Overwhelmed and overpriviledged

Well this Christmas would definetly rate up there with one of the best. If my mom were still here, I might make this my number one. My children all received presents that from their viewpoint were exactly what the wanted and more! They all were very gracious on top of that and really poured out the thank you's this year. We all received gifts from each other, homemade or store bought, all in all they are exponentially wonderful! What a wonderful Christmas eve we had opening our presents that morning, spending time with the kids, and then packing to leave for our annual vacation with the family. Late afternoon we ventured out to find some lunch/dinner and came home for more packing and getting dressed for Christmas Eve service. We had a wonderful service which reminded me once again why we do Christmas and then left for family. Traveling in style with my new Christmas present (yes, mama got a new ride) and breaking it in for our annual treck. We flew in around the time Santa would land on the roof top and deliver his toys, tucked out sweet little ones in only to awaken early the next morning. Able to spend time with my step father and just us, with Christmas lunch and then back to the inlaws for more food and presents. Most importantly we have just been able to hang out and spend time with family and friends and relax. We've enjoyed our annual stay, not that it is over but just wanted to touch base and let you all know, I'm relaxing. Believe it or not I don't even have a plan! I just wake up every morning and then we decide on what to do! Build a Bear, shopping, eating, family, church, reading my newest book, and eating some more! God truly showed me the meaning of Christmas is to follow Him, cry on Him, let Him do the planning, and trust in Him more than I ever have before! Thank you Lord Jesus!

Merry Christmas

Today, in the depths of my heart, I have an overwhelming joy and a Christmas spirit that has not been there before. God spoke to my heart yesterday and truly has continued on into today. He has assured me once again that He is in control. That Christmas is about Him and not just more things for me to do. He continues to show me His presence and His sustaining strength in my life. 2008 has been the most challenging year thus far in my 39 years upon this earth. I believe that He is working in a most incredible way and I am thankful. Today I am thankful for all the hard times past and all the hard times to come, because I know He lives and He lives inside my heart today! I pray today for all of you, that your Christmas will be a merry time of remembering Him and your new Year a thoughtful looking into the future of what your mission is to be in 2009! I love all of you so very dearly and so very thankful for each one of your prayers for my family and I this past year!

My blogging will be sporadic between here and 2009.

On the 11th and 12th Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

12 beatiful roses

11 degrees outside!!! (brrr)

10 Candy Canes,
9 more presents to buy!!! (I'm running behind this year!)

8 cookie platters,

7 carols singing ,

6 Christmas Parties,

5 hanging Stockings!!!!!,

4 Christmas Stories,

3 Blessings from God,

2 manger scenes,

And 1 Beautiful, lovely Christmas Tree!

My husband gave me a dozen roses for our anniversary and one morning it was 11 degrees outside. But most importantly the one beautiful, lovely Christmas Tree reminds me of the one beautiful tree my Savior was crucified on for you and for me. So as you look at your tree remember that the lights are shining echoing back that the light of the world came and we celebrate that coming on Christmas but that we should be lights of the world always as the evergreen tree never turns brown. We should also reflect that it was a tree that was chopped and made into a cross and that Jesus willing came and died upon that cross for our salvation. This is what Christmas should remind us of! Merry Christmas!

My 15th Wedding Anniversary!

I cannot believe that 15 years ago today, I woke up ready to marry the man I love! I still remember that day and everything about it. I always wanted to be married at Christmas time and I'm so glad I did. Mike is everything I wanted in a husband and more. He is very handsome, tall, athletic, and lots of hair (not sure he will ever lose it). More importantly than looks he loves God above me. He is truly a man after God's own heart. That is what keeps our marraige amazing. He is more than I could imagined in my husband and I am so excited that I've been married to him for 15 years! Woohoo! It keeps getting better and better. I am more in love with him today than I was when I married him 15 years ago. I pray that God will allow him and I to be married many, many more years. I love those anniversaries of 50 and even 60 years of marraige! Thanks to all of you who are helping us celebrate!

On the 10th Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

10 Candy Canes,

9 more presents to buy!!! (I'm running behind this year!)
8 cookie platters, 7 carols singing ,
6 Christmas Parties,
5 hanging Stockings!!!!!,
4 Christmas Stories,
3 Blessings from God,
2 manger scenes,
And 1 Beautiful, lovely Christmas Tree!

On the 9th Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

9 more presents to buy!!! (I'm running behind this year!)

8 cookie platters,
7 carols singing ,

6 Christmas Parties,

5 hanging Stockings!!!!!,

4 Christmas Stories,

3 Blessings from God,

2 manger scenes,

And 1 Beautiful, lovely Christmas Tree!

On the eigth day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

8 cookie platters (lots and lot of goodies coming to my house at this time),

7 carols singing ,
6 Christmas Parties,
5 hanging Stockings!!!!!,
4 Christmas Stories,
3 Blessings from God,
2 manger scenes,
And 1 Beautiful, lovely Christmas Tree!

On the Seventh Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

7 carols singing ,

(my favorites, O Holy Night, Silent Night, O come let us Adore Him, The First Noel, Mary Did you Know?, Christmas Shoes, & While you were Sleeping (Casting Crown's Cd))

6 Christmas Parties,

5 hanging Stockings!!!!!,

4 Christmas Stories,

3 Blessings from God,

2 manger scenes,

And 1 Beautiful, lovely Christmas Tree!

Below please find the words to While you were Sleeping (absolutely an amazing song, will you be found sleeping?)

Oh little town of Bethlehem looks like another silent night

Above your deep and dreamless sleep a giant star lights up the sky

And while you're lying in the dark there shines an everlasting light

For the King has left His throne and is sleeping in a manger tonight,

tonight Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

For God became a man and stepped into your world today

Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history as a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping, While you were sleeping

Mary shivers in the cold trying to keep the Savior warm

Born among the animals wrapped in dirty rags

Because there was no room for Him in the world He came to save

United States of America looks like another silent night

As we're sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children

And while we're lying in the dark there's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky

For the Bridegroom has returned and has carried His bride away in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping

Will Jesus come again and leave us slumbering where we lay

America, will we go down in history as a nation with no room for its King

Will we be sleeping, Will we be sleeping

United States of America looks like another silent night

On the Sixth Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

Six Christmas parties!

5 Hanging stockings!!!!!

4 Christmas stories,

3 blessings from God,

2 manger scenes,

and 1 beautiful, lovely Christmas tree

I must share with you a story of one particular Christmas party we attended last night. It all happened so many weeks ago when the youth department met together for a meeting and I (since I hadn't volunteered in this group yet) volunteered to put together plans for a Christmas Youth Party for our church. Thinking I have a cousin-in-law who used to a youth pastor maybe had ideas, I contacted his wife, but my planned failed. They had no ideas, but then one popped into my brain. As I was planning this event, I still wondered why such a detailed objective was put into my brain to accomplish this feat, I will never know. Anyway, the project became known as the Great "Amazing Christmas Race" youth party! They had 8 different locations in which they were given a clue, they had to decipler the clue as to their destination and once they got there they were given an assignment to do (eat cupcakes without using their hands, drink a half gallon of koolaid, crush crackers with their feet and eat them, act out the Christmas story for an elderly couple in an assisted living facility, and more). After they had finished the task they were then given the next clue and a toy. All over town were toys they were gathering up to bring to a local charity for children who were less fortunate. Oh they had a blast and the pictures were awesome. Because I was the head leader of all this I had to stay in one cental location and help them along when they got stuck so I was unable to drive around with them, but I enjoyed seeing their pictures. It was a lot of fun and now I'm completely exhausted. Only 2 more parties to go and then we are done for the season! Woohoo!

On the Fifth day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

5 Hanging Stockings!!!!!!

4 Christmas stories,

3 blessings from God,

2 manger scenes,

And one beautiful, lovely Christmas tree!

On the fourth day of Christmas . . .

My true Love gave to me . . . .

4 Christmas Stories :

Isa 9:6 For unto us a Child is born,Unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder.And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Matt 1:18-2:1
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

Luke 2:1-20
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them,"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest,And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

3 Blessings from God
2 Manger scenes
and 1 Beautiful Christmas Tree

Please pray & say thanks

I posted my third gift my true love gave to me as 3 blessings from God. According to His Word, Children are a blessing from Him. I'm reminded that (and it sad to say that I need to be reminded because sometime it doesn't feel like a blessing) they are blessings and wonderful, healthy children.

I have some homeschooling friends here in my area whose son woke up on Thanksgiving disoriented and altogether not right. They have six children so a trip to the ER room isn't easy but they felt like this warranted a visit. Through many hours and test, the MRI showed a brain tumor and they were sent immediately to a childrens hospital in a larger city nearby. The little boy went through many rounds of test and even surgery to remove the tumor. 70% of the tumor was removed, however 30% was found in the brain stem. It was first believed it was not cancerous and therefore required no chemo or radiation and that the tumor orginated in the brain and grew into the brain stem. However yesterday they were given devasting news that the tumor, according to pathology reports, is cancerous and one of the worst kind. It is already a stage 3 or 4 and it originated out of the brain stem and therefore it will rapidly grow again. He has been given 12 months to live. The heartwrenching agony that my heart is going through does not compare to all that this family is living through. I pray that all of you will join me in praying for little Kendrick and his family as we ask for a miracle! I will keep you updated, but this family needs your help to keep their faith alive and strong. They are very strong believers in the Almighty God!

Also go and hug your children whereever they are and thank God for the health He has given them! Play with them, love on them, adore them, and kiss on them (for those of us who have boys, do it anyway even if they don't want you too). Remind yourself of the blessing you have been given!

On the Third Day of Christmas . . .

My true love gave to me . . .

3 Blessing from God!

2 Manger scences,

and one lovely Christmas tree!

One the Second Day of Christmas . . .

Two manger scenes,

and a lovely Christmas tree!

On the First Day of Christmas!

. . . . On the first Day of Christmas my true love gave to me. . . One Christmas Tree!

Morning! (Good, you decide?)

In the wee hours of morning (2:30 am), as I was busily dreaming of something (can't remember), I kept feeling something tugging at me. Finally I realized it wasn't in my dream, but a child. As I opened my eyes and try to open my ears (doesn't happen very easy), Isabella stood before me crying a little and saying she felt awful. So I had her crawl in bed with me thinking that maybe she just couldn't fall back asleep but that wasn't the case. She was incredibly warm. So out of the warm covers I crawl, grab my glasses and head to the medicine cabinet to grab the thermometer and some advil. After stepping on some lego's that my son so wonderfully left on the floor for me to find, I made it to our bathroom and brought her in there to check her temp, 100.8 at the time. She was shaking and coughing a raspy cough. Gave her advil and brought her back to bed with me. After tossing for what seemed like an eternity I finally suggested that we escape to the living room and check her temp again. 102 this time around and a very sick little girl. Of course with that fever your entire body hurts. So after some benedryl for sleep and the raspy breathing, we lay on the couch and talk for a while and then slowly but surely her fever came down and she fell asleep. It is 7:55 and she is still sleeping and I will let her sleep for a while. The other two are up eating breakfast and doing devotions. I haven't had a regular school week since before Thanksgiving and it is driving me insane. We will try our best today, but it looks as if Isabella won't get in much, if any. I was able to go back to sleep around 4:00 am and woke up around 6:00, maybe I can catch a nap? I had a lot of things planned but I find that when I need to slow down somebody seems to get sick and therefore stops me in my path. Today in quiet time, I just asked the Lord to let me glorify Him in being a mom today!

Friday Fotos!

Mike's Granny (90 years old!)

The Roberson Cousins being crazy as always!

Trimming the tree!

Santa House

There were two very prominent families who established my town and one of their houses still stand today and is exactly 100 years old this year. It is a beatiful 2 story home with lots of rooms and lots of antiques orginal to the house. It is for this reason they put on a Santa House every year through the house and the money goes toward the upkeep and personel of the musuem/house.

My children and I knew nothing of this wonderful event until this year while scrolling through the emails, a wonderful opportunity to volunteer showed itself within the pages. We promptly put our names in to volunteer for the Santa House. The Santa House puts on a play and also has a bitty part of introducing them to some of the children that used to live there (by actors) and then they meet Santa (elves are walking them through the house making sure tiny little hands are nice and not naughty) and then onto the kitchen to make a cookie. After the cookie, the elves bring them to the carraige house to participate in making a craft which is the end of the tour.

As I said we all volunteered for 4 of the many days this production goes on. Sarah volunteered to be the Tin Soldier, who so proudly puts out a fire in the toy shop. Isabella is a china doll in the toy shop named Mimi and she also portrays the youngest of the children of the house, Sybil. She comes down the beautiful stairs still in her pj's and looks in her stocking, stomps her foot and disappointedly climbs back up the stairs because Santa has not come yet to fill their stockings. Zech and I volunteered with the crafty bunch. We have helped at least 100 by now kindergarteners and preschoolers make a snowman ornament for their tree.

It has been a wonderful volunteer job for all of us and we are having so much fun. We have two more days next week and then we are through with this experience. We are all so very thankful for the fun we have had the lives we could touch through this. One teacher in particular after I said, "Merry Christmas" promptly corrected me and said, "We say Happy Holidays." Now many of you who know me, know that didn't settle correctly and therefore I promptly told her, "No, Merry Christmas!" I said it over 5 times before the children had to leave! We celebrate Christ birthday not a holiday! Not sure I touched her with the message more than I touched her with a nerve, but I'll say it again, "Merry Christmas!"

My Favorite Son!

Zechariah turns 12 today! Woohoo! He is everything anybody would want for a son! Mike and I are so very proud of him. He loves Lego's, pizza, time with family, and football! He has such a kind heart and usually always thinking of others. He loves to help out and teaches lots of people lots of things that his brain just naturally absorbs.

He is sitting here watching me blog at 6:35 am. He woke up early this morning and sat before his presents waiting on his turn to tear them open! Then onto Chocolate gravy and bisquits this morning for our usual breakfast treat on birthday days. We celebrated with a meal and cake last night due to the fact that today for lunch we will be gone and also tonight we will be at the church.

Thank you God, so very much for giving me this special, favorite son of ours!

Family Reunion!

The day after thanksgiving when all through the house, all my lovely family sleeping and no movement in the house. When what to my lifeless ears do I hear, my alarm, chirping so early and dear. I sprang from my bed, threw on my clothes, and dashed out the door. When upon the lawn the chariot was waiting to take me to the long lines and the shoppers abating! The stores all opened with afoot we all drew near and dashed away, dashed away with holiday cheer! I received all my treasure I had so thoroughly traced through the sale ads the day I gave thanks for His grace! Now after many hours of shopping I needed to settle down for my long winters nap, when only to confront packing and driving many hours to our destination I found a great family awaiting and a Granny to boot who turns 90 in which we celebrated with cheers and hoots! So enjoy this sorted tail of early mornings and shoppings, traveling, napping, and families toppling. Yes, this family although wild and wacky, we have a Granny who has taught us and we are not lacking in love, and fellowship, and most of all the One and Only God above all! We are reminded once again to cherish our families and friends!