Looking Back And Ahead

Today is the last day of 2011.  Just a few more hours left in this year.  It is very hard to believe...it has just gone so fast.  Looking back since January there have been so many changes.  Most for the better and all of them for my good.  God intends everything in our lives for good.  I have watched my daughters grow and mature into beautiful, wonderful and sharp young women.  I have watched my granddaughter learn to crawl and walk and run.  Seen a whole new world through her little eyes.  I have learned to slow down and let things go and to just watch her learn and explore.  I have seen my parents grow older and funnier.  I am so thankful that they are still very healthy and active.  I watched my niece become a gorgeous bride and get married to a great young man.  I have had a sweet core group of friends that I have grown even closer to this year.  These ladies are as close to me as family and I am so grateful for their prayers, commitment to our friendships and their love for the Lord.  I have watched this world spiral into depths of all kinds.  So sad and yet there have been many bright spots too that revive hope in a weary place.  I have seen deaths and births.  New sicknesses and some healed.  Life is truly precious.  I can honestly say that at this point...today..I love my life.  I have enough.  Enough is as good as a feast.  Oh, I use stuff here and there but for the most part...enough is perfect.  I do not feel the loneliness that I struggled with for too many years.  I settle into my pillows each night with peaceful sleep and wake up rested and ready for a new day.  Thank you, God.  this all comes from Him and Him alone.  I have spent this year listening to Christian music only and the change has been tremendous.  The worship through music has been more than therapeutic for my soul.  Looking ahead I have no clue what 2012 holds but whatever it does I know that God will equip me to handle whatever comes my way.  I don't really make resolutions but I do have goals.  I would, of course, like to lose weight!  But I am already on my way to getting my home organized.  Top to bottom.  I am planning on painting some rooms to change some things up.  I want to spend more time with my family and my friends.  I have a new grand baby coming in June so I can't wait to spend lots of time with him or her.  I am helping some friends out with daughters' weddings.  I might be helping my own daughter out with one by the close of 2012???  I have lots of plans and goals for 2012 but mostly I desire to know God more.  The older I get the less I know.  I truly desire to search His word for a more intimate relationship with Jesus.  Those are the things I am looking forward to during the next year.

A Wonderful Day

This has been one of my most favorite Christmas days ever.  It was full and busy but so fun and precious.  I took a ton of pictures and want to share a few.  We didn't do as many gifts this year because most of us are grown-ups and we don't need anything.  Not one thing.  I have always been a huge gift buyer but I even toned it down some this year.  Except where Piper was concerned.  I still got her quite a few things.  She really liked opening presents once she got the hang of it.  She was really cute.  Santa brought her a kitchen and all the gear to go in it at her house.  Blake and Erica said she cooked the whole afternoon and all day today.  I am so glad she loves to play.  She is really a very hard playing baby.  Busy does not even touch how she acts all day.  When you keep her that is all you do.  You watch her, play with her and try to keep up with her.  What a sweetie-pie!

The best gift I ever got and next year I will have two!!!

She really like her doll stroller except she wanted to ride too!

She really loved this little pop-up tent I got her and if you look really close you will see her best playing buddy in there with her.  Megan!

Erica and Piper.  This is a crayon bank but Piper kept trying to put it on as lipstick!

Aaron and Brittany.  Their first Christmas as newlyweds!

Erica and Blake.  They are the old married couple now!

Megan and Thad.  I guess they are next to jump on the marriage wagon???

This was taken on the 22nd at Aaron and Brittany's house.  Piper was eating a chocolate pretzel with Mr & Mrs Claus.

Hope each of you had a wonderful and merriest of Christmases.  So many blessings to be thankful for and a whole new year of more to come.  I can't wait to see what 2012 holds for my family.  The Lord is just so good .

Here With Us

Here With Us:


It's still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small,
how tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky

Hallelujah, hallelujah

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world

Hallelujah, hallelujah

Son of God, Servant King,
You're here with us
You're here with us
It's still a mystery to me, oh,
How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time
How His ears have heard an angel's symphony,
But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep

Hallelujah, hallelujah

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world

Hallelujah, hallelujah

Son of God, Servant King
Here with us
You're here with us
(Ohh, mmm, here with us)
Jesus the Christ, born in Bethlehem
A baby born to save, to save the souls of man

Hallelujah, hallelujah

Heaven's love reaching down to save the world

Hallelujah, hallelujah

Son of God, Servant King
You're here with us
You're here with us

Winding down the clock

Today was the last day of school for this calendar year.  Listen....do you hear it??  That is angels singing the "Hallelujah Chorus" over my house.  I am so ready for a break from my job.  So ready.  I have not finished my shopping.  Two gifts to go.  I have not started my baking.  Tons to do.  I never did mail any Christmas cards this year.  The clock is winding down and for this "Martha"  I am looking for some "Mary" time with Jesus.  Just to focus on Him and what this season is really all about.  God coming to this earth in the humanness of a baby to live among His own creation.  The ones He so desires a relationship with.  One on one.  Friend to friend.  Our provider, protector, defender.  Our one true God.  The world demands so much of our time.  I should really say that it commands it...not demands.  Demands are things we can or cannot give in to.  But commands are orders that are shouted at us that we choose how we react to them.  Tonight I am choosing to not listen.  I cooked dinner for my girls.  Bathed my sweet grandbaby.  Sent her home with her really sick mommy for both of them to go straight to bed.  I am baking cookies with Megan for her work tomorrow and I am doing nothing else.  No other baking.  No cleaning.  No laundry.  No commands or demands.  Tomorrow is another day as in the words of Scarlett O'Hara.  I will take care of that stuff tomorrow.  The clock is winding down but when time is up I am going to just rest in the lap of Jesus and thank Him for His blessed sacrifice and His unfailing love.

Are We Sleeping.........

I love this song.  It is so thought provoking.  I, for one, do not want to be caught sleeping.  I pray that God keeps me awake and aware.

Sitting with Santa

Wednesday night we took Piper to see Santa.  One of our local churches that my youngest daughter and her boyfriend attend had a "Breakfast with Santa" night.  Blake and Erica thought Piper might do better at a small more confined place than waiting 12 years in line at the mall.  So smart.  Piper was first in line with no one behind her.  So if she cried or was really reluctant they could coax her for a few minutes without feeling bad about making others wait.  But sweet Pipey just sat on his lap like a big girl.  She didn't smile but she didn't cry either. 

Uh, Santa...I would like a fur coat.  This little girl here has fur on her dress and I love to touch it and smell it and rub it.  Can I have one???

Well, little Piper, I will think on that one.  But I bet you would love a baby with a stroller.  How about that??

Weekend Recap

This is a very busy time of the year for me and for everyone that I know.  So much going on all the time!  I need an extra day in the week this time of the year. We had our little toddler Christmas program at church on Sunday.  Piper really isn't old enough but her great-grandmother happens to teach the toddler choir at church so she got her out of the nursery so she could start practicing Christmas songs with the 2 year olds.  Sometimes it pays to have connections!!  The program was so sweet.  They sang their little heads off and all of them rang their little bells.  Such precious little faces.  A couple of other updates.  Erica is officially 15 weeks.  Her little baby is now the size of a naval orange.  She is starting to feel a little better and is starting to blossom more each day.  This skirt is really stretchy and long.  Her sister, Megan, calls it Erica's Pentecostal Skirt.  No offense to the Pentecostals out there.

Here are Megan and Thad.  They are such a sweet and funny couple.  they are like having two 8 year olds...all the time.

Blake, Erica and Piper.  A sweet little family that is growing!!!

I love this dress I got for Piper when she was just 2 weeks old!!  The smocked Nativity scene is very hard to get.  They sell out so fast.  No matter what the media says, people still want to display the true meaning of Christmas.  Even on their baby clothes!!

My little Piper ringing her bell and singing,"Ding-Dong"

She is just such a blessing to me.  I love her more and more every day.  She has brought such joy to my life.

Here she is really singing and ringing.

Everyone at church was just overjoyed with all the little ones.  They grow up so fast.  I wish they stayed little for a longer time.  It seems like yesterday when my own two girls were singing and ringing their bells for the Christmas program.

I Like Michael too....But It's Harry For Me

My sweet friend, Tracy, loves Michael Buble.  Who doesn't???  He sings so divine.  I could listen to him hours on end.  But for me....it is harry Connick Jr.  There is something so bluesy, jazzy and just plain ole good about his voice.  Plus he is super easy on my old eyes.  This is one of my favorite Christmas songs.  I crank it up in the car and pretend Harry and I are in a concert together.  Like that is ever gonna happen!!!

How We Eat Ice Cream

Around our house when I buy ice cream I usually buy each persons favorite kind.  They can eat it as they choose.  Megan has always been my ice cream kid.  She loves it.  I mean she really loves it.  She does not like to share her ice cream.  Not. One. Scoop.  At All!!!  Last night she was eating some and I gave Piper a spoon.  She loved it and Aunt Megan didn't mind sharing with her little Pipey one bit.  Yes, once again our redneck roots are showing.  We eat out of the carton.  Like y'all don't.

Helping Mimi

Erica is officially 14 weeks along and she is finally feeling better.  Poor girl has just been so sick this time.  She is still throwing up some but it is less frequent.  Here is a quick photo of her with her little monkey climbing her legs.

Right now her little baby is the size of a lemon.  It is amazing to think about that new little girl or boy growing by the minute.  As I was putting up my tree and arranging stuff on it, Piper toddled over and started touching things on the branches.  She is so sweet and so gentle.  We just tell her, "That's pretty...just look."  So far she hasn't jerked one thing off!

See, Mimi..I just helpin'

Yes, that is a tube of toothpaste she is holding.  She likes to look at Winnie the Pooh on the tube!