In Loving Memory

I just received the sad news that a member of our church passed away last night. I didn't know her very well, but I have been praying for her and her family since we started at Mirabeau Chapel in October. You see, Teresa was diagnosed with fatal cancer not too long ago and was told she only had a short time left to live. Thankfully, she lasted long enough to see her Grandchild born, and spend one last Christmas with her family.

I dedicate this post in loving memory of Teresa. Even though I didn't have the privilege of knowing her as well as some, I admired her. God has used her story to touch the lives of many around her, including myself. Her faith and her trust in God through the most difficult time in her life have been a testimony to me that no matter how hard times get, we can depend on God. He is our Rock, our Strength, and our Hope.

I pray that the God of Comfort will stretch out His loving arms and envelope all those who mourn her passing. I am truly sorry for your loss.

Romans 12:15:b ...mourn with those who mourn

Fun and Games

Last night the kids eagerly watched out the front window as they waited for their Aunt and two Uncles to arrive. It's quite a site actually, my five little ones lined up on the couch peeking out into the night! It wasn't long before I heard them all exclaiming together "they're here, they're here!" Our company barely made it through the door before being smothered with hugs and kisses from the kids. I love it!

After things settled down and everyone got some dinner, we moved on to presents. Since my DH comes from a big family, they have a name system for gifts. This year the kids' Uncle Jamie has us. He called me a while back to ask what to get for the kids. I told him to get them a game that they could play together. Well, not only did he listen, but he went above and beyond by getting them not just ONE game, but THREE games, a puzzle map of the United States, and a magnetic chalk/white board with numbers and letters! WOW! Thanks Uncle Jamie!

Right away Hungry Hippos was a big hit. Even my two year old loves it. One of the games is a version of Cranium for Kids. That's a hit with my older kids. I love that they are doing something together, cooperating, and even getting along for the most part. Plus the games (minus Hungry Hippos) are all in some way educational.

I'm so glad that Jamie listened. The games give them something to do TOGETHER besides play the Wii, or Playstation. I limit their time on those. In fact, we've incorporated a system recently where they have to read first, in order to earn their time on the Playstation, Wii, or computer. I'm still working out the details, but I like the idea of encouraging reading. Our kids love to read anyway, but we took it a step farther and have them writing about what they read. Just a short sentence or two about their favorite part, or the characters of the story, or the setting. I think I might even get them each their own notebook to keep track, like a journal.

Yes, there is lots of excitement happening here at our house. It seems like the winter stir-crazies (can I make up my own word?) have been forgotten for now. : )

Christmas Memory and Lots of Snow

Well, Christmas is over. It seemed to come and go all too quickly this year. We've already taken down the decorations and reclaimed the house for our second round of company that is coming out for New Year's. Yet, the true spirit and reason we celebrate Christmas will remain.

My DH and I have been trying to teach our children that it isn't about the presents, or the decorations. On Christmas Eve he read the story of Christ, and we talked about it as a family. We discussed the wise men, and the shepherds, and the celebration of Baby Jesus being born. That was my favorite time this Christmas. That is the memory I will hold dear to my heart as we bring in the new year.

I didn't get cards sent out on time this year because I couldn't make it to the store to pick them up! I think I'll still send them anyway. I'll throw in a newsletter and thank you notes for gifts. In fact, I didn't get a lot done this year because of the snow. I'm still trying to remain positive, because it's still snowing, and it's causing both the kids and me to go stir crazy. I don't know what I'll do if they don't end up going back to school next week!

My DH has been such a help with all the snow and around the house. We got the flu two days before Christmas and the last kid was still throwing up Christmas day. This time I managed to get sick too, and it really knocked me out. It was so discouraging. Despite me being a total grump, DH put up with me, and did what he could to make things easier on me. We spent all this morning working on the house together, preparing for company. I don't know what I would ever do without him! He even shoveled and bailed out the van when I got stuck in the driveway after taking the kids to the doctor this morning!

Well, I'm off to finish the laundry and mop the kitchen. I hope everyone out there that reads this blog had a wonderful Christmas. May the spirit of Christmas stay with you throughout the year. : )

Company Girl Coffee

It's Friday! Come on in for some Company Girl Coffee! Not sure what the weather is like at your house, but here we have snow, snow, and more snow! Two feet of snow, actually. It started snowing on Wednesday morning and didn't stop until late yesterday afternoon. I haven't seen this much snow in 24 hours since I was a kid and they used to close down the road outside my house so we could sled down the hill!

Above is a picture of our front yard/driveway before we shoveled our way out!

The kids love it! They all bundled up in their snow suits and went out to play "Fox and Geese" in the back yard. They burrowed through the snow and made "paths" that they could run on (as best you can run in snow boots.) One person plays fox and chases after the geese. The geese can't change directions but the fox can. If you get trapped by the fox or tagged, or go off the path, you become the fox. Max (our dog) played along too. It was loads of fun. Mom and dad even joined in!

School was cancelled again today so the kids basically got two extra days of Winter Break. This time I think we'll enjoy it indoors because the temperature has dropped quite a bit. RL was supposed to have a cookie exchange at school so we're going to have our own party here to make up for it.

Merry Christmas! Looks like this year ours is definitely going to be white! : )
-Melissa

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

This morning it started snowing, and well, it just didn't stop! By the time I picked the kids up from the bus stop at 3:15pm, there was already about 6 inches. Of course, the kids wanted to go outside and make snowmen, but it is really too cold, and it's not packing snow.

They were so disappointed that I came up with a different idea instead. I printed off a fun snowman project called "Snowman dress-up." Each of my 4 older children got a snowman and accessories to dress him with. They picked their favorite combo and glued Mr. Snowman onto the background of their choice.

Who says you can't build snowmen indoors? We had a lot of winter fun while staying dry and warm!

Christmas Photo 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

Good News!

Coffee's on late this week...yesterday I skipped the coffee and headed straight for the tea and throat lozenges. I seem to have caught a bit of a cold. I'm feeling a little better this morning though, so come on in! At least I'm not contagious over the internet!

Christmas is getting closer, and today is the day that my husband and I grab a sitter and go shopping together. Yesterday I was taking a look at what we have in our budget to buy gifts for our 5 children. I have to be honest, it's not much. I think every parent wants their kids to have a special Christmas, but this year I've really been questioning what that means. Does it mean stockings full of surprises and lots of presents under the tree? I don't think so. Sure it's a joy to see the delight in their little faces as they unwrap their gifts, but that's not really what matters. What really matters is being together as a family.

A long time ago in Bethlehem Mary and Joseph started their family together. Times were hard for them too. There was a Census taking place at the time and they had to travel many miles with a very pregnant Mary. When they arrived at their destination there was no room in the inn, so they had to stay in the stable. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. But wait...there is good news!

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'"
-Luke 2:8-12 (Bold emphasis mine)

Did you catch that? Good News! Great Joy! That's what this mother of five chooses to focus on this Christmas. No matter how hard times get, there's always good news. He is Christ, the Lord!

The Hope of Glory

Every month Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary gives us a verse to reflect on. This month's verse is Colossians 1:27. Today she asked us to meditate on it and share our thoughts. I have to say, it is a mystery to me how Christ, in me, could be the hope of glory. In ME. He uses me to shine His light, and His hope, into the world. What an amazing concept.

Yesterday our Pastor spoke on how God uses us in these times, especially during this season, to reach out to others and give them hope. Money is tight right now, and for many, like our family, Christmas is going to be way scaled back this year. But there is something far more eternal to look forward to this Christmas than anything money can buy. What I am referring to, are "the glorious riches" in Christ. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21)

What does Colossians 1:27 mean to me? It means that Christ dwells in my heart and His hope wells up in me to spill out into others' lives. His is a love so amazing that I can't help but share the riches of it with others. He is my hope eternal, my righteousness, and my King forever. He is my everything.

The song below expresses exactly how I feel about Christ in me, the hope of Glory. Enjoy the music and have a great week! You'll want to pause my playlist first. Just scroll down to the bottom of my blog.
Melissa

Our Fabulous Five

It's Saturday! Saturdays around here mean lazy mornings and special breakfast. : ) The kids are playing and I'm still in my pajamas. It's great!

While I have the time I thought I would just take a few minutes to talk about my kiddos.

CD just turned two. Believe me when I say this with love...he is my most mischievous two year old yet! He has really entered that stage where he wants to do everything on his own. Even things he's not supposed to be doing at all! He is learning boundaries though, which is good. Yesterday his brother BC was playing with the Christmas stockings and CD kept pointing and saying over and over "Bay, No!" (Bay is what he calls his brother right now.) This was his way of telling BC that he was breaking the rule. It was hard not to laugh while pointing that out to BC, who should have known better. There's another cute thing he does that we didn't teach him, but it works. When he wants our attention, he knocks on us. Yes, I said knock. He balls up his little fist and gently knocks until we acknowledge him. I've never seen anything like it before! It makes me smile every time.

LR is four now. When she turned four she got to move up to "Big Kid" church. She gets to worship with her brothers and sister and then go to her own "classroom." She's very proud of this and we started to see some changes at home as a result. "I'm a big girl now, so I don't need my banana cut" is just one example. When her older siblings are at the table working on their homework, she sits right there with them, tracing letters or working on a project. She loves "homework," and I encourage that!

BC is my buddy at home. On the weekdays after I pick him up from kindergarten, we "download" and then have some lunch. Once I get lunch cleaned up and put the younger two down for naps, we hang out. Sometimes he just plays by my side while I work. Other days, I get down on the floor and play with him. He keeps me company and we spend quality time together until it's time to go get his brother and sister at the bus stop. It's becoming my favorite time of day.

JS is quite the character! He's quick witted like his dad. Get this...he got his first phone call from a girl yesterday! Ever since he memorized his phone number, he's been giving it out to all of his class mates. He's just itching to have "friends" over. Making friends has never been a problem for him. There's a third grader that sits on the bus with him that he invited over this weekend. We'll see if he calls. He seems like a pretty nice kid. I'm not ready to let JS hang out at other kids' houses yet, but they are welcome to come here.

RL is at the head of her class. The only trouble is, she is so shy that she won't speak up in class! Her teacher jokes about getting her a microphone so that everyone can hear her when she does chime in. : ) I don't know what the problem is at school, she is plenty loud around here! She's also very helpful around the house. She's contributing more and more, even without being asked to do so. I love that. It sets a great example for her siblings.

That's the crew! Today we are going to finish up some decorating and pretty much just hang out together. This week we put up the tree but need to put on the finishing touches. Most people are crazy busy around this time of year, but I am the exact opposite. There's nothing more I'd rather be doing than spending time at home with the fam.

Company Girl Coffee

Ok. Here's the deal. I just wrote an entire post and it disappeared on me so I am frustrated. I'll need another cup of coffee just to settle down! I must have pressed something I shouldn't have to delete what I had written. Now my time is up on the computer so I will just share a cute quick story about one of the small things this week and call it good. : )

On Wednesday I recruited my husband to help me for the small thing. As he was headed out the door, I grabbed an apple and placed it in his hands.

Then I said "Here...eat this so I can earn points."

He gave me a funny look and said back "How do you earn points for me eating an apple?"

To which I said in reply "I just do. Besides, an apple a day you know!"

He said thanks and headed out the door. It was only later that I realized that he was referring to a different kind of points. We have a joke around here about "wife points." He jokes about how when he does something really big, he gets wife points. I got an e-mail from him that day and at the end he said "Oh, and thanks for the apple. It was neat." Neat is the word he uses when he thinks I'm crazy. I was asking him to do a small thing for me, and he thought I was going insane! I explained to him when he got home and we both got a laugh out of it. : )

Have a great weekend! I'll be stopping in for coffee here and there.
-Melissa

10 Things Tuesday...What I Love!

I need to keep it simple this morning. I am trying to get back on schedule after a wonderful 4 day weekend lazing around with family! : ) Read on, and you might learn a few things about me that you didn't know before.

1. I love my family and am thankful for them.
2. I love my friends that are there to encourage me and I am thankful when I get to spend time with them.
3. I love God's Word and I am thankful that He cares enough about me to speak to me through it.
4. I love to write and I am thankful when I get the time to sit down and put pen to paper.
5. I love to speak and I am thankful that God speaks through me.
6. I love spending quiet moments with Him and I am thankful that He is by my side every minute of the day.
7. I love bundling up in a cozy warm blanket so I am thankful for the cold weather.
8. I love a good book so I am thankful when I get time to read.
9. I love the scent of vanilla, so I am thankful for vanilla spice candles.
10. I love the way it feels to do something to bless my home and my family...even a small thing...so I am thankful for the will and the drive to keep doing so.

And on that last note, I'm off to put in a load of laundry! Have a great week!

Now That's a First!

Since it's December 1st, I thought I would start things off on a bright note by listing off a few of my favorite 1sts!

• First Christmas decorations...Our tradition happens to be an advent calendar. It's a magnetic Christmas tree and we take turns putting up one ornament a day to count down the days until Christmas. By Christmas morning it is nicely decorated.
• First snow...I love the way my kids get excited when the first snow comes! Even though it only lasted for one day, they were pumped! Everyone got all bundled up in their coats, hats, mittens, and snow boots, and went out to play. : )
• First cup of coffee in the morning...Yes, I'm addicted to waking up to the aroma of coffee in the morning and can hardly wait to have my first cup! Just so you know though, I stop at two.
• First light of day...I am not an early morning person, but this time of year it stays dark longer. On those crisp, clear winter days, I love to watch the sun rising up over the hills.
• First impressions...I love to meet new people. It's important to me to make a good impression when I'm introduced to someone for the first time. Don't ask me to remember your name though, I'm terrible at that until I hear it at least two or three times!
• First try...I love watching my kids do something for the first time. They are so determined! If only I had that excitement every time I tried something new.

There you have it! A few of my favorite firsts. What are some of your favorite firsts? I'd love to hear from you.