A New Chance Each Day

My dear friend, Lori, has the most amazing way of finding the silver lining in situations that turn out different than originally anticipated.  Her optimism speaks volumes about her beautiful soul and faith in God's sovereignty over our lives.  

Tonight is not the way we had planned, or hoped, to bring in 2011.  We have a fun tradition of spending time with friends, while eating fondue, reviewing the past year and making predictions for the next.  We have even been known to play Guitar Hero until the wee hours of morning.  We can be pretty wild.  

Instead, we are banished to our house with a nasty bug that has been hanging on for days.  Five days of fevers, coughs and exhaustion has taken a toll on all of us.  I made brownies instead of dinner -since no one wanted to eat anything.  At least I still have my priorities straight, even if they just sit in the pan longing to be eaten.  

The concept of starting new in a new year is always exciting and motivating.  Yet what gets me each year around this time is the opportunity that is given each day, each moment that we live, to start new.  God's promise of redemption and starting clean isn't just in this transition of hanging a new calendar on the wall.  I am in awe of this blessing on my family and need to remind myself that we don't need the perfect tradition to welcome January 1.  We can have the same feelings of excitement and motivation in every breath, in all that we do. 

It is our Christmas present from God that we get to open everyday.

It is our chance to start again. 

So what is our silver lining today?  
Time as a family.  Wearing pajamas all day.  Doing projects around the house. Snuggling with sick kiddos that don't want to be out of our arms......

We look forward to fondue that will be rescheduled, and are thankful for God's promise of new life as we bring in a new year - in a very quiet house. 

SNOW!

I realize that the shocking news of snow in Minnesota is not so shocking to those who live there, or to those that watch the news.  However, you may not know that there isn't snow in Kansas.  I think it snowed a dusting last month, but the grass is still present and we don't have to wear boots.  We can go outside without freezing our noses off.  I like it.  I like it a whole lot.  

Minnesota is setting records with the snow fall that has come this December.  I have lost track of accumulated inches....maybe 36?  The bottom line is, there is a whole lot of snow.  We could see the gradual increase of white stuff on our drive up for Christmas.  The drifts became larger, until they were taller than Jason.

We stopped at a rest area that was full of dirty slush in southern Minnesota.  We then remembered what it was like to live with this stuff, not to mention living with kids in this stuff.  Having our three little ones file out of the mini van, onto the mess on the ground, and then back in to their car seats - while stepping on items that had made it to the ground during our road trip (blankets, paper, stuffed animals) made for some crabby parents.

"Don't kick the snow while wearing your tennis shoes!"

"Take your shoes off!"  as the climbed back in the van. 

"Don't step on your favorite sleep blanket!"

Can you see the dirty wetness invading our warm, dry van?  

And then came the kids whining......

"I'm FREEZING!!!"

"My feet are all wet!"

"How much longer until we get there????"  O.k.  That one isn't related to the snow.  But they do ask that a few times on the drive.  

Jason and I were so thankful that we don't have that routine everyday.  But packed in the van was a giant duffel bag full of snow gear to outfit our whole crew, so that we could enjoy the white fluffy snow and get over our bad attitude. 

Snow.

I like it on a temporary basis -with the right amount of outerwear to keep us warm and family to encourage playing on the tundra.  It can be pretty fun.  

Samuel, Owen and Daddy snuggling in a snow bank.

 Daddy and Samuel sledding at the Tracy's house.

 Ella braving the hill. 

 Daddy and Sam at the bottom of the run. 

 Samuel - on the way out of a snow tunnel. 

 Grandpa Larry and Owen while more snow is falling....

 Owen "helping" shovel the accumulation. 

A Christmas With Family

It was a beautiful Christmas celebrating Christ's birth with our family in Minnesota.  We had a  whirlwind trip, full of unanticipated moments that only children can bring.  Like the screams of joy that ensued as we could see downtown Minneapolis approaching on the drive up north.  Or sleeping on the floor next to Owen, who was sick on Christmas Eve - but not too sick to wake up and open up his stocking.  

There were many people who were missed in my picture taking over those crazy two days.  But I am thankful for the memories that were captured on film and those that were not.  We are blessed to have so much love in our lives.  We are thankful for Christ's coming and that we can celebrate His presence each day.  

In order of appearance - some of our moments with family:

Reading books with Auntie Christine

 Ella and Mark

 Ryan, Ella, Owen and Mark

 Owen and Mark....don't they look like trouble? 

 Ryan and Ella

 Auntie Christine and Samuel

 Reading the Advent Story with Ella, Auntie Lisa, Naomi and Owen

 I love all of the different faces in this one!  Lisa, Naomi, Owen and Grandma Sue

 Ella and Auntie Megan

 Ella and Naomi

Christmas Photo Shoot

It is 50 degrees in December and I can handle that.  

In my eagerness to take advantage of the nice weather, I brought all the kids outside by myself, despite runny noses and bad attitudes, hoping to get just one nice picture of the three of them.  

I can't say that I had success.  No one wanted to cooperate at the same time.  Such is life.  And it tells a story.....