What a great birthday!! Thanks to my mom, dad, Mike and Mikey, Kerri, Eric, the cutest little boys in the world and of course the ever popular Jen Leonard - I had a stupendous birthday celebration. I love you all!!

We had a beautiful Christmas day and I hate to admit it but I (and even my husband) slipped into some kind of funk and we have been fighting it for several days. I think we are finally getting on top of it but it is hard when you aren't quite sure what caused it. This is a true confession as I am very ashamed I allowed this to happen. This season of the year is so beautiful and God's blessings on our lives have been just as beautiful. Oh well, beating myself up won't help either. Speaking of God's blessings, He is able to grant us His grace even in the midst of a funk. Ironically, I think this state I have been in is somewhat related to the amount of time I have practiced His presence in my life lately. So tonight I am thankful for the way He loves us all the time no matter what no questions asked, no strings attached.

Well, hopefully we are all on the mend. I came down with a stomach bug and it put a damper on me celebrating little man's birthday but nevertheless, he is now two. It was a great celebration full of Thomas stuff everywhere you looked. Mike and I went on a shopping marathon yesterday and I am almost done. I waited too long for one item and I can't find it now. If anybody knows where I can get the new George Foreman grill with the interchangeable grills let me know. It's all wrapped and I can concentrate on menus now. Have you ever noticed how we all ask each other if we are "ready" for Christmas. Ready or not, here IT comes. That's the wonderful thing about it. Christmas, the real spirit of Christmas always comes, right on time whether all the presents are purchased or not. I love the Christmas Carol "The Little Drummer Boy". I love the line at the end; "then He smiled at me". Sometimes I wonder why He keeps smiling at us with all the crap we bring. Merry Christmas!!

I watched my very special grandson in his Christmas pre-school program tonight. So cute!! Friday we will celebrate my other special grandson on turning "2". Gifts from God. Thanks God. And we will have another gift for next Christmas. I'm really enjoying the season. It will be over far too soon for me. Can you tell I REALLY like this time of the year?!!
I have a friend whose life is a mess. Prayers for her tonight.

Another blessed week-end. We had some dear friends over last night and Kerri and the boys spent the night with us. I love being able to have extra time (not just on Christmas day) to spend in my house with the boys enjoying the decorations and expectation of Christmas. Mikey came over and watched the Bengals win with his dad. It was just a nice week-end. Hopefully Mike is on the mend and he will feel better tomorrow. He really likes the way the muscle relaxers help him sleep. Ha! I really hope some of the pain has subsided by tomorrow. Another week. They just keep flying by. Looks like some more snow. My prayer tonight is that I will never take a day for granted. I am so blessed and I hope I can pass some of my blessings on to someone this week. Good Night!

I watched the boys today while Kerri and my mom went shopping. What a fun time!! I finally got to see Polar Express. What a great movie. I had purchased some beautiful authentic sleigh bells this year and they are on my front doorknob. No matter how old I get I hope I can always hear the sleigh bells. I highly recommend Polar Express especially if you don't believe.

Well, Christmas is closing in on us. We are all either trying to get over illness or trying not to get it. Whatever is out there sure does want to hang around for a while once it hits. I'm still working out 4 to 5 times a day and meeting with my personal trainer. I am slowly seeing some results. I know I am doing something good for myself and probably even adding on some years and that's a good thing. We have decided to go back to our home church. We just want to worship with our friends (actually they're like family) again. Sunday was our first time and it felt pretty good. Think I'll pass on another song for Christmas. It is Mary's song but I think we all have had these feelings sometime on our journey.

I have traveled many moonless nights.
Cold and weary with a babe inside.
and I wonder what I've done.
Holy Father, You have come
Chosen me now to carry your son

I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone
Must I walk this path alone
Be with me now, be with me now.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one, should have had my place
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong
Help me be
Help me

Breath of Heaven hold me together be forever near me
Breath of Heaven
Breath of Heaven light in my darkness
Pour over me your holyness
For you are holy
Breath of Heaven

Reading from one of my very favorite books today; "Disciplines for the Inner Life":

"Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety. 'This is the inward realit of simplicity.'
...To receive what we have as a gift from God is the first inner attitude of simplicity. We work but we know that it is not our work that gives us what we have. We live by grace even when it comes to daily bread...What we have is not the result of our labor, but of the gracious care of God. When we are tempted to think that what we own is the result of our personal efforts, it takes only a little drought or a small accident to show us once again how radically dependent we are for everything.
To know that it is God's business and not ours to care for what we have is the second inner attitude of simplicity. God is able to protect what we possess We can trust Him... Simplicity means the freedom to trust God for these and all things.
To have our goods available to others marks the third inner attitude of simplicity. Martin Luther said somewhere, 'If our goods are not available to the community they are stolen goods.' The reason we find these words so difficult is our fear of the future...But if we truly believe that God is who Jesus said He is, then we do not need to be afraid." Richard J. Foster