Tuesday, December 28, 2010

going to the chapel...

How was your Christmas?
Mine was just dandy...food, family, lots of good times.




a favorite tradition
candlelight christmas eve service




I thought this would be  a good week for...
  ...the wedding series..
...about time, huh?
we'll cover it all
...moment by moment...
because 
iknowyouwanttoknow....


5:00 AM

last morning 
waking up 
and 
doing devotions in this bed and bedroom 
shared with her sister


texting her honey



Miss G did her own hair
She wanted it to look natural
and her hair is always so pretty...
She has her Daddy's curls.


to the church 

with her Daddy

 in the Pink Lady





But first, we have to stop...for


coffee...
She does love her coffee.

Think she's excited?


Here we are.

Let the fun begin.


we will do the dress...the pretties...the i do's...the gang and the happily everafter...
stay tuned.
here's a peek for later...



Friday, December 24, 2010

from me to you...

wishing you the merriest of
merry christmases



hearts filled with  joy in HIS presence



warm and cozy  times with loved ones



laughter-filled  rooms


days of wonder and memories


and


rest in HIS marvelous gift


I 'll leave you with my favorite,hands down, Christmas carole

God rest ye, merry gentlemen (women)
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ our saviour
was born on Christmas day
to save us all from Satan's power
when we have gone astray
ohh, tidings of comfort and joy
comfort and joy
ohh,  tidings of comfort and joy.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

may your days be merry...

here are a few more pics of the holiday decorations
remember the no lace challenge?
here 's a peek at the progress
we'll do a full reveal after the holidays






 busy~busy~busy


~shopping almost finished~
~cooking up a storm~
~multiple batches of carmelcorn~pumpkin pies ~
~can't have a holiday without these potatoes~
~grammy's blackberry jell-o~ 


my girl youngin' and I
 are enjoying our time together in the kitchen
it is different now without our Miss G 
but I can see something happening...
my girl is stepping in...and I am loving it...


I am almost ready


tomorrow 

we will celebrate.

May your days be merry and bright.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

~finally~
betcha you thought 
i wasn't going to ever get anything up 
with this year's christmas pretties.

me, neither

today, we'll start with my favorites
in the kitchen
I had so much fun with this
old things...new look
just what i was after
and
just in time for white wednesday
so
take a peek



















thursday...i'll be back with the next installment
in the meantime...we are going to start out christmas shopping
yes, i said start
crazy, huh?

Thursday, December 16, 2010

oh, happy day

Today, 
we celebrate.
30 years ago 
I
became a
mother.

my dreams came true

my daughter, 
katie,
 has been is 
my joy.


She is helper~sweet~ hard-working~ frugal~has the prettiest blue eyes you'll ever see~ creative, i mean like out of nothing creative, without a pattern creative~she  reminds me of her daddy with her generous heart~she loves the Lord~ she loves and serves her Mr. Wonderful and her busy boys~she is a homeschooling mama just like her mama~she loves to garden~
she is one of my best friends~
she is beautiful inside and out~
and I am so proud of her.

And the best news of all:
she had her 26 wk checkup/ultrasound
all is well
and our little guy is up
to 2 pounds 5 oz.

Thank You, 
Lord!




Happy Birthday, dear girl.

These are her family's portion of the photo shoot.


I know yesterday's post was a bit *heavy*...
but don't you think we need days like that?  
To reflect and to remember. 

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

what to do, today?



Every morning i get up and make  my to-do list...a silly little list, really...just to get me going and to not be too overwhelmed by it all...i add important things like laundry, correct math with my girl, and dinner (yes, I have to write  to make dinner but that is for another post) ...i even add  blogging...
everything was ok this morning until i wrote it:


Wednesday, December 15

that date will forever be etched on my heart...


there is supposed to be something else on my list today....like celebrate a birthday....not the birthday of my oldest girl tomorrow (yikes-how do I have a 30 year-old ?) 
but the 7th birthday of my youngest....

i've not really spoken of this much except for here

it was a season that changed me forever. You do the math....yes I was 42 when I found out I was pregnant...after years of infertility and years of dreaming about having a large family...i was in shock and really not quite sure about it all... 42...really, God?
all was well until the 19 week ultrasound...
and it was over as quickly as it began...
my heart was truly broken..

i had guilt, i had sorrow, i had brokenness.

i spent the next 2 years desperately trying to have a baby to fill my empty heart and empty arms only to have 4 more miscarriages.

trying to fix it myself.

my 25th wedding anniversary will always be remembered as the day i found out i was pregnant with # 5

it was during this time that Miss Gracie's took off...an escape from the pain...the one place i could create beauty...

and then there was sweet surrender


seasons of growth are hard, they are consuming, they are necessary

but i am paying the price for that season...there have been other broken hearts as well...my daughters have not received the attention they have needed...my Mrs (she'll always my Miss) G especially...she quietly grew up in the shadow of it all...
and then there is  my home...it has truly been out of control...
that, too is for another post.

but today's post is for this


to remind myself and to remind you
that when the disappointments and trials come
and 
they will come
(in fact,  there are  new ones  here now)

 there is hope


these are just a few of the verses marked  in my bible 
with those painful dates

Hear O lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am devoted to you.
You are my God; save your servant
who trusts in you.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant
for to you, o Lord
I lift up my soul

You are forgiving and good,
O Lord
abounding in love to all who call to you
Hear my prayer, O Lord
listen to my cry for mercy
in the day of my trouble I will call to you
for you will answer me.
Psalm 86:1-7 

and

Consider it pure joy, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 
Perseverance must finish its work so that you must be complete, not lacking in anything.  
James 1:2-4





How very thankful
 i am 
for a God 
that is full 
of compassion 
and 
grace for all my insufficiency.




 If you would like to read more about all that i learned you can here

I can only go so long without a real post
all of the rest is just so fluffy


Now, that I've had  my time to reflect and to cry...
back to the business of this day.
laundry
math
dinner