to be honest, mainly, so our kids don't ruin Santa for other people's children. Santa is only brought up when our children bring him/her up, which isn't too often to us. I love hearing "Christmas isn't about all the presents mom!" "Christmas is my favorite time because that's Jesus's birthday!" That is what I love to hear. My son practically will preach it to our 4 year old when she is over Santa-fying the conversation. That boy is being strongly prayed for to be a major advocate for Christian Apologetics!! We need more men and women to take big stands for Christ.

I love Christmas music! I've mentioned in a previous post my favorite Christmas song and why. But, give me Christmas music after Thanksgiving and I'm happy! NOT the decorations. The music! I love Silent Night as well. Shepherd's quake at the sight, Glories stream from heaven afar, radiate beams from thy holy face...Alleluia to our King. Christ the Savior is born!! I just love it! I cannot imagine being one of those who saw Christ as a babe. I would be quaking too and silent! Such a beautiful song. Shouldn't I still quake at what Christ does in my life? Shouldn't I still be silent?

Reminds me to love. To love with every ounce in me. To love like I have never loved before. That kind of love when you're at Walmart and you don't purposely go out of your way to be rude. That love that when you do the unexpected, you leave the person speechless! The love that somehow just melts your insides. It leaves you so vulnerable and quite possibly have to fight back a tear because you are so over filled with IT. That LOVE is the ONLY love that GOD can give to you!! Only a believer can truly experience and show and KNOW that kind of true love. Simply, because there has never been anyone other than God himself to show that type of love to anyone but him. 

Hope. Every Christmas Eve service gives me hope. Hope that the next year one of my children or nephews will become a believer!! Hope that Christ will return!! We are waiting for one my children (minus the babies) and a nephew to become a believer. This is a daily outpouring prayer of mine.

Joy! Joy to the World and I've Got the Joy Joy Joy Joy Down in my Heart! Joy!! Christ WILL return one day and that won't even stop the rocks from singing and rejoicing in his return! I must prepare room for Him for that joyous occasion if I'm here when He decides to make his return. Christmastime gives me joy! 

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to his own town to register.  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2:1-20

Lastly, I love this time due to family. I know I have mentioned before what my family means to me and why I am ever so thankful for them. But, I love that my children truly NEED my sister (Nanna) and her husband, my brother (Hunky Wes). My children NEED their cousins. I NEED my sister and brother. Bear came home today sobbing because she was so incredibly sad that she couldn't stay longer with them today. Remind you we would see them again in 3 hours after she dropped them off. But, she and Baby Love have a bond with them that I am ever so grateful for. Along with my sister and brother's heart is just pure gold.

My parents. (tear) I terribly NEED them. They work so hard at supporting our decisions and just loving us. They know what being a genuine parent is. There are no strings attached at the other end when you call and may possibly need something or even just want to talk. God knew exactly what he was doing pairing my family together. Somedays I just sit and think and soak it all in of the wonderful gifts that God gave to me JUST through my family. Like I said, I NEED my parents. My children may possibly if there is a chance, NEED them more than I do. The love they have to Papa and Gigi and vice versa is unstoppable. There is nothing like it. I strive to be the mom that my mom was/is to me towards my children. I will one day strive to be the gigi/grandma/granny whatever the kid(s) call me towards them. She is amazing at pretty much anything she does!

This man right here. He is everything that I wanted when I said "I do". He has grown as the spiritual leader of our house and knows how to protect us in our spiritual walk along with protecting in many other ways. Just like my sister and parents I NEED NEED NNNEEEDD him. When we got married we were still kids and I love seeing how we have grown together in Christ. I love seeing where Christ has brought us! Just one more way that God is showing me how much he loves me! Christmas just seems like the most open time for all the mushy feelings and tender hearts to show. (I'm not so mushy and tender most of the time.) It is easy to see all that God has given. I do believe that God has given me the best of the best!! 

God has given me some of the GREATEST family that He could ever have given. We are not your normal. We don't claim to be your average normal family either. That is what I love. 

God gets every single bit of glory in my life for it all. 

Hope that you have a VERY Merry Christmas!!

Many Blessings To YOU!!!

O Holy Night

Cantique de Noel began as a poem in 1847 until Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure sent it to his friend Adolphe Charles Adams to set it to music. You can read all of the history of the coming of the beautiful song here. 

How this song came together from two men from totally different background is just absolutely amazing to me! This is what one may call "a God thing". Not only was it the two men who had their belief differences but, their countries were at war. 

I love this song! You get the complete gospel package from this one song. Did you know that in 1906 it aired on AM radio for the first time! And for the first broadcasting THIS is the song they chose. Want to read more on this find it here. 

We are eagering longing for Christ's return to set us free from our sins. In Romans 8:19-22, creation was waiting eagerly for the son of God to be revealed. With Christ's birth we saw redemption and reconciliation through that God's son. God promises that the pains and heartaches and groans of this world will not be apart of the new heaven and that is what I am looking forward to! This song reminds me of that!! In Christ we are made new. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19, Paul reminds us that we are made new in Christ and continues to work in me. 

Matthew 2:8, The Magi were sent to search for the son of God on Herod's behalf. Once they found the child, they bowed down and worshiped him. Here are the smartest of the smartest men of the time out in the search for this child. And they were bringing him gifts fit for a king and what do they do!? They fell on their knees and worshiped him! They knew as soon as they saw him he was the son of God. Perfect reminder to me as to where the true importance SHOULD be at for this holiday season! We should be on our knees worshiping Christ! 

Love. This is where it gets me in the gut. 

Love.

John 15 speaks a lot of love. But, stands out is verse 13. 

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 

We are to love each other as Jesus loved us, and he loved us enough to give his life for us. We many not have to die for someone, but there are other ways to show sacrificial love. 

Next is 1 John 4

Let us love one another, for love comes from God.

Most people think love is a feeling. Love isn't a feeling. Love is an action! (I'm reminding myself of this) Love is a choice. God is the source of my love. He loved me enough to sacrifice his Son for me. Jesus is our example of what love means. As Christians, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to love like Christ loves. 

I am choosing LOVE. 

Many Blessings To YOU!! 

The God Answer

We are wrapping up our body unit that we have have been doing in Science.

BL takes his final Science test before moving onto the next unit in our curriculum on Thursday. So, we made our life size human body. We traced their body onto paper and then placed the organs in the proper placement. 

Working on our cutting skills! He is an expert and has been for awhile. Just really good exercise for his weak hands. She has strong hands and cutting has seemed to be "easy" for her. He is just much more precise in his cutting than her. Tis their personalities shining even through cutting! Ha!! 

Cheesing moment while coloring his lung!

Princess doing school in her sequins this morning! She adds so much color to our family. 

Her finished product of her body we did today. 

BL's final product! We were not going to do the reproductive parts. But, I had them already copied off and of course Bear thinks we needed to use them! 

Over all they thought doing the body today was "pretty cool". 

Today we also read The Gingerbread Pirates! It was a pretty cute book. After we read the book I asked "what is important to you during Christmas". Thinking that since the book geared towards Santa and the gift he left, they would say a "god" answer and presents. But, they BOTH said that 

"Jesus's birthday and the gift of God's love is the only thing that is important!!" That just melted my heart as a parent! It is obvious that we are doing something right!!!

Many Blessings To YOU!!!

Mercy

We are finding the area and perimeter of our gingerbread men! The best part for them I assume, was eating the marshmallows after measuring! I did learn my lesson today. Do our workbooks BEFORE the fun part and eating marshmallows.....

Cinderella, as she is being referred to these day even enjoyed it! She now knows how to measure the perimeter and area of ANYTHING! 

Finding the area. Once again. Do the school workbooks BEFORE measuring with marshmallows. Hard to get the rest of the work done after all the fun part!

We have been doing the Adventure in Odyssey's: Whits End Mealtime Devotions for a few weeks now. We have really enjoyed this book and our meal time talk! It starts off with a mealtime prayer. Gives you a new fresh way to bless our food. So they learn that they can pray for other things other than mommy and daddy and the food. Then moves into the Appetizer course of the devotion. This has a fun question or activity. One of the first lessons we did the appetizer was to put a bowl of ice-cream in the middle of the table. Then it just sit there until the end of the devotion. Next is the Main Course. This usually used an object lesson or a just thinking idea. After the Main Course is our Table Talk. Carl will ask the questions to help with an interesting discussions of our devotion. The ice-cream that was put in the middle of the table turned to showing that it wasn't everlasting and that God is everlasting. We have really enjoyed our mealtime devotions. It seems that it is easier to get that in during dinner since we are all automatically at the table together!

One mission that has been on my heart along with my family's heart is Mercy Ships. If you have not looked up this mission organization you MUST!! This is a ship that serves as a hospital!!! The ship delivers hope to those around the globe that is in a dire need of medical attention. Mercy Ships have delivered more than a billion dollars worth of medical attention for FREE to those people that their country does not provide access for their medical needs. 

The ship provides eye surgery, dental care, and life transformation surgeries. The surgeries go from birth defects, tumors, and neglected trauma. Along with the attention they give to the people they are also training their own people to tend to medical needs. Along with the surgeries they are providing orthopedic care and physical therapy. They also tend to women's health along with addressing mental health issues. I just absolutely  LOVE what this ship is doing for the people! There are several ways to give to them. You can pick where your money goes or just make a blank donation.

Many Blessings To YOU!!!

Run, Run As Fast As You Can!!

We went to our local theater this weekend and watched Beauty and the Beast! The whole entire cast did such a fantastic job!! One more reason why our city is so amazing. It's small town feeling with lots to do! This is my family. Mom and dad. Along with my grandma-ma, sister and her husband and kids. One of our high school friends was the director of the play. So it was super nice to be able to go on stage and take a group picture. 

We are starting our gingerbread unit this week and it will carry through next week. Today they created their own gingerbread man and told me a little about their gingerbread man. 

Hers by the end of the glitter glue, Pom poms, sequins, googly eyes, and ribbon turned out to be gingerbread man monster she said. 

Doing a self test getting ready for the big unit test. Explaining to me one of his answers. 

She was on the ball today!! Whizzed through her work like a pro and was all about it. She now has about 8 short stories she is able to read through. 

Our holiday season has began! Had our first Christmas party this past weekend and more celebrations coming soon! Along with a wedding!! 

Many Blessings To You!!

Grace...

Growing up I always heard, "You are near perfect as perfect can be". To which I strived to live as near perfect as I could possibly be and still knowing I sinned 'a little'. I know that some of my actions couldn't compare to others of my peers if we are to put on a scale of worst to best...I knew I wasn't perfect but I just didn't think I was "as bad as others". 

Which now as an adult I see that I was wrong. God gave me the same exact grace as the one who was the worst. 

Not shaming being told "You're near perfect as perfect could be" (I tell my kids that but reminding them they are that way with God's power) but it gave me a false look on how bad I really was. 

My heart was in the wrong place. I (speaking of myself) felt that I was good on my own. I was a Christian with this mentality. 

"'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecution, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Here I was thinking I was good and I was truly being a natural born sinner! Only he is able to make me (us) effective for his work. I don't know why it took me until I was a mom to realize my weaknesses and that I couldn't do any job, talent, or gift without HIS help. 

God's everlasting grace is exactly what I (we) need. I was so into me, I forgot my humility! I know that humility and Junior High/High School student isn't always hand in hand. However, I can only imagine what it would have been like for me to show others the kindness and grace that God has given me. 

Please read Romans 5. Talks about the marvelous grace that God has bestowed upon me (us). How that even though I am a sinner who cannot even come close to perfection He still provided a way. Instead of punishing me, Christ took it upon himself and died on the cross. Now, I can rejoice that I am a sin and God grace has looked pass all the sin. 

Hard lesson but I have decided that any thing that is not in Christ, just isn't for me. The more work, friends, and places I go that is IN Christ the closer I am to Christ. I have decided that being in Christ is much better than all the drama that this world provides. 

Paul reminds us that just because we have the grace and forgiveness doesn't me we get to sin like the dickens. Romans 6:1-2 If we are to take sin less serious than Christ dying on the Christ is less serious as well. We cannot take advantage of God with our sin...Okay, that's said. I didn't want you to think that purposely sinning was okay. 

Julia Harriette Johnston wrote a beautiful hymn on grace.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!

Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,

There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

 Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Many Blessings To YOU!!

Beginning to Look like Christmas!

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving!! I know we did!!

This weekend our downtown had their annual Lights up the Plains and the kids had a blast!! I love our downtown! They do so many fun things! The weather was great (did get chilly towards the end). 

Sorry for the phone pictures. I love seeing all the lights and the people that we run into! This was the first year that we had a parade downtown during this time! 

Over view of the large light tree they had on the courthouse lawn.

Ended the evening with fireworks! Can't get any better than that!!! Pretty sure that the display was better than our 4th of July display we had! One year we watched the fireworks while it was snowing. Super neat experience!! 

Made a wreath for the front door this last weekend. 

Window display of snowballs! This was a super fun thing to make!! I wanted it to fill the window all the way down. However, the babies wouldn't leave them alone and I would have cotton all over the place! 

This is our traditional non-traditional tree. When I was growing up living at home my mom never had the traditional Christmas tree. I am letting that live on with my kids as well! Last year we had a tomato planter and turned upside down and tightly wrapped it with lights. This year I opted for a tree that the babies couldn't pull over or mess with. It's string art on the wall! 

We are also doing the Jesse Tree. If you don't know what the Jesse Tree is, represents the genealogy of Jesus. It tells the story of God's salvation plan beginning with creation and going through the Old Testament to the coming of the Messiah in the New Testament. The name comes from Isaiah 11:1, "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and branch from his roots will bear fruit." 

We are using this to celebrate Advent this year. Each of the ornaments represent a foretelling of Christ. And uses scripture for each day.

I still have more decorating to do!! Next week we are starting our gingerbread unit!! 

Many Blessings To YOU!!!!

Hello Personalities!!

We started our day off with some airplane building/decorating.  Some days when she wakes up ready to create those sometimes are our scary/hard days...so far (knock on wood) has not been one of those days!! Besides she thinks she is now the WORLDS STRONGEST GIRL because she can pick up an airplane. 

After breakfast I thought I could possibly get a picture or two of the  babies. I was pretty much wrong. They are too much on the move and go go go to sit for a picture. Last night I laid down in bed and was just in awe that in 2 months they will be a year old. I am assuming having double is why the year has gone by so quick along with just the nature of my aging. Here are a few from the morning that I could snap that wasn't a complete blur! 

He is one silly silly boy! I love seeing their personalities unfold. Just as soon as I think I have them figured out, they totally change on me! I swore he would be like his older brother. Calm, sensitive, in tune to everyone around him and she would be our rowdy, loud, and and not so in tune to anyone around her. I do believe that what I thought a few months ago is changing! He is a flirt. He is funny. He is messy. He even has an ornery face already. She is calm with a bit of a wild streak. She is sensitive to her surroundings.  Active yet keeps it together. 

I love watching our kids grow and change. I love how different they are yet we have the same goal. 

Today is our last school day of the week. It's our unit test days in all our subjects! 

We ended our day with reading The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks book. And then did a guided drawing. 

The guided drawing..was not really her speed. More his speed. After it was all said and over with we had a pilgrim girl and boy with a turkey. I found the instructions on a blog I found (which I can't find the link to now). If I find the link I will add it to the post later. 

Such a great week we have had and will continue our Thanksgiving learning next week!

Many Blessings To YOU!!!