Wordless Wednesday...

Just a few pictures from Christmas '09...

My Christmas gifts...

I don't need any gifts this year, because I have already been given so much. God continues to bless me over and over, even though I am so undeserving. My greatest and most treasured gift is my salvation. I thank God for my greatest blessings...

my husband...
my children...
my parents...
my sisters...
friends...

Merry Christmas...from our family to yours!

Is this not THE BEST season? I LOVE Christmas. I love everything about it...the lights, decorating, baking, the music, kids on break from college/school, celebrating Christ's birth.
The only thing that has been sad this year is watching some of our traditions going by the wayside. We have always lit an advent candle each morning with our kids that counts down the days beginning with December 1st and ends with December 24th. Not this year...nope, with Lindsay away at school, Heather either sleeping in or rushing off to work/school, and Caleb just barely getting out the door on time for school, that's not a big deal to them anymore. So we passed it along to friends to light with their small children (I'll bet they're enjoying it just as our kids did when they were little). And then there is our advent calendar. I remember our kids used to look forward to pulling out that little ornament each morning and hanging it on a felt Christmas tree. They'd get so excited to hang that final ornament on December 24th. Nope, not this year (see reasons above)...the little felt tree is hanging on the door with not one ornament hung in it's place.But we will bake together next week, watch Christmas movies, the kids will sleep together on Christmas Eve (including Max, our dog), and they'll be up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning. At least they haven't given up on that...yet!
Hoping you and your family have a wonderful Christmas season, celebrating the birth of our Saviour who was born to die for us!

A perfect Thanksgiving day...

This year we were able to spend Thanksgiving with my mom, both my sisters and their families. This is extremely rare as we're usually not able to find the time to all be together...kids included. My sister's and I try really hard to schedule time together at least twice a year.
It was a beautiful day...sun shining and slightly warm weather. We were quite concerned with the noise level in a tiny space. You see, we met at my older sister's apartment (she hates when I say she's older :)in Goldsboro...all 25 of us!
Let's see, there was my mom, my family (total of 5), Karen's family (her boyfriend, Randy, and two sons, Phillip and Andrew, along with Phillip's girlfriend, Jessie), my younger sister, Kristi, and her family of 14 (her husband, Steve, their 10 children, along with their oldest daughter, Kati's husband, Matt, and their 4-week old son, Johnathan. Talk about crazy...
But it was perfect. We cooked, laughed, reminisced, ate, of course, and enjoyed watching all the kids have a great time together!
I'm already looking forward to next year.
All the cousins...

With our newest niece, Natalie...

Grandma, my mom, enjoying her new granddaughter and great-grandson...


Singing with my sisters...our favorite thing to do!

Humbled...

Scott returned safely from Africa Saturday a week ago. I stayed up 'til 1:30 that morning tracking his flight because I was afraid he would miss his New York connection. His flight left Abuja, Nigeria, an hour and a half later than scheduled. He (well, the plane actually) touched down in Dakar to refuel and pick up passengers. The Delta agent told me there was virtually no way Scott would make his connection unless they caught a tail-wind...and that they did. He arrived into JFK only 10 minutes later than originally scheduled. He was due to arrive into Charlotte at 11:03 Saturday morning (11/14). I was up early getting my dinner in the oven to cook all day when I decided to check the internet to get an update...to see that the flight was going to get in at 10:15....and it was 9:15 when I checked. I went crazy getting the kids up because we wanted to get to the airport well on time. We did...20 minutes early! We had our homemade signs in tow and we were ready to greet him! As we watched everyone come down the escalator from the flight, there was one thing missing...Scott! He came down another escalator because he didn't see the other one. We had scores of people saying "oh, we're so glad you missed us" as they saw our signs. We finally met up in baggage claim :)
That evening we sat down to look at the pictures that he had taken on his trip. I was so humbled as I saw what these people had...virtually nothing. They had nothing, yet each one of the faces in these pictures had glowing smiles. They had the Lord and nothing else...and that was enough for them. I was so convicted that evening as I straightened up and looked around our house and saw all that we have. And yet I complain about things that do not matter. As I fell asleep that night I asked the Lord to forgive me for my complaining tongue...and also thanked Him for a comfortable bed in a warm house with a husband that He returned safely!
The host pastor in Liberia with his family.
The host pastor's house
People who attended the conference
Our kids dressing in the outfits that were given to Scott