Friday, December 30, 2005

Happy Birthday to You!

Yesterday was the birthday of my youngest. I can hardly believe she's 21! Now all my kids are offically grown up. :(
It seems like only the other day, I was pregnant on Christmas, living in Alabama....we had a fire in the fireplace on Christmas morning and had to put it out and open the doors by noon because it was so warm. I wasn't due until Jan.16th so no huge baby rush was on...we had been caught up in the Christmas season and hadn't had much time to focus on new baby with 2 little ones already running around. Suddenly only 4 days after Christmas, our third child decides to make her appearance....this was before the days of multiple ultrasounds so we had no scientific idea of the sex of our baby...but I was sure it was a boy. I had felt the same confidence on our first two and had been correct so I was very shocked when Dr M. announced that our new little one... was a girl. What?? are you sure?? I asked several times, in the muddled state of a woman just giving birth. :-) Yes, indeed...he was sure....we had a beautiful little girl. We named her Kathryn Alayne which means Pure Light and she has indeed been a source of pure light and joy ever since.
In those days the traditional hospital stay was 3 days.....before we got home with her the weather had changed, in typical Alabama style, to 10 degrees, and we were iced and snowed in for a week after bringing her home. Her siblings had the flu just before and her dad caught it just in time to welcome Katy home...and a fun time was had by all...lol....well it was memorable at the least. :)

She has since grown to be a beautiful young woman who is stopped on the street by talent agents and model recruiters. She is a wonder in business and has landed an incredible job, putting herself well on her way to a profitable career. She is also a fabulous mommy to my equally as beautiful Jadabear. Loyal, affectionate, considerate and thoughtful, she is a joy to know. Blessed are those who call her friend. I consider myself so fortunate to have her as my daughter and thank the Lord for her daily.

I love you Katybug, my joyful surprise! Mom & Dad are SO proud of who you have grown up to be! HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY!

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

There's Got to be a Morning After

Well, not exactly the morning after...but you get the point. :) the shopping, cooking, wrapping, eating, and gift giving is over, I'm back at work(boo), the kids are all on their ways back to their respective abodes..love, love, love this time with my family but now....time to chill out! That's what I love about New Year's. I don't owe it to anyone, I'm not responsible for anything, I don't have to do anything or go anywhere...its a free holiday! And because it falls on the weekend...I get Monday off too! Yeaah!
Plans?? well...we'll probably go out to dinner on Sat. and maybe a movie, I have an awesome book lined up to read since the house will be very quiet with even Bek gone to see her Navy boy, and perhaps a trip to our Gerogia mountians on Monday...just for fun. Hubby is off too so we may just ride up there and cruise around. Oh yeah, I do have to take the Christmas decorations down...hate that part.... :)

So what are your plans for the New Year's Holiday?

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Lyrics for the Week

Please take a moment to read these words. They are so powerful and strong. Merry Christmas to you all!

Mary Did You Know?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered will soon deliver you.
Mary, did you knowThat your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Did you knowThat your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you knowThat your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little boyYou’ve kissed the face of God, Mary, did you know?

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, and the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the lamb!

Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Did you know that your baby boy will one day rules the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect lamb?
and this sleeping child you’re holding....Is the great I am.

Buddy Green, Mark Lowry

Friday, December 23, 2005

Sidebar from Christmas....

My brother-in-law is an Army officer who served last year in Iraq and is still active but now stationed stateside. The letter below is one he received last week from an Iraqi accquaintance after their historic elections. This is not media, left or right...this is not propaganda...this is not one of those chain letters you receive that you have no idea where they come from or if they are true... this is pure correspondence between two persons actually involved that I just happen to know. It speaks volumes....

Dear Sir;How are you? I wish you are well.A long time has passed before I hear fromyou.Today is the 15th Dec.Iraqis are going by hundreds and thousands to thevoting centres.It is a historical moments.If you see how the Iraqis worktogether with the Americans to secure people and their freedom to vote,youwill realize how great is your mission in Iraq.The Americans distributeAmerican candies and gifts to the Iraqi kids and even to men and women.Ourpeople is very grateful.Day by day ,the insurgents and terrorists becomemore and more isolated.Many of them returned to the lap of the free Iraq andannounced their repentance and are now fighting beside us against theAl-Qaida terrorists.They are doing a very great job.You remember the lastelections how the Sunnis rejected the election process claiming that theycannot vote under the shadow of the occupation,while now they urge thepeople to participate saying it is a national and religious duty.Many oftheir leaders adm! itted that they made a mistake by bycotting the lastelections.I think these elections will make four main blocks inside theparliament.They are :Al-Iatilaf (the Shia coalition),The KurdistanCoalition,Al-Tawafuq Al-Iraqi(Representatives of Sunnis)andAl-Iraqia(representatives of the liberal Iraqis).
Regards and Compliments to Sydney and Sharon.
Sadiq

May God Bless our troops and their efforts abroad. I am proud of them and of our nation for standing for freedom even when the going gets tough.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Christmas Quiz


Are you up for a little Christmas Quiz?? Stole this from Muriel. :-)

Hot Chocolate or Egg Nog?
Hot Chocolate
Does Santa wrap the presents or just set them under the tree?
Definitley wraps them
Colored or white lights on the tree/house?
Colored...I'm thinking white in future when I don't have kids to please
Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope, I kiss who ever I want when ever I want in my house! :-))
When do you decorate?
Thanksgiving weekend, of course!
What is your favorite holiday dish/goodie?

BarBQ(yep its a Christmas Day tradition)
Chocolate peanut butter balls- YUMMM
Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Caroling through the neighborhood and having a neighborhood open house every year.
How and when did you learn the truth about Santa?
I was 6-7...my cousin broke it to me...I didn't believe her for a while at all. :)
Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve?
Sibling gifts only!
Snow! Love it or hate it?
Love it...for a while...:)
Can you ice skate?
Nope....but I can ski
Do you remember your favorite gift?
A huge brown teddy bear as a child and
An Atensio garnet ring, necklace and earring set as an adult

What is the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Remembering my Lord, time with my family and the gift of giving
What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

Caroling and reading the Christmas Story from Luke 2 on Christmas Eve then watching my husband remind the kids (& now grandkids) of it on Christmas morning before they open their gifts. Their faces are amazing as they listen in awe every time...even now. :)
What type of tree? Live or Artificial?

Live- inspite of the mess :)
Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?

Giving!
What is your favorite Christmas Carol?

Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!

How 'bout you? Wanna play?

Monday, December 19, 2005

Morning Monday

The weekend flew by in a blur...Sometimes you just have to grab a moment and hold on to it so that you can remember you even had such a time. :)
Got lots done.... gift shopping, (almost done!), returns, groceries, out to lunch with Mom and Bek, work 5-10:30, sleep in 2 days, sit by the fire, replaced non-working lights(previous post) :-)....hung the last garland, wrapped some gifts, worked 2-7:30 hubby made a wonderful gourmet dinner and had it waiting when I arrived home at 8pm, addressed last Christmas cards, shower, crash, up again at 6am and back to work!
Its the 7th day of Christmas! Only 5 to go! Kids arriving Thurs and Friday! Yeaah! Whew! Glad when they get here so I can relax. :)
Have a lovely Monday!

Check out some of the adorable ornaments I got while in Pigeon Forge: The bear for Jadabear, and two for Bek...flip flops for her (she wears them til frost) and her sailor boy, of course. :)

Check out this blog if you want to rekindle some great Christmas memories...She's up to #8 I think and each one takes me back...Maybe they will for you too. :)

Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 16, 2005

Lyrics for the day....

*******************************************
Children, sleeping.Snow is softly falling.
Dreams are calling, Like bells in the distance.
We were dreamers,not so long ago.
But one by one, we all had to grow up.
When it seems the magic slipped away... We find it all again on Christmas Day.
Believe in what your heart is saying, Hear the melody that's playing.
There's no time to waste, There so much to celebrate.
Believe in what you feel inside,Give your dreams the wings to fly.
You have everything you need, if you just believe.
Trains move quicklyTo their journey's end.
Destinations...Are where we begin again.
Ships go sailing,Far across the sea.
Trusting starlight, To get where they need to be.
When it seems that we have lost our way...We find ourselves again on Christmas Day.
Believe in what your heart is saying, Hear the melody that's playing
There's no time to waste, There so much to celebrate.
Believe in what you feel inside, And give your dreams the wings to fly.
You have everything you need, if you just Believe.
If you just believe.
If you just believe.If you just believe...just believe...just believe.
**********************************
I love this song...I especially like the lines that say
"Believe in what your heart is saying, Hear the melody that's playing.There's no time to waste, There so much to celebrate." and also "When it seems that we have lost our way...We find ourselves again on Christmas Day."
When I hear this song I always think of my Lord who is the true dream giver and when ever I have lost my way in life or in pursuit of the dreams He has given, I find myself again "when I just believe"... in Christ. He is the melody playing in my heart. He is worth celebrating!
*******************************************
May you find the courage to Believe in the Dream Giver this Christmas season.
Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

TO DO LIST

List of things to do this week....week half over already

Work extra hours at job #1
Re-work the budget
Shop
Make Christmas goodies
Shop
Re-work the budget
Mail out "Save the Dates" for the wedding (past due)
Work job #2
Replace non-working string of lights before kids arrive

Shop
Re-work the budget
Sleep.....naaaah... X that til after Christmas

1st Day of Christmas!



Yesterday was the first day of Christmas!....well depending on who you ask... but for me, definantly!
If you haven't do so yet...get to celebrating!

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Hearing the words

For sometime I've been wanting to start regular postings of song lyrics. As some of you may have picked up on, I love songs and to sing. To me, songs express the deepest thoughts and emotions that I myself have no words for...and I'm pretty darn wordy...:) I think that in our society we take very little time to really hear most songs, to realize their point...especially ones we have sung for years because they are catchy or cute or are just traditional. Perhaps if they are printed out in front of us, maybe in a context we had not thought of before....they can really speak to us and we can grasp their true meaning. Words are powerful things and I would just like to take this opportunity to give some powerful songs their due. I'm going to steal an idea from a fellow blogger and try to have a regular lyric post each week. If anyone thinks of a catchy name for it like WBW or something let me know. :)

Here's my choice for this week:

Hark, the herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King!" Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled. Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies. With the angelic host proclaim "Christ is born in Bethlehem". Hark, the herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King!"
Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ the everlasting Lord. Late in time, behold Him come, offspring of the favored one. Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity. Pleased, as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel! Hark, the herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King!"
Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace, hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark, the herald angels sing "Glory to the newborn King!"

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Now this is good :)

Never read this guy before but I do like today's entry and yesterday isn't bad either. Check it out....he certainly has a point. Thank goodness Christianity is still scary to somebody!

Friday, December 02, 2005

Joy to the World!

You know, I keep hearing this stupid commercial on the radio and its bugging me. You may have heard it, its the "Rooms to Go" ad that says...."You find the room you want, the joy is real". It irks me every time I hear it.
That joy is not real!
Neither is a trip to the Bahamas or the perfect new car or pair of great shoes. This, my friends, is not joy!
This is just pleasure...pleasure is such a soulish thing...and don't get me wrong...I find just as much pleasure as anyone in the smell of new leather, a great vacation or a delicious meal...:-) All completely justifiable as pleasant.....But please don't tell me this is joy!

Please don't sully true Joy with such insignificance!
Joy is something spiritual, a higher thing. I have real Joy inside me all the time...sometimes I feel it more strongly than at other times, but it is there nonetheless, like a quiet undercurrent waiting to burst forth. I feel it when I am with my brothers and sisters...or my husband and children..and Jada, of course. :), or in the giving something of myself to others. I know real Joy when I create- something from within is brought to life and shared with those around me.... this is the experiencing of true Joy and it is a glorious high thing. It is so much more encompassing than mere pleasure.
Sharing life with others, giving of myself, reminds me of the Father bringing forth His Son and sharing His Joy with the world... Of course I can experience pleasure at the same time as Joy but the two are definitley not one and the same. Sometimes I feel deep Joy for no reason at all other than the simple fact that Joy Himself lives inside of me. Joy is so much greater, higher, and deeper than poor pleasure! ....As a matter of fact...Joy is a Person. His name is Jesus Christ. The Father gave His own Joy to us!
Let us not settle for living from our soul, let us soar in our spirits.
Let everyday be "JOY to the World!"