Its beginning to look a lot like.....

In my home growing up, my Daddy loved EVERYTHING christmas.  Starting October 1st, it was time to pull out the christmas music!  

Five years ago I watched my Dad's life end to cancer.  The past few years have been extremely difficult as we've encountered each holiday... so hard to move past the emotions from the old memories and traditions and focus on making the holidays warm & inviting for my own family.  So, this year I determined to put my best foot forward and start the holiday out right.  And God....well, He always knows what we need.....

I woke up Thursday morning to dark, rain and feeling extremely rushed.  I had grabbed all the christmas music to take the kids and "surprise" them with christmas songs in the car.  My sweet Jonah walked into the living room, dressed for school and started singing "Deck the Halls with boughs of Holly....".  

"Mama...did you hear me.....its October 1st and I'm singing christmas!"

My eyes welled up with tears....we hadn't talked about this in weeks and his sweet singing made me remember the reason I wanted to get those carols out early!

Thank you God, for your daily reminders of your Faithfulness, for the ways you continue to remind me of my Daddy's legacy, for the wonderful childhood memories I have of the holidays, and for the opportunity to start christmas celebrating early with my children!  

"Its beginning to look alot like CHRISTMAS!"......

 

I LOVE Fall!

I LOVE Fall!  

The smell of pumpkins, apples and spices, campfires in the backyard, football on TV, pumpkin patches, hayrides, warm beverages, sleeping with the windows open, cool mornings, candles in the evenings....need I go on?

I have gone back to work part-time at my former high school.  What fun to work for a place I care for!  Our family is getting used to our new school schedule, early bedtimes :), and homework!  What a fabulous stage we are in with our children.  I so enjoy hearing about their wonderful days at school.  My heart beams as I hear them reciting Bible verses and talk about the things they've learned in class.  I'm grateful for their godly and loving teachers who sacrifice much to minister to my children. 

I'm feeling overwhelmingly blessed during this season.  Thank you God, for Fall.  Thank you for the wonderful blessings you are sharing each day with our family.  I am indebted.

J-man

Six years ago, I lay in a hospital operating room watching the birth of my son on a large mirror.  He screamed incessantly and when he stopped, he would turn blue and stop breathing.  Doctors were flying in the room and machines were being brought in to help him breathe.  It was a scary time watching as others held and cared for this little child.

Jonah spent 8 days in the NICU before we brought him home.  The first night, I lay awake most of the night listening for his every breath.  In the midst of this, we were dealing with my Dad's chemotherapy treatments.  Emotionally, I was a mess.  Yet, God BLESSED us beyond belief with the birth of our son, Jonah.  

I have never met a more empathetic, sensitive and loving little boy.  He is delightfully energetic with a love for a life that is infectious.  He is highly complimentary of others and does NOT enjoy change.  (He still wants his room back the way it was 3 years ago....with older "baby" furniture!)  Music is in his blood and he is always drumming, singing or dancing to music.  His world has exploded recently as he began to read....he reads EVERYTHING he sees!  My day is peppered with quick appearances of Jonah....just to give me a quick hug and a "I love you, Mama!"  Boy, am I going to miss it when he stops doing this!

My greatest sadness for Jonah is that my Dad died when Jonah was 6 months old.  They would be best buddies.  Jonah has so many of my Dad's characteristics that I loved and cherished.

Thank you, God for knowing how much I needed this little boy.  Thank you for the ways you use him to pour into my life.  I love seeing my Dad and Duey in him.  My prayer is that Jonah will continue to listen to YOUR voice and follow your leading.  I can't wait to see the plans you have for his life!

Happy Birthday, J!

8 years...where have they gone?

We were married nearly 7 years before God blessed us with our daughter, Coral.  Several years of desperately wanting a child, along with a bout with infertility left us wondering if we'd ever be parents!  My life-long dream was to be a wife and mom, so I was ecstatic when I found out I was expecting!

Coral arrived and turned our lives upside down.  We fell madly in love with this little bundle.  The first grandchild on both sides of our family meant she never lacked for love, attention or dresses!  :)

Shortly after her first birthday, we moved back North to be close to family.  And since that move, the years have FLOWN by.  

Coral is a sweet, imaginative, artistic, dramatic and empathetic little girl who loves people and life.  She is personable and bold about her faith.  Her passion for art, music and animals is infectious. While loving everything girly, she longs to bond with her Daddy over football, hockey, ribs, chicken wings, and anything outdoors.  There is never a limit to her imagination, spending hours role playing and thinking of unique things to do.  I SO love this little girl.

I cannot wait to watch her grow and mature and see the plans God has for her life.  There is no doubt that God has created her for HIS glory.  

My daddy warned me that the days would go by fast.  I remember LONG nights of nursing and crying, LONG winter days of potty training and Veggie Tales videos, and sometimes I thought we would be stuck in those LONG days forever.  Yet here we are 8 years later and I wonder what happened to the past 8 years!

Thank you, God, for the gift of Coral.  Thank you for answering my heart's cry for a child.  Please bless and protect her in the days ahead.  Help me to be the Mama she needs and the parent you long for me to be. 

Happy birthday, sweet girl. 

Summertime

How is it that summer is almost over?  The summer has flown by at our home.  Between swimming, mini-vacations to Akron and Indiana, school-supply shopping and a little housework thrown in....we are on our way to a new school year.

Things we have yet to look forward to?  Well, we have 2 birthdays coming up at our house in the next  3 weeks.  We have a fantabulous zoo party to attend, a family member to help move, an American Girl Tea Party....and lots more swimming and watermelon to enjoy!

I have felt emotional this past month as I've realized that this will be our last year at the Preschool/Kindergarten building of our school!  We have spent 5 years there with our two kids and have grown to love and cherish the sweet staff at this building!  How weird to not be there daily.

God has blessed us and given me the opportunity to stay home with our kids.  Its weird to think this is the last year of being home with my little guy.  And yet somehow, God has prepared and equipped me for new challenges ahead.  I am looking forward to working a little more this fall and stretching my brain!

Well, I'm off to enjoy a late afternoon nap...and maybe a dip in the pool!  You know...the school year's not far off!