~ When God Gives You Forever

Nine years ago today, God gave us an incredible double blessing.

Our twins were eight months old when they arrived from South Korea.

They were born eight weeks premature and weighed only 3 pounds each.

Much to our surprise, they were not tiny when they arrived.

They are identical twins.

After eight hours in a hotel that first night, we could tell their cries apart, and they would turn to our voices at breakfast the next morning.

I believe God had already begun knitting our hearts together.

We became a family that first day at the airport, but God determined it to be so before the foundation of the world.

Happy Family Day Ellis and Aidan! We love you and we love being your forever family!

~ No Promise Can Compare

Yesterday, we started our countdown to Christmas, marking the days with small little mittens filled with treasures as we prepare for Christ's coming. This year, in addition to our traditional countdown, we began an advent devotional from one of my favorite writers, Ann over at Holy Experience. The passage for Dec. 1st took us right back to the beginning of the story of Jesus' coming - right there in the book of Genesis.

We have spent alot of time in the book of Genesis lately. Our history curriculum for the year covers the Old Testament and Egypt. Our Bible curriculum covers Genesis through Joshua. In our read aloud, we have been reading the Genesis commentary that I raved about here. And my oldest son's Omnibus curriculum had him reading and studying the book of Genesis for the first month of school. As I opened the devotional for yesterday's reading, I wondered if I might hear their little voices moan with, "We've already done this."



But Ann has a way. As we read the verses about the Fall and Eve's decision to sin once again, we caught a glimpse of Christmas, right there in the words God uses to curse the serpent.

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Their little minds didn't catch it at first because, as Ann put it, it was only a whisper, a hint of what was to come.

Jesus!

Christmas!

Right there in the first book of the Bible.

As we discussed it, their little eyes sparkled with realization. Jesus is coming. It was God's plan from the very beginning. The Old Testament confirming the New Testament. Or perhaps it is actually the New Testament that confirms the Old.

At the end of the devotional, Ann's challenge was to sing a worship song or a Christmas carol to invite Christ to come be with us. My oldest immediately responded with, "Mom, I have Shout to the Lord on my Ipod." I told him that would be great. I knew we probably all knew that one.

He grabbed his Ipod and began to play the song. I was blown away that I was getting to worship with my children in school for the first time. (I'm quite sure that is their first experience with that!) As we got to the chorus, we sang louder. Then we sang the words that will give new meaning to Christmas for my boys this year -

"Nothing compares to the promise I have in You!"

God is amazing. He is weaving His story together for my boys. We've been preparing for Christmas for the last three months, and we didn't even know it. We've studied creation. We've studied the fall. We've studied the curse. And now, my boys understand even better the promise that God made from the very beginning. Jesus is coming. There's no promise that can compare to that!

And this year, we'll be ready!

Take a moment and enjoy our favorite new Christmas song; after all, it's all about Jesus.

Just press pause on the music player in the top right margin.

This is the Lincoln Brewster version my son had on his Ipod.

A Tiny Winter Break

This past weekend my hubby and I took the boys on an overnight to this beautiful hotel on Lake Michigan.

The boys didn't have school on Monday, so Sunday after church, we packed everyone up and headed over to the lake for the night. We try to go every year. We love it! My favorite part is the sound of the waves hitting the rocky shoreline - so peaceful!

This is the view right outside our condo door.

Ken's favorite part is the enormous large screen TV in the condo!

The kids favorite part is this...

The pool was right next to our condo, but we drove so the kids wouldn't freeze coming home with wet suits. This is Bennett helping Daddy drive to the pool.

I noticed he was playing with the keys. Then I noticed the keys weren't in the ignition and we were driving! Is that supposed to happen?

This is Ellis headed to the pool. We're usually here in summer so his outfit made me laugh!

We ended the trip with a freezing cold silly string battle on the beach in our swimsuits! Let me rephrase that. The boys ended the trip with a freezing cold silly string battle on the beach in their swimsuits! I'm no idiot! (Pretty funny looking, but they had a blast!)

The kids did not say one word on the trip home - literally. They were exhausted! Josiah ate dinner and went to bed at 6:15 p.m. The quiet ride and the early-to-bed were well worth the cost of the hotel, the late night pizza run and the ridiculously expensive lunch at the snack bar that day! (These boys are eating me out of house and home and condo!) I'd do it again in a heartbeat! As my children say all the time, "Ahhhh - fun times!" (usually said with head thrown back and a giggle in the voice)

We Survived the Mall

We took the kids to our favorite mall to see Santa like we do every year. We've seen him every year since Josiah's first Christmas. I wonder if he remembers the boys from year to year. (I mean, who could forget their sweet faces?) We helped the boys get their shopping done for each other. I never realized I'd have to teach my boys to shop. I thought it would just come naturally. It does for me!!!

A friend heard we were headed to the mall with the boys and said, "Are you out of your minds?" I'm sure at the time we were, but tradition is tradition, and I'm a stickler when it comes to traditions. All in all, we had a great time despite the crowds.

My favorite moment from the night was when the Santa photo was done. Aidan was crawling down from his spot to leave and he stopped to give Santa a hug - melted my heart!

Memories of Christmas as a little girl:

I remember receiving a huge candy cane from church every year. I think it lasted until the next Christmas (it was huge)!

I can only remember one white Christmas, but I'm sure there had to be others. That particular Christmas, we got a really cool snow toy (a big tube), and when we took it outside to enjoy rolling around in the snow, it cracked from the cold.

One of my most vivid memories is walking into the living room on Christmas morning to a room full of toys and gifts left unwrapped so we could dive right in. (Mom, was that because you ran out of time [which I can certainly understand now] or was it a conscious decision to leave them unwrapped? I'm thinking it could be a great time saver.) I'm pretty sure that was the Christmas all my dreams came true because under my Christmas tree sat a turntable and a set of Donny Osmond albums. I was in heaven!

I remember all the years of rehearsing Christmas plays and musicals to be performed before the church. If I could thank all those people who helped make that happen, I would. I am so grateful for the part they played in making me who I am today.

One of the highlights every year was spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with cousins. Every Christmas Eve, we would go to Nashville to be with my mom's family. After eating like crazy and spending wonderful time with our cousins and aunts and uncles, we would climb in the back of the old station wagon, all four of us stretched out under the glass roof, and we would search for Santa in the sky. If I remember correctly, the search usually ended in four sleeping kids. I don't ever recall walking into the house after one of those trips. Then the next day, we would open presents as a family and then spend the rest of the day with Dad's side of the family. Every Christmas should involve cousins. My cousins are part of some of my best memories. I'm sad we've all grown up and live so far apart.

I remember one special Christmas, a rather warm Christmas, spent with those Texan cousins. I remember late night whispers, spilled pickles and lots of giggles. You had to be there. Uncle Dean and Aunt Dixie woke up to the strong smell of pickle juice and woke us all by singing, "I'm Dreaming of a Green Pickle." We still all giggle when someone sings it!

Mom somehow managed to have great Christmas breakfasts. I remember the neighbors and the Hendersons coming over to eat mom's incredible biscuits and gravy, country ham, etc... And a favorite of our family - getting to eat baklava for breakfast! (How did you manage that with four children? You amaze me - always have!)

I remember competitive games of spoons at Granddaddy's house followed by turkey induced comas and long massage lines.

I remember Christmas carolling in Nashville with all the cousins. What fun we had and still have getting to sing together. It's just not often enough anymore.

I can't remember a Christmas when the Roysters (neighbors) didn't come over to say "Merry Christmas" and see all the presents. How special that is to me now as an adult to remember that consistency in my life. And now there will be one less this year as we said goodbye to Mr. Royster last winter. And while my family will not be there this year to celebrate with Granny and Papa, I know that on Christmas morning, Agnes, Jane, Ron and Anita and kids will probably walk over to say hi. And I will think of them so far away and be grateful for all the Christmas mornings that came before and for their unending friendship. I love you all!

Could somebody stop the clock?

We're a little behind this year with Christmas preparations. The tree is here, it's just standing outside in the snow for now.

We did manage to get our mittens hung on December 1st, and the boys are loving that tradition as usual. They run to the mittens first thing when they get home from school to see what kind of surprise is in them. Sometimes it's candy, sometimes it's a plan for a family evening watching an old Christmas classic, and sometimes it's something we will go do together like get the tree or watch the parade or go see Santa. It's a great way to make even the smallest of Christmas traditions special.

The kids also got to watch the annual Christmas Parade on Saturday; although, I had to take them by myself. Bennett had a fever so dad stayed home. The weather was perfect, and the kids and I had a great time.

Ellis stayed home from school today with a fever, and at noon, the school called saying Aidan was sick. We picked him up early. I didn't get much accomplished today.

I feel like December is flying by. How does a person get it all done in time with a toddler and sick kids (and recipe cards scattered on the floor in the living room and a floor full of books in the family room and trains scattered in every room, etc...)? Help!!!