I Love a Good Book

We are home. Got home around 5.30pm. Started in with the unpacking and laundry right away and now Chris is upstairs happy as Larry putting all his "stuff" together. Eliza slept really well on the car ride back so it gave me a chance to read, Same Kind of Different As Me, and I finished it. I couldn't recommend it more. What a wonderful story about three amazing people and how God worked in their lives to bring them together. A few of my favorite lines in the book are these.

"When you get all the way to the end of your rope and there ain't nothin you can do, that's when God takes over." - Denver Moore

"Just tell em I'm a nobody that's tryin to tell everybody 'bout Somebody that can save anybody. That's all you need to tell em." - Denver Moore

"But I found out everybody's different - the same kind of different as me. We're all just regular folks walkin down the road God done set in front of us." - Denver Moore

I am not sure I will be able to participate in the online book club I mentioned yesterday. We are supposed to read the first 100 pages by sometime in January (I forget the date) and then log on to discuss. Since I have finished the book already, I don't want to give anything away to the others who are still reading and I am not sure now what was included in just the first 100 pages. This was one of those books that I just could not put down.

So run! Don't walk! And get a copy of this book to read.

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Chris and I took Eliza to Huntington with us today. We needed to return a few things and I wanted to go to the Christian book store, Guiding Light. I have been wanting to join an online book club but haven't been able to find this months book so far. Well, today I did. Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.
So far, it is a really good story. I am about 40 pages into it. This is the online community where we will be discussing the book.

That's it for us. It has been a pretty low key day. Barbara had her post-Christmas get together this evening and Cam's girlfriend, Kara arrived today. Otherwise, not much.

Hope everyone is having a good after Christmas time.

Merry Christmas to All!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6

We have finally had a chance to slow down long enough to post some pictures of today. Ethan was the first one up I think. He came into my room and said "Mommy, come downstairs. Santa has come." I went to get Owen up and I told him Santa came and he grabbed the covers and pulled them over his head. :-) I did manage to get him up and downstairs.

Eliza got a couple of baby dolls, a Leap Frog play table, some clothes and a Praise Baby dvd and cd.

Ethan got a few new games, a couple of Star Wars legos, a gumball machine (for he and Owen to share), an old fashioned popcorn popper (for he and Owen to share), several Batman cars and people, a remote control car, some movies, Wii games, a Pat White football jersey and a Leapster 2.

Owen got several Imaginext play sets, more train track, a remote control car, some movies, Wii games, a Pat White football jersey and a Leapster 2.

Chris was spoiled as usual - rightly so. He got a waffle maker, mini fridge, an in wall sub-woofer, WVU Mountaineer Field framed picture, movies, a new wedding ring, cordless phones, Wii remote charger, WVU Mountaineer banner and an HD video camcorder.

And me....if you notice my photos are looking crisper and sharper, well it is my new camera. The camera of my dreams. A Nikon D90. I cannot tell you how much I love this camera. It is by far, my main gift this year. I also got some new clothes, perfume, boots, bible, Pampered Chef food storage containers and a Coach checkbook cover. Oh and I almost forgot, this beautiful necklace.

Each of the bars as one of the kids names on it and then the hearts are each of their birthstones. It is very cute.

And now here are a few more pictures from our day.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
~Luke 1:14

I don't know that I will get any pictures on today. We have been having computer difficulties throughout the day so it may be tomorrow before I am able to upload any photos. However, I did want to post this Christmas Eve as a reminder to anyone reading my blog of what tonight is to so many of people around the world. Now that I am a mother, it seems it brings a whole new meaning to me.

I think of a woman who had traveled miles trying to find a place to sleep. A woman who was pregnant and didn't know where she would deliver her baby. A woman who didn't know who or what her baby boy would be to so many. Simply, a mother.

So on this Christmas, amongst the presents and the family, I hope that you will take a moment in prayer to think about this lovely woman, a mother, who delivered her son in a manger not fit for a King.

May you each have a lovely Christmas Eve and have safe travels wherever this evening may take you.

Joy to the World

And there were shepherds out in the field,

keeping watch by night.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them. ~ Luke 2:8:9

Mimi and I took the boys caroling tonight with her church. There were 4 trucks pulling trailers full of hay. I think the boys had a good time, although it started getting really cold towards the end.

Owen was the smart one - he wanted to wear his boots. The rest of us wore regular shoes and our ankles were freezing.

Owen sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and ABC's and danced quite a bit to Jingle Bells. Ethan didn't say a word. I don't think it was exactly what he had in mind. Although, he hung in there for the cookies and hot chocolate back at the church after we were done.

They had brownies, cookies, fudge and hot chocolate. Yum!

And here is a picture of Eliza and the outfit that I got at The Purple Turtle yesterday.

Good Morning Beautiful

Eliza and I got ready this morning and went to MiMi's office for a visit.

Then we all went over to the Purple Turtle.

The Purple Turtle is one of those boutique childrens clothing stores that would have my visa in big trouble if I lived up here.

I managed to escape spending less than $20, which is a miracle in and of itself.

And speaking of miracles, isn't she just a blessing? All of them really. Not a day goes by that I don't look at them and think I am not worthy of such wonders. But for a reason yet unknown to me, my God has blessed me as their mother to raise them honestly and lovingly. He has given me the gift of unconditional love both through Him and my children. My cup runneth over.

The Men in My Life

This is only one of the many joys of MiMi's house.