Monday, December 26, 2011

Ed's Christmas

Today we celebrated Christmas with the Norwoods...
...Maggie loves "riding the horse"...
...Ed reading the Christmas story...
...Santa Claus's annual appearance...
...Maggie was not to fond of him...
...but she loved her vaccuum...
...Ed with his four great grandchildren...
...Maggie loves Ed!
What a great Christmas week! We thank the Lord for our blessings and look forward to the next season...cleaning out the house, organizing the toys, and setting up Mags big girl room!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Day

Before Church we had breakfast and opened gifts with Uncle Jarred and Aunt Steph...




This evening we went to Granny's for Christmas #3...


...we met Baby Oakley for the first time...




...thanks for the great gifts Granny!
Merry Christmas and more to come...

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Pyles' Christmas

Last night we had Christmas Eve with the Pyles'.
We gave Holden some classic books...Thomas the Train, Curious George, Harry the Dirty Dog.
This morning we opened our Christmas boxes....lots of good stuff! Thank Mia and Papa!
Thanks to Debbie for a snow globe and yummy lollipop.
More to come...

Friday, December 23, 2011

Our Christmas

We celebrated Christmas Eve last night...
...we gave Jack a basketball goal...
...then we put Mags to bed and stuffed her stocking...
...and set our her presents.
Our Family Morning Christmas Picture
Our Christmas Breakfast
Maggie's T-Ball Set
Maggie playing with some of her toys.
More to come...

Thursday, December 22, 2011

No Pictures...Just Words

As we begin to celebrate these final days of Advent and start opening presents, eating meals, spending time with friends and family, attending church services, I need to STOP and take some time to write, pray, and BE STILL.

We do celebrate the birth of our Savior, the promised Messiah; we look to what will come at Easter that brings reconciliation between God and His people. But Jesus was fully human and had a fully human mother who bore Him and then watched Him die. Even during Jesus' life, HE WEPT. Mary rejoiced over the gift of Jesus, but as a mother she knew the loss that was coming on Calvary.

For those who have lost, they don't forget...
Possibly I know now what the soldier feels when a bullet crashes through his heart. Mark Twain about the loss of his daughter Jean.
"[Mark Twain] puts so much feeling into so few words and gives voice our first feelings when we are required to face a devastating tragedy. Our hearts break and we weep tears that seem to rise from the depth of our souls and we wonder how we will ever get through this moment. But we do get through. The question was never whether or not we will get through but what we will be like on the other side." Bill Douglas

For those who are suffering, the pain is still there...
2 Corinthians 4:7 – But we have this treasure in jars of clay,to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. . .


Today, I think of my Aunt Dar whose life seemed to be cut short...leaving two young girls and a husband. I think of my grandparents who have buried a child.

I think of Bubba who lived a long life. She was a Proverb 31 wife. She was a mother and grandmother who loved her children dearly. She is dearly missed, she has left a legacy that we all will not forget.

My heart breaks for friends - Tyler Anderson, Heather Stevenson, Bill Douglas, Tim Collins, Grant McDaniel - who celebrate Christmas without parents that were, for their whole life, THERE.

I think of Brent and Nancy, Johnny and Carla Morton, the Bergs, Don and Fara Avery, Jim and Susan Jackson, the Slocumbs...all who buried children way to young.

I pray for the families of troops who have died while defending our country...and others who await a safe return.

I pray for the families and victims of child molestation that has been brought out this year. I pray for it to STOP, and the victims will heal.

I pray for those suffering in different ways...not being able to be with family, abandoned kids, homeless, those who have lost their jobs, anyone suffering from mental, emotional, physical disorders.

I pray this Christmas will be one that we look at what we don't have and remember, but look at what we do have...the Cross on which Christ died, the inheritance our Father gives us.

For those who cannot reconcile on this earth, there is a perfect hope that Heaven will bring a reconciliation for ALL Christ has called. So, I take this time to remember, cry, pray. And tonight we will begin our Christmas celebrations.

"God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthains 9:8

Monday, December 19, 2011

Christmas Fun with a Little Sickness

I have been under the weather today; of all weeks to be sick, it's my favorite week of the year! God must be telling me to slow down, because we've been pretty busy wrapped up in Christmas dinners and Christmas preparations...
Thanks to the Moore's, we had a fun jar of cookie mix we made on Saturday night.
On Sunday we prepared lots and lots of cookies we were going to take to several friends and family around town.
Maggie did a great job with decorating and making cookies for her first time.
(thanks for the adorable Apron Aunt Kate!)
Then we had the whole Stevenson family over! All 6 of them, plus our three...it was a lot of fun!
The product of our cookie endeavors.
"Mia's House"
(B&N gave this to Mags her first Christmas and she has been calling it Mia's house...or maybe it's because Nancy has the exact one at her house:)
A glimpse at some of our Christmas cards.
*We were unable to deliver cookies today and visit because I got sick last night...hoping it's just the 24 hour thing so I can enjoy the rest of the week!

Friday, December 16, 2011

A Christmas Surprise

Yesterday, Jack and Caleb surprised Sallie and me with a special night in the big city (Atlanta:)! We are at Empire State South (probably the best restaurant I've ever been too).
The amazing dinner wasn't the only event, they surprised us with a stop at the Fox Theatre to see the Nutcracker.
It was great...although, Jack and Caleb both asked me at different times if I had any idea what was going on:)
On the way back to the car we stopped for desserts at a brewery.
What a fun night! Caleb asked us to rank the date on a scale of 1 to 10. I give it a 10; best date since we've been married! We missed Mags, but she has a great time with Mia and Papa.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

William's Baptism

Our dear friend's Bradley and Lea had the little boy, William Crawford Moore, baptized on Sunday at our old church, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. It was great to be there, and Maggie loved helping out with baby William.
“What we are doing here is a means of grace, we picture what God must do…a sacrament shows the authority of Jesus Christ…we together participate in this, the Church baptizes to encourage our faith…for a little while you watch over this child…he will grow up among this community of faith…” Rev. Bill Douglas

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

A Football Game, A Bulldog, and A Pink Pig

Thanksgiving Weekend we went to the Tech/GA Game...
...Maggie was attacked by a bulldog:)
It was a good time...other than the outcome of the game.
The next morning we went to Lenox Mall's Pink Pig ride.
Maggie and Holden loved the pigs!
It was a fun tradition Mia and Papa started with their grandchildren.