Christmas Day

With the boys at their dad's and the other kids with the mom's side of the family, Richard and I had a

rare and quiet Christmas morning with just the two of us for breakfast.

My family drove in and we spent the morning opening all of the adult gifts and ate a wonderful lunch, and then waited for the kids to get home.

I made a ton of gifts this year with my Cricut, so almost everyone got a decal or homemade shirt of some kind.

Richard surprised me with a standing mixer!! I can't wait to try it out!

All the kid returned home around 4pm and we geared up for round 2 of presents.  They first started with their stockings.  Baylee received money and a small scavenger hunt for the boys.  There were a few small presents around the house which led them to the porch for their big gift.

All the boys were pretty excited except for Teague.  He wouldn't be in any of the pictures at first but then he warmed up to the idea and actual shot at the target a few times. 

Then we opened the rest of the packages and everyone got some great things!!

An Active Faith shirt

A Duke hat for our future Dukie

A metal detector

My Sweet Tea and Jesus creation for Baylee

And a maze contraption that kept Teague busy

  It was a full day and a very full Christmas. We are so blessed to be able to celebrateChristmas multiple times with multiple families.  God has put such special people in our lives and we are thankful for each one of you!  

Christmas Eve at the Hollingsworth's

Since the girls came in a few days earlier than Christmas we decided to take them to look at Christmas lights with us.  They each wore a little jingle bell necklace and every time they saw a house with lights they would ring their bells.  I have a former student who's house is amazing, so I knew we had to take them there!  The whole ride there the girls wanted to sing Christmas carols.  The two they knew were Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is coming to town, so those are the two we sang. Maysen only knew two lines of Santa Claus is coming to town; you better not cry, you better not pout...so that is what she sang for a good 30 minutes!! It eventually turned into her chanting, you better not pout, you better not pout, you better not pout!  They were so cute and so excited. 

There was a place for pictures and a box full of props to use.

They even had real snowing falling!

Afterwards, we came back and had hot chocolate, candy canes and cookies.

On Christmas Eve, we went to Roy and Lynette's for Mexican food and gifts.  The girls and Lynette had beautiful sparkly outfits.

  

 Koby started the night off with the reading of the Christmas Story.

And Kelby prayed over the food.  

After dinner, we put on our matching pajamas and opened gifts.  This year we made some for Austyn and Maysen, too.

The girls both received a vanity so they loved going around and putting make up on everyone and doing our hair.

Roy and Lynette are so easy going and welcoming in their home.  Between all the girls toys and accessories and all of our gifts strewn about and the wrapping trash we had yet to pick up; we had made quite a mess of their living room, but they never act like it bothers them.  I love being a guest in their home.   What a wonderful evening!

McCaig Christmas

This time of year always has many Christmas celebrations and the McCaig's were our first! Judy had a wonderful meal and way too many yummy desserts! She and Neal also came up with some great games for us to play! 

The first was White Elephant, except none of brought things.  She and Neal had de-cluttered and had White Elephant gifts for us all!!  It was hilarious to see their faces as we chose a wrapped gift from the pile.  Here is what the kids ended up with; snowman decor, a cookbook, and origami book, and 9 pounds of pennies!  Kelby stole the pennies away from Richard when Dominic googled the dollar value of 9 pounds and it's about $17! 

The next game was played wearing oven kits and opening one package.  It went round and round the circle until Dominic finally got the last of the wrapping off and found 10 brand new dollar bills.

Baylee received the game Speak Out, where you put the contraption in your mouth and try to say words while others guess.  So they all wanted to play that  next.  It was hilarious!

One of the gifts was a maze inside a ball with a marble you had to get around the maze without letting it fall.  Richard tried and tried but no luck making to the end.

What a great way to kick off this holiday season.  Judy and Neal always know how to host a great gathering and we enjoyed every bit it!!

Winter Formal

Our winter formal for the youth was a success! Since we were coming in from staff retreat we relied on our wonderful leaders to decorate, order food and get everything set up for the evening, and they did a great job!

There was dancing and games and food and gifts.  It's always fun to hang out with this group. 

Staff Retreat

We had such a fun time in San Antonio on our Staff Retreat. We stayed right on the River Walk and really enjoyed our cozy hotel.  We planned and brainstormed and encouraged and prayed and worshipped and ate and fellowshipped.  It was a great 3 days and it was such a blessing to get to know everyone better as we all strive to make Acts a better place.

14

Does anyone else have "a number?" Like your favorite number or that number that just is a constant in your life? Mine is 14. It started out as 'our number'...my ex-husband and I's, but God has been showing me how it was never meant to be my number with anyone else but Him! 

In the months after the divorce I would receive money or books in the mail from others praying for me and it would arrive on the 14th or letters would come that were written on the 14th and most recently, He gave me my dream home in 2014.  He has slowly and faithfully been showing me 14 is our number!

This week I am in San Antonio for a staff retreat with our church and being here at this time, in this hotel is no accident or coincidence.  God had something special for me! Today, December 14th, marks 14 years from the day my ex-husband proposed to me at Marriage Island on the River Walk in San Antonio.  I knew He wanted me to go back to that spot today.  So off I went and it was less than a 3 minute walk from our hotel! As I was walking I kept seeing purple flowers after purple flowers after purple flowers! It was so beautiful!

When I got to Marriage Island I just sat and listened; to the nature around me, to music and to Him. It was such a special moment.  In the stillness I was reminded how faithful He is, even when we are not faithful to Him, He is still faithful to us! 

There was a sculpture and underneath was this plaque. I love that the sculpture and place historically represents a "place of restful waters."  It sure was a place of rest for me today!

I love how He is always able to take our mess and junk and brokenness and turn them into something beautiful.