Love and Chocolate...

In the book Love Adds a Little Chocolate, Linda Andersen writes:
Duty can pack an adequate sack lunch, but love may decide to enclose a little love note inside...Obligation sends the children to bed on time, but love tucks the covers in around their necks and passes out kisses and hugs (even to teenagers!)...Duty gets offended quickly if it isn't appreciated, but love learns to laugh a lot and to work for the sheer joy of doing it. Obligation can pour a glass of milk, but quite often, love adds a little chocolate.

Ahh...everything is better with chocolate...especially love!

Christmas Shopping...what are you going to give?

I'm sure you're all in full swing getting your Christmas shopping finalized...or started. If you're like me, you hate the crowds so you finished your shopping already or you may be CRAZY and have braved Black Friday and other Christmas mall insanity episodes. Nevertheless...there's one gift I wanted to remind you to shop for. What are you getting Jesus for Christmas? I encourage you to take some time. He's not very picky so it shouldn't be hard. He appreciates anything we give him. Big or small, there is one thing I know He wants. That perfect amazing beloved gift...YOU...yes YOU! As you're thinking about so many other people this month, remember who's birthday it truly is and make Him a part of all your shopping. Keep Him in mind while you are discerning how much money to spend that He's provided you with, how you'll treat the other CRAZIES still shopping and the many tired store clerks you'll come into contact with. Make sure to smile and wish those people assisting you a MERRY CHRISTMAS...yes, I said it and so can you. Jesus, especially this time of year, wants you to be toasty, cozy and intensely on fire for him and what better way to shine that light than a simple, Merry Christmas!

Back to your gift. As you're wrapping your presents so carefully and putting them under the tree, don't forget the most important one. Maybe you can wrap up your insecurity, maybe you have a health issue to offer or possibly you want to surrender your busyness to Him this Christmas season. Whatever it is you have to offer Jesus, He is ready and happy to receive it. Maybe if you're like me, you'll be wrapping that same gift everyday and continually placing it under the tree because you have so much of it to give...and that's not a good thing...but it is to Him when we place it before His feet and say, "Here, I'm giving this to you because I love you, I trust you and I believe you."

Merry Christmas everyone and don't forget to give the most precious birthday boy a gift this blessed season!

Happy Thanksgiving...we are thankful for...

We spent our Thanksgiving in Seattle meeting our new family member, Baby Blake. He is like a little doll, weighing 5+lbs. The kids loved holding him and didn't love taking turns with each other. Auntie Tasha and Uncle Brandon are proud and TIRED new parents of this sweet little man!

50 is beautiful...

Who says your friends should be born in the same decade as you? I've been blessed with several who aren't and what joy, growth and wisdom they bring into my life. Two of my favorite girls celebrated their 50th birthdays with a special evening. I am still in awe that I was included amongst these incredibly godly and amazing women. I was the baby of the group and reminded a few times...all in love! It was a night full of sweet fellowship, tears, wonderful food and the hugs were flowing freely. We all were given boas to wear and a blingy bracelet...our tiaras came later. God has blessed me with so much beauty in my life and on this night...it came in the form of 50!

Beautiful Autumn Day...

The girls on their way to Awana at church and it was "Dress like a Noah character" night. These are my kitties, "The kitties, they came in by twosies, twosies..." everyone sing a long now...

Bradda update

I probably won't update much anymore about our sweet Bradda but I thought I'd give you a face to the prayers. We enjoyed his sisters this weekend at our house so I'm sharing pics. Bradda starts his 6 week radiation treatment soon and then it'll be 6 months of chemo following. He has 1% of the cancer still in his brain but is doing remarkable well since his surgery. He is a miracle. He attended reading group at school this week...tired but he wants to find some normalcy while he can. There are so many fun fundraisers going on in town for this wonderful family. Our community is amazing and praying hard for this little man to be healed and have a healthy recovery.