Christmas 2009.

Jesus.
Family.
Giving.
Wrapping.
Singing.
Married.
Traveling.
Visiting.
Shopping.
Caroling.
Eating.
Worshipping.
Lights.

Thankful for the things of Christmas. Praying that though this year is a bit tougher than others that Joy is found by all. Praying for strength & health in our families and friends this season as it is needed.

Father oh Father how we need you. You know better than I exactly what is needed, and I know you are already at work, but Lord cover our families with your amazing Strenght and Peace and Hope and Health. There are such incredible needs right now. Thank You Father. In Jesus name. Amen.

Success at last!

Finally after months and months of searching and failing...

I found the perfect pair of black shoes...

Behold my new favorite pair of black shoes...perfect height...perfect toe...so comfortable

Oh the things that I do...

I did not go into the men's bathroom at Walmart

& did not come out of the stall to see a man washing his hands

& did not convince him that he was in the wrong bathroom

& he did not come back in to tell me that I was in the wrong bathroom nope that did not happen

& I was not completely embarrassed!!!

Serious Apprecitaion...

This weekend Mr. Wonderful and I came to visit his mom in Mobile & to have Christmas with this side of the family!! So excited to give our gifts!! I love that feeling, being excited to give a gift. I don't always get that cause I am not always successful at finding a gift I know someone will love, especially on a budget. But anyway headed off on a rabbit trail with that one.

Let me get to the real reason for this blog post, what my serious appreciation is for...

So we came to Mobile to have Christmas with family and to work. Mr. Wonderful had taken up his mom's district to help out and to make a little extra money. We had decided that this would be the last time he would do this since the drive is so hard on his car (it's very old but still going and we need it to continue to go!!). Last time we were down (Thanksgiving) I went and worked with him so that we could get through quicker. It was kind of fun. It was work but I got to be with my hubby so that made it so bad.

This time coming down we knew it would be the last time and we had alot of stores to do. I volunteered to help again. I had now idea what I was getting myself into this time. We got up and out the door at 5:30am. I didn't work the first few hours of the day I got to have coffee and some quiet/devotional/fun reading time. But when the work began...PHEW.

Let me just say that my sweet little hubby...PUT ME TO WORK!!! We had so much to do and together as a team we got it done. We finished the last store for the day around 7:30 pm. Boy oh boy was I tired.

So I started this blog post out with a serious appreciation for one thing and now my serious appreciation has totally changed...

My first thought of a serious appreciation was...for my desk job!!! Cause wow were my feet mad at me for being up on them ALL day!!! My feet were killing me so bad.

As I was writing this blog my serious appreciation and heart changed a great deal. My serious appreciation is for my Wonderful husband and how hard he works to provide for us. How his heart was directed at holding his mom's job for her when she could go back to work. My serious appreciation if for and incredible God who put the two of us together to make a GREAT team. We can work side by side and get the job done. We work well together and enjoy being with the other. I think we are VERY blessed in that way. Especially from hearing many many stories of husbands and wives that are so separate in their lives. We truly are a GREAT team. So my heart and my appreciation changed as I thought of what we accomplished together in a day and a half of work. (We worked 12 hrs straight yesterday and another 5 hours today.)

So today I appreciate a hard working Wonderful husband. I appreciate my desk job or rather my feet appreciate my desk job. And I appreciate a Heavenly Father who one gave me this Wonderful husband and two put together such a great team.

Father I appreciate you and your faithfulness and loving kindness and your plan for our lives!
Mr. Wonderful I appreciate you and all your hard work and how you take care of me and for all you do for us!
Desk job my feet and I appreciate you as well.

Today I am feeling serious appreciation! Now for a nap maybe, shower definitely, & then CHRISTMAS fun for the rest of the day!!

Hope

"Hope can see heaven through the thickest clouds."

~Thomas Brooks

This came from our devotion last night and it really stuck with me. I think we could all use a little boost of this kind of hope.

God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

The Perfect Saturday

I am sitting her right now experiencing the perfect Saturday...

Spent the morning with my amazing kiddos from Children's Church practicing the Christmas musical and amazing youth and adult workers!

Now I sit nestled on my couch with my laptop catching up on blogging.

My hubby is in the chair engrossed in Alabama football...occasionally screaming like a wild banshee and clapping wildly.

My Christmas tree is lit up as well as my lil Christmas village.

My belly is FULL of my hubby's incredible chili.

I'm warm, full, & happy.

This could be the perfect Saturday.

I seriously cannot wait to see my kiddos rock the Christmas musical tomorrow!!

Thank You Father for a great day, I really needed one of these! I am SO Thankful.

When it rains it pours...

So there has really been A LOT going on in my family lately!!

Let me start by saying that our families really got us through our wedding. They were all so helpful and we really could not have done it without them, which means that they put a lot of their time, effort, heart, & money into that.

Now it seems like things have just gone crazy! Hubby and I are praying so hard for everyone and everything that is going on.

The rain started shortly after the wedding when my mother informed me that she has had Pleurisy and probably bronchitis again, since the week before the wedding. She is battling that still. She runs out of energy very easily and has not been to church in quite some time. This makes me very sad as I do not want her to pull away from God just when she is getting a good hold on Him and starting down the path of healing. Immediately began praying for healing and strength in her body and the desire to rejoin the church body.

The down pour started with a Saturday morning phone call from hubby’s mom. It’s the phone call you never want to get. The cancer has returned. Immediately began to pray for healing and strength as she begins Chemo. Three rounds right here during the holidays. We found out the day after her first treatment the doctors gave her three times the amount she should have had. Immediately began praying for health.

The down pour continues as we find out Neesie is diagnosed with Lupus. Lupus is an auto-immune disorder that takes quite a toll on a person. And it has taken a toll on Neesie. She has been a champ though and has just kept on keeping on. I don’t know how she does it. Immediately began praying for healing as she begins medication to stabilize the disease.

Pouring still as we find out Dad’s Aunt who has Alzheimer’s can no longer live by herself and will need to be moved here and they’ll need to find an assisted living facility for her to live at, but until then she will be at my parents house. That is on top of Neesie already taking care of mammaw, her mom, which has been an already full-time and very emotionally and physically taxing job as mammaw becomes less and less mobile. Immediately began to pray for strength, peace, and blessings.

And then a torrential down pour as I finally can get in touch with my mother on Tuesday and find out that she is on the way back from Texas with my grandmother and uncle in tow. This is not a good thing. My grandmother was very abusive to my mom when she was growing up and she is not a nice lady now and my uncle who has recently been released from prison where he’s been the majority of his adult life does nothing but drink and I mean quite literally does nothing (not even eat) but drink. I know my mother feels like she is doing the right thing but I am not convinced of that. I do not think that she is in a place to be able to handle this. Immediately began praying for God’s protection and wisdom as she takes this on.

Sometimes it feels like the world is spinning out of control. But then I know our God has everything in control. He is Faithful and Mighty and will never leave us or forsake us. We are holding onto Him. We trust Him. We will keep lifting our families up to Him and know that He is in control when we feel like EVERYTHING is out of control.

Father I love you and trust you. I know that you see everyone’s big picture and you know things that we cannot know. I trust you. I give you all of these needs and the needs unseen and ask You to minister as only you can. I ask you to provide all the things that Mom, Neesie, Ms. Darlene, Dad, and the other’s involved need to make it through each and every day. I ask you to bless beyond what they can imagine. I ask you to provide Your peace that surpasses All understanding. I ask that you Heal bodies, hearts, and lives. I love you Father. In Jesus name. Amen.

2009

I was thinking on my way home this evening about this year...

I know it's a little early but here is a run down of 2009

I had my first Valentine's date with the man created just for me.

It was super sweet.

I got laid off from my job of 9 years.

It was incredibly shocking and sad, but changed the direction of my life forever.

I turned 28.

It wasn't so bad.

I made a big decision about my future.

I can't wait to get started.

I got to do tons of Children's Ministry at camp.

First time ever I didn't have to get up before the sun and drive to a job, instead I got to spend the whole day at camp with the team.

I got to be on staff at Kids Camp.

Seriously something I thought I'd never get to do but has been a dream of mine. It was wonderful!

I got engaged.

On our 1 year anniversary. I was exhausted and grumpy and he asked me anyway. One of the best nights of my life.

I got a new job.

So thankful God opened a door for a paycheck.

I took a trip to the beach with my family.

Spent quality time on the gorgeous beach at a gorgeous condo. Had a GREAT time!

I bought a wedding dress.

One of the most emotional and extraordinary days of my life. Surrounded by moms and my best friend and the most beautiful dress EVER!

I planned our wedding.

Could not pay me to do it again but it turned out to be the absolute funnest, happiest, and BEST days of my life!!!

I got married.

Again the funnest, happiest, and BEST day of my life!!

I went to Mexico with my new husband.

Had the sweetest most wonderful time just the two of us!!

I found how just how incredible my family and best friends are.

No way this year could have been as wonderful without any of them. Definitely could not have made it through the wedding with out any of them! Love them all!!

I'd say this has been one of the most incredible years of my life thus far.

Wow!!

I can't wait to see what God has in store for 2010.

I truly can not wait Father to see what you have for us in 2010 I love you and trust You completely. Give us Peace and Strength to do Your will! I'm Ready Now, I'm Ready Now! Thank You Father for all you did this year You blessed me beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Thank You for what I know You are going to do in the coming year. Let our lives begin! Thank You Father for your love and incredible faithfulness. Thank You for your plan which is much better than ours and Thank You for my incredible husband, family, and friends. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am so very very blessed, beyond anything I could ever imagine and it is all because of YOU Father. I would have NONE of this were it not for YOU and Your love, salvation, redemption, and Faithfulness. I am so thankful to you and I truly cannot wait to see what YOU have in store for us. I love you! In Jesus name. Amen.