Christmas Has Arrived!

A Cup of Christmas Tea...nothing better!!

I set my formal dining room with my good dishes. I just love having them out and thought it would be fun to have a pretty table to look at!

The Christmas Tree 2008

I will be decorating more starting on Monday, but at least the tree is up!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! I love everything about it...the comfort food, being with family, playing games, and all, without the pressures and commercialism that Christmas brings!
I love that we stop and take time to reflect on who and what we are thankful for. I love that we share openly how abundantly blessed we truly are!

This year, our holiday is going to look a little different. Instead of spending it at Grandma's around her table, we are going to eat, drink (iced tea) and be merry at a restaurant. A member of our family is in the hospital, and we can't bear to celebrate as usual until they can come home and celebrate with us!
When I stopped and realized that it isn't all about the tradition of the holiday that makes it Thanksgiving, it is the being with those you love that matters the most!
This year as always, I intend to stop and individually tell my loving husband, Duane, "thank you for loving me!" I will gather my three children into my arms and let them know how thankful I am for each of them, and the many blessings they bring into my life. I will spend time loving on my family, and thanking them for their love and support!

I always attempt to compile a list of all the many things that I am thankful for, but this year, I would like to sum it all up with one word......LIFE!

LIFE= breath, health, relationships, joys, sorrows, lessons learned, love to give, blessings received, hope to pass on, freedom to enjoy, Salvation!

I have been redeemed, forgiven and extended the gift of Grace from God! My Father, who delights in me and finds joy in blessing my life...and for that I give Him praise this Thanksgiving!!

God....How Great You Are! You have blessed me beyond anything I could ever ask or imagine!

Tag

I have been tagged. The way this one works, is that I have to show you the fourth picture in my #4 photo album.

So here it is.......

Pacific Coast~Neskowin, Oregon

I tag Damaris and Jenny!

Welcome Sydney!

I had the honor this last weekend to attend the labor and birth for our friends/cousins, Chip and Beth.
Knowing that I was in training to become a Doula (Labor and Childbirth Coach), they had asked me to be involved, and their hired Doula was more than willing to do some training in the process!
It was a great learning experience, and I felt so honored to be there as Sydney Marie Kinzler made her Grand Appearance!

Thanks Chip and Beth for allowing me to be a part of this exciting event! I know that your lives are forever changed for the better, and that this much prayed-for and long-awaited baby girl will be loved by two wonderful people!
Oh, and by the way, she is beautiful!

My House.....By Ashley

Ashley walked into the kitchen the other day, and said, "Mom, have you ever thought about how our house is like a place where other people come when they are having a hard time and need a place to be ok?"

I told her I had always dreamed that my house would be a place where people could feel loved and safe!

She walked away and within 15 minutes brought me this poem that she had written.

My House
By: Ashley Taylor

My house is a place,
where friends and family are always welcome,
and where they can go when they don't feel safe.

My house is a fun place,
where cousins, friends and me,
dance and talk and swim all day!

My house is a big place,
where family joins
and memories are made.

My house is a refuge,
from my family and friends storms,
and they will always have a place to call home when their's
has blown away.

My house is a hotel,
where people come to stay,
and they live in my room, but don't have to pay.

My house is a daycare,
where kids come to play and laugh until
the end of the day!

My house is a memory lane,
although we haven't been here for a long time,
It's a safe, big, fun place where I want to stay.

God is in my house, watching over us-
and though we go through a lot, He will care and protect us
until the end of our days!

The End.

That made this momma very happy!

Just Praising.......

Our family is walking through some very deep waters at this time. Someone whom we love is fighting the battle of a lifetime, and we feel helpless to do anything at all!

In all of it, there are many unknowns, but this is what we do know:

We know God reigns!
We know that He is bringing light into our darkness!
We know that He lives (thrives) to make intersession for us!
We know that He is our hope!
We know that no matter where we find ourselves, He is there!
We know that when we can't find the strength to stand, He will hold us up!
We know that we can approach His throne with confidence...knowing that He won't disappoint!
We know that He is our Comforter, Healer, Father...He is God!

So, we choose to praise Him for who He is, what He is doing; and with the assurance that there is not one single place that we go, where He will not show up!

Psalms 139: 7-12

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.....:

Hope Now!

Hope Now
(Addison Road)

If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours

(PRE-CHORUS)
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com

(PRE-CHORUS)
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

(CHORUS 2)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
You've become my hearts desire
I will sing Your praises higher
Cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free

Football Is Over!

Football is over!!!
This momma is happy....happy that we had the fun times watching Alex play, happy that they won a lot, happy that Alex was having a blast, and then happy that it finally comes to an end!!

We are also kinda sad.....sad that they lost their championship game, sad that there are immature parents who yell rude comments to the refs and get thrown out, sad that 11-12 year old boys have to see the parents acting so poorly, and sad that one of Alex's teammates got hurt and had to be carried off on a stretcher!

But despite all of that, we had a fun night!
Before finding out that Alex couldn't play his last game, I had planned a surprise tailgate party. So, when his Dr. said that he couldn't play football anymore, we decided that the party should go on and it would be good for a disappointed little guy!

I fixed Chili and Cornbread, Hot Chocolate and Cider... and then everyone brought cookies. It was so much fun!
It rained on us, and we got very wet....but we feasted anyway, and then cheered for a great team!!

Alex's teammate, Tad (who made most of their touchdowns this season) was thrown around pretty hard, and has a bad concision...that was a hard way to end the season!
We are proud of the Warriors, and grateful for a good coach and even the referees!


#89 was hurt early on in the game...(Alex is #22)


Our boy watching from the sidelines!

Alex's fans! Thanks everyone for coming!!

Kyra made some awesome football cookies for Alex! Thanks Kyra!

Eating Chili

Alex

Hanging out with cousins, Kyra and Brandon

Grandma Margaret, Aunt Stephanie and girls

Paula and Aunt Lisa

Even Mary Poppins came! No, it is Grandpa Bob

Brittney was bundled up good!

Nikki, Bridgette and Brooklyn

Nikki under her "unberelala"


Kyra, Grandma Sue and Ash

Children's day out!