Christmas Morning!

Waking up early and making their way downstairs...

Their matching pjammies!

Wesley's new gun!

Emmy Grace with her new double stroller, her pink gun and holster, and her high heels ! WOW!

Loving on their Mimi!

Papaw was trying hard to stay awake! Early morning!

My gift that Travis wrapped for me and Wes trying out his new machine gun he got from "Santa".



It was such a blessed day! My parents came over for the morning and breakfast. Then we took naps, and went over to Mom and Dad's for dinner and games! IT was just a relaxing day with family! The first Christmas I ever had with my little family in our own home. NOrmally, we go places for CHristmas...but this year was truly special! I loved every minute of it!

Christmas Eve...

Wes reading to his baby brother! Love it!

Before the maddness begins! (See Travis' unique wrapping job with the tarp and bunge cord! Oh my husband!)

I got the table set and ready for breakfast the night before. We "adopted" a sweet tradition from a family friend. They eat breakfast together before opening gifts and they are greeted with their stockings on their plates to open first! So much fun! The kids loved it!

Cookies made and ready for Santa. Wes made a "happy birthday Jesus" wreath so that Santa wouldn't forget the TRUE meaning of Christmas! I love that little boy!

Ready to go! They were so excited!

Merry Christmas!

Boast in the Lord

God is so good to His children! Especially to this one here recently! I am in the grip of His grace and loving every minute of it! How much I don't deserve yet He lavishes upon me...His goodness, His love and His mercy! To be the recipient of such wealth...it is too wonderful for me to grasp!

And don't you stand amazed at the thought of the Creator of all the universe, providing a way for us to communicate with Him! It blows my mind...the kindness of our Lord. This week I have been reading and meditating over 1 Corinthians 1 and these verses jumped off the pages of my Bible straight into my heart!

vs 25-31..."B/c the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling brethern, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise,and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world, and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, so that just as it is written, ' Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."

Isn't that incredible! To know that God uses the foolish things of this world for His glory, for His kingdom! That through His strength and might, we can become used to make His glory known! It makes my heart truly happy knowing that EVEN THOUGH, in the world's eyes, I might be worth very little to society, that through God's eyes...I am useful and worthy! Being a mother and wife may have very little impact on the world and how it sees me...but through God's eyes....He is using me to make His glory known! And that impact far outlives any the world may put value on! It encourages me and reminds me to boast in the Lord! For it is He who makes any of us worthy or even mentionable to others! It is He who our lives should reflect...not our own accomplishments or acheivements! WOW! Just another reminder from His word on who I am and why I am here! His GLORY! That is it!

Christmas Confessions

Okay, Lindsay, here are my Christmas confessions...

10 Christmas Confessions

1. I think I get WAY more excited on Christmas morning than the rest of my family. I love sitting back and watching everyone else open their presents first! The look on their faces! So great!
2. I get up extremley early on Christmas morning to fix breakfast! I make Travis feel bad b/c he sleeps in but SECRETLY, I don't think I could sleep any later if someone paid me too! Too much excitement!
3. My favorite service all year long is Christmas Eve service! So precious!
4. I love the mess of opening presents but especially the joy in cleaning it all up! I am weird huh?
5. Travis always gets me just what I ask for...yet every year I still doubt he will get me anything. Where is my faith huh?
6. I eat entirely too much on this day! But LOVE it!
7. I tell everyone this is my favorite day of the whole year...but ACTUALLY it is Christmas eve day! I love the excitement of "getting ready" for the next day! I love planning and organizing!
8. This year I made my kids eat breakfast BEFORE presents...and it was great! I think this may be a tradition!
9. I stole number 8 tradition from a friend...not very original I know!
10. I'm going to go shopping and buy everything Travis couldn't find me tomorrow. And I might even wrap them up and unwrap them just because! Who knows!

And number 11...I researched the origin of Christmas day this year...and come to find out...Jesus wasn't even born in the winter! It was more like fall. And our tradition of Christmas came from a pagan holiday! It really upset me when I found out all the history behind it...but decided that this is the day I will celebrate the birth of my Lord. It isn't about the ACTUAL day...but the meaning behind the day! It almost tripped me up...but I worked my way through all the emotions and am a better person because of it! YAY! Merry Christmas all!

Brothers...

Wes was reading to his brother today. So precious. Wes has learned to read beginner books...And...not TRYING to brag...but he is just in Kindergarten and reading!!!! YAY! Luke LOVED him reading...until I got the camera out! What can I say...that boy loves the camera ALMOST as much as his mommy!

PRO-LIFE!

Something I have been pondering these past few days...something to make you think...but I am Pro-LIfe all the way! I believe with all my heart that a BABY is started the day of conception. And that since God is the designer of life, He has plans for that little one! So, who are we to take that life and snuff it out? Even in the most horrible circumstances, if there is a life conceived, God has a plan! And His ways are much bigger than ours, so much bigger that we can't always wrap our mind around it! I know taking a stand in today's world on this isn't very popular! But we must stand up for the voices that are being murdered every day! If we don't, who will?

What if Mary, the mother of Jesus, had decided that her body was her own...that she had a "choice"...her circumstances were far from ideal. Her future loomed before her uncertain...she was engaged and now pregnant! What would Joseph say? What would her famliy say? Would she be accused of the forbidden? Would they stone her? So many questions stared her in the face as she "Choose" to believe God and trust Him at His word! Scared and frightened...she embraced the impossible and walked blindly into the unknown! AND PRAISE GOD SHE DID! God brought forth the Redeemer of the world, the Saviour, the King of kings and Lord of lords into the world wrapped in a baby's cry, a girl's obedience, and a new husband's faith! What a night that must have been...the night that Mary gave birth to Emmanuel! WOW!

Merry Christmas!

This season is so amazing! I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I have a huge long post to write about...but for now I just wanted to post some pics of my adorable children! They are truly the light of my life! I love being a mommy!

My Angel...

Emmy Grace all dressed up!

Mommy and Emmy all excited!

Emmy watching the piano player!

last This was the end of the night! SHe was tuckered out!

So, last weekend, we went to the Ballet! The Nutcracker! It was so much fun! I'll begin from the beginning...

The evening began with much time spent on "gettin pretty". We had to curl our hair, get our dresses on, and even put on make-up! Emmy Grace was SO EXCITED ABOU THIS NIGHT! I talked it up big...and big it was! We started out with dinner...she was the belle of the ball! She asked Mimi, "Why does everyone keep smiling at me?" They were smiling...how could you not? She was so precious!

After dinner we went out for dessert! Yummy! Emmy Grace LOVED the piano player! She couldn't take her eyes off her! It was so fun to watch her be amazed! Then the DANCING! She loved the ballet! It was so beautiful! (although I am glad that we saw the community production before we saw it bigger...they did good though considering it was Fairbanks) I thought for sure that Emmy would get bored, fall asleep, need to go to the bathroom, be all antsy....but NOT AT ALL! She sat on the edge of her seat the ENTIRE time! And when it was over, she asked could we watch it all over again! It was a great night! I love my little girl! She is so sweet! I love my boys...they are amazing...but that little girl! Thank You Lord!

LIttle Girls!

I am sitting here at this computer, trying to write something amazing, and all I see before me is this little girl, twirling and spinning, dancing and singing, pretending she is a beautiful princess! Well, in my book, she doesn't have to pretend very hard! She is the most glorious little girl God ever created! She makes me smile! I love my boys, don't get me wrong! They are rough and tough...they love to get dirty, and run and play! They give me the biggest bear hugs and LOVE to make me laugh! Boys are the ulitmate FUN! But a little girl...there is just something special about a little girl and her mommy! And my little girl is the girliest girl you could ever imagine! She loves pink, and sparkles, princesses and babydolls! She loves to sing and DANCE! But my favorite is when she twirls! SHe dresses up in her pretty dresses and twirls! I see the sparkle in her eyes...she is a princess for sure! My heart swells so big...b/c I know the EXACT feeling she feels...for once I was a little girl in a pretty dress...twirling and singing and dancing! Oh the joys of being a little girl! It is the best feeling EVER!

And tomorrow...we are dressing up in our PRETTIEST dresses, and going out to a fance dinner, and then our first ever night at the BALLET! THe NUTCRACKER! I am so excited! It is going to be so splendid! (And she is excited too!) I can't wait...I'll post pictures tomorrow...awww...thank you Jesus for my little girl!