Christmas cards to our service men and women

This morning the Woolies are Worshipping were found hard at work writing Christmas cards to the men and women who faithfully serve our country. The kids were very excited to get right to work on their own cards of thanks and Christmas wishes. They also made special cards for our local firehouse... they were the first responders each time we need medical attention for Gogo before she was under Hospice care. I cannot even count the number of times they came to our home to help us over the past three years. I am so thankful for the help of our firefighters!

Woolies are Worshipping!

Here is a close up picture of our Woolies are Worshipping! They are super cute : )
We found them on the Dayspring website under Really Wooly... and they were on clearance for $1.29! We are having so much fun with these and they are sure to bring years of joy! I hope you are enjoying the posts so far and will continue to follow our Woolies as they watch and wait for baby Jesus. I encourage you to get your own Woolies for your family and create your own tradition!

A new Christmas tradition!

Welcome to the first day of the Advent season! We have added a new element to our Advent tradition as we prepare for the coming of our newborn King. Let me introduce you to our own version of Elf on the Shelf... Woolies are Worshipping!! I found these adorable woolly sheep who are Worshipping the Great Shepherd. The Woolies will be a fun way to keep our focus on Jesus, the reason for the season. Each morning we will find them somewhere in the house and see what fun they have planned.

This morning the Woolies were discovered hanging from our Shamu hot air balloon on the ceiling fan. We waited for hours until the kids finally noticed them hanging. It was so fun to explain the purpose of the Woolies are Worshipping and that they will join us as we watch and wait for the birth of baby Jesus.

I am excited about this new tradition and invite you to check back often to find out what the Woolies are Worshipping are up to in our home!

30 Days of Thankkful ~ days 16 - 21

Day 16 I am thankful that my friend Jessie caught up on her 30 Days of Thankful after a week of hiatus, thus inspiring me to get caught up, too. I can totally relate to the feeling of starting something and then allowing the stuff of life to get in the way. So... thank you, Jess, for helping me to "finish well". Reminds me that God's mercies are new very morning and there is always an opportunity for me to re-direct my path.

Day 17 I am thankful -always- for the husband that God has blessed me with, who makes all the difference in my life. If I read back through the 'days of thankful' so far, I am sure Don has been mentioned, but my heart wants to share again. To be utterly gushy and movie-quoting... he "completes me". I know to some, that may be much too ooooey goooey, but really, isn't that how God designed marriage? God made us for one another, to be a help meet, a completer. It has been amazing to watch our marriage grow over the years, to see how we really do "fill the gaps" for each other. Thank you, God, for the "just right for me" husband and thank you for not allowing me to get in the way of your Mighty plan as I waited for him to come into my life 15 years ago.

Day 18 I am thankful for my parents flying in today for a Thanksgiving visit. We are all looking forward to a fun time together! I love watching the kids spend time with Grammy and Grampy and creating precious memories. It was a joy to watch Jenysn and Jaidon working with Grampy in the kitchen making Grampy's Mac-n-Cheese (which we believe to be the BEST mac-n-cheese in the world). The kids learned some tips and tricks in the kitchen... I even re-learned the correct way to chop an onion. : )
By the way, the mac was delicious as always!

Day 19 I am thankful for the opportunity to be a light for Jesus. I pray that by living my life in a Godly way that He will use it to touch the lives of others, I have never been the type to boldly share His Good News out in the world, but I pray that He will still use my life as a witness to His goodenss and love.

Day 20 I am thankful for pie! Silly, yes, but it is true. Many a warm and wonderful memory has been shaped around pie. I actually tried pecan pie FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER last night.... oh my, what have I been missing out on??? I was certain that I would not like it. I thought about all of the pecan tassies that my Grandma used to make and I never tasted one of them... memories lost. I remember Aunt Marty making homemade pies from the garden every fall. As much as I wanted to love the strawberry rhubarb pie (which was her specialty), I never could get the "rhubarb love".
Pie - it can be whats for dinner... and it was last night : )

Day 21 I am thankful for the influence of my Uncle Dickie and Aunt Marty. I honestly have not been in communication with them for much too long. Actually, they are not even my uncle and aunt... they are the best friends of my mom and dad and we spent lots of time with them in my younger years. I grew up in a small town, but where they lived was even smaller. They had a big yard with a weeping willow tree and a big garden. At every meal there seemed to be something I had never tasted and the "rule" was to try a bite of everything... it was okay if I didn't like it, but I could not get away with saying that I did not like it. Aunt Marty did canning every Fall and made the best homemade pies. I loved the small town life and the church and little corner store... and the Old Home Days every year- playing old fashioned games. Thank you for making a difference in my life!

30 Days of Thankkful ~ day 14

I am thankful that our kids are actually excited about their rooms being clean and so far they are keeping them picked up. I am encouraged that we have all learned about good stewardship this week. We uncovered stuff that was damaged in some way... thus stealing us of the joy of blessing others with things we no longer need. I pray that we continue to grow in mindfulness of others, finding ways to be a blessing by sharing what we have, even if it is something as simple as a smile and a kind word. I want to grow and nourish hearts of compassion and caring in our children. Thank you, God, for providing us opportunities everyday to grow closer to you and to make an difference for Your glory... help us to not miss the chance to tell others about Your great love.

30 Days of Thankful ~ day 13

I am thankful for my God who loves me unconditionally... even at my most unlovable, when I feel so unworthy... He loves me! I am fearfully and wonderfully made and I know this full well. I am thankful that He is always right there waiting for me, no matter what... even when I have neglected to make time for growing closer to Him... He loves me!
I am a daughter of the King Most High and thankful for the family of God that He has placed in my life. I am blessed beyond measure!!

30 days of Thankful ~ day 12

I am thankful that the bulb in our tv blew tonight. GASP! Thankful?? Yes, thankful.

Sure it was frustrating that we never purchased a backup bulb like we had talked about, but the no tv night was good. I am thinking that we really need to make this a weekly occurance... not the blowing of the bulb(lol), but the turning off of media in our home. It looks as though we will need to order the bulb, so we may have several nights without tv : )

Last night we purchased the fixins' for smores, hmmmmm..... now THAT sounds like a plan for tomorrow night. Who knew that graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate would get the chance to be our evening entertainment!

30 days of Thankful ~ day 11

I am thankful for my personal growth. I allowed life to get in the way and thus missed many days of posting my "thankfuls". In days past, this would have caused me to stop trying and just give up. I am thankful that God has stretched and grown me through this past year.

In my last thankful post, we were decluttering the house, especially the kids rooms. Believe it or not, we are still in this process five days later. I will admit that I have not been a pleasant mom through most of this. I am learning more about myself and even more about my children. We have been aware of each of their unique challenges for the last three years and I am amazed at how much I truly do not understand in how to best help them feel successful in life.

Backtracking because these are some of my greatest blessings and thankfuls:

~ day 7 ~
I am thankful for the helper God brought into my life 15 years ago. Don is an amazing husband and the perfect dad for the special kids of ours. I admire his devotion and dedication to our family. God put us together and blessed us with three beautiful children. We have both questioned the "why" of us being chosen by God to parent three special needs children, but are continually blessed by this opportunity to lean on God for His strength. we see over and over how God is equipping us each step of this parenting journey. I am thrilled to be walking this life with Don... facing each step together, hand in hand and heart to heart.

~ day 8 ~
I am thankful for our first-born son, Jordon. I am so in awe of Jordon and how he thinks and processes the information around him in his own way. He was diagnosed with Aspergers three years ago and now, at age 14, we are seeing more and more how the social aspects of life are so challenging for him. I am proud of how he embraces his Aspie-ness. I am excited to watch God at work in his life, shaping Jordon into a Godly young man. I love Jordon's sense of humor and how he can make me laugh with 'the look'. I pray that God will help Jordon know deep inside how very special he is and that God will use his life in a big way. I am blessed that God has entrusted Jordon to us and I pray for wisdom and guidance to help him develop a firm foundation.

~ day 9 ~
I am thankful for Jensyn, our one and only baby girl(11). She is the most tender-hearted person I know. Jensyn is caring, sweet-spirited, and always thinkng of others. God has allowed the challenges of Tourettes and bipolar in her life and I see Jensyn becoming more aware of how things affect her and admire how she is learning new ways to release the engery that builds inside her. I have spent too much time being sad and thinking how unfair it is for such a young girl to be faced with challenges such as these. I watch how God is using Jensyn to touch the lives of those around her and I am reassured that He has plans for her and that through Jensyn, He will be glorified. I pray that God will help me be sensitive to her needs and be the strong, Godly mom she needs. It is such a blessing to watch Jensyn bloom and grow in her love for the Lord and I am thankful to be trustged with her precious life.

~day 10 ~
Jaidon is our youngest boy (10)and he was God's perfect suprise blessing for our family. I am thankful that God gifted him to us. Jaidon was also diagnosed with Aspergers, just like his big brother. He is funny and creative and interprets the world around him in a very literal way. I pray that God help him get comfortable with his Aspie-ness. I see Jaidon's sensitive spirit and his desire to be a helper. He is an instrument of the Lord and God is using Jaidon to make a kingdom difference with his life. It is exciting to watch God at work in helping Jaidon develop more confidence and to become more comfortable in his own skin. I pray that God continues to shape me and equip me to be a helper to Jaidon as he learns to conquer the challenges he faces each day.

30 Days of Thankful ~ day 6

We are working today on preparing the kids bedrooms for when Grammy and Grampy come to visit for Thanksgiving. I am seeing the piles of stuff that has once again accumulated and my emotions are flying...
~ I am frustrated, wishing that our children were more responsible
about taking care of their stuff.
~ I am worried, because as we have been cleaning out, we have created
a bigger mess in the process and it feels like we will never get finished.
~ I am embarrassed, by the amount of "stuff" we have... even though we
try to live a life of simplicity. I can see where we need to keep paring back.
~ I am hopeful, that based on the amount of work accomplished today
that we will ALL work harder to keep things better organized so days like
this will be easier in the future.
~ I am overwhelmed, by God's provision to meet our needs and then some.
~ I am excited, to bless others with "new to them" stuff... one persons
clutter is another persons treasure.
~ I am determined, to instill a higher level of good stewardship
in our home.
~ I am sorry, to my family for my poor attitude through much of this day.
I was so concerned about getting things done that I failed to maintain
my temper and allowed my "angry mom" to take over.
~ I am blessed, because I am forgiven.
~ I am thankful, for the opportunity to be humbled.
~ Amen

30 Days of Thankful ~ day 5

What a joy to spend part of the evening with my baby girl (I cannot even believe that Jensyn will be turning 12 years old in February). I am thankful for her precious life, generous spirit and how she is growing in maturity and wisdom and establishing good moral judgement. We had so much fun together treasure hunting at Goodwill's Half-Off Day. Jensyn was looking in the baby clothing to find things for her build-a-bear to wear and she came across a bib which was embroidered with: "Looking good is better than being good". She showed it to me, saying that it wasn't a very good message. I am thankful that our teaching is reaching her heart. As she was browsing through the jackets, Jensyn found a really cute one in white. After showing it to me, she decided that it might not be the best purchase because it was sure to get dirty quite easily. I like that she is learning to think things through and make wise choices, even with something as simple as which color of jacket to purchase.
Thank you, God, for this amazing girl. Please help me to be the Godly mom that she deserves. Help me to continually guide her to You and lead her in building a strong foundation of living in Your Word. I am blessed that You hand-picked me to be Jensyn's mom.

30 Days of Thankful ~ day 4

Home sweet home! I am so thankful for the house that God led us to 11 years ago. I am also praising Him for giving us a landlord that has only gone up on the rent one time in all of those years. Some of you may be thinking... "huh?, you have been renting for 11 years??, seriously???" Yes, we have been renting this same home for the last 11 years... it has never been the right timing for us to buy a home, so I am trusting that God has a bigger plan for us. There is clearly a reason why He has us still renting after all of these years... maybe He will call us to a mission and we will need to be free to pick up and leave?? Whatever the plan, it will be His and we will follow. For now, we are content in this home sweet home. It is just the right size and has allowed us to grow three beautiful children and we have been blessed to provide hospice care here for both Papa and Gogo until they left to be with Jesus.
After being gone for toooooo many hours today, I am thankful to be cozied up at home.

30 Days of Thankful ~ day 3

I am thankful today for getting back to our friends group tonight. We have been part of the same group for over ten years and God has blessed us with amazing support from this special circle of friends. Many were part of the gang for just a short time before life moved them in another direction... but only after God's purpose for them in our life was fulfilled. Through the years, God has led new group members to us in His perfect timing. I remember that the Mammen's joined just a few months before Papa was diagnosed with lung cancer. Who knew that both Dave and Deb had each lost thier dads to lung cancer??? GOD knew, that's who! God knew that we were going to need their experiences to help us through such a difficult time. I remember that the Deprins' joined several months before Harry lost both of his mom and dad in a most horrific shooting in a Walmart parking lot. Who knew that they were going to need the love and support of their friends group family?? GOD knew... His timing is absolutely perfect and He places people our lives for reasons only He knows.
I am so thankful for God and all He does to meet the needs of His children.

30 days of Thankful ~ day 2

Today I am thankful for crisp, cool air.
It stirs memories of....
~ growing up in the beauty of autumn in Massachusetts
~ camping with cousins and using our marshmallow roasting sticks to "write"
in the air after heating the end to a red, hot glow (long before chemical-filled
glow sticks, and WAAAAAY cooler)
~ trick or treating as a child with the fabulous "costume in a box"... you know,
the kind with the plastic mask with the smallest of eye holes, the practically
non-existent breathing holes and the wimpiest elastic to hold it around your head.
~ riding around in the back of a pick up truck... glad there weren't really any
rules against it 'way back when'. Yes, unsafe, but oh so much fun!
~ the first time I met met the love of my life. Don and I met in January, and
although it was in Florida, the evening air was crisp and cold and as he held
my hand, he warmed my heart.
~ our recent cabin get-away...the first time our family had ever been away together
with just the five of us. We celebrated Jordon's 14th birthday and it SNOWED...
talk about crisp air!

Wishing I had space to list ALL of the memories...

2 years later......

Well, it has been almost 2 years since my last post and I am not even sure where to begin. I am THANKFUL to be back at our Amazing Graves blog. I send a big hug to my friend Jessie for spurring others to join her in '30 Days of Thankful'. I am excited about this journey. At the beginning of 2011, I had joined with a group of women who were taking a journey of 'One Thousand Gifts' in which we were to list one thousand things we were thankful for... the little things that are so often overlooked. I started that journey, but got lost along the way.... let me explain.

In my last post, we had just moved all of Gogo's stuff up from Tucson and she was settling in to living with us. We were blessed to be her caretakers and thankful that God allowed us to take that journey as a family. Gogo gradually declined in health over the last 2 years and in January of 2011, she decided that it was time for Hospice. It was such a difficult decision for all of us. We were able to keep her here at home with us until her very last breath on the 4th of July. Thinking back, I know that we did NONE of it in our own power.... it was completely the unconditional love and strength of our Heavenly Father that carried us through.

So... yes, I got lost along the way and did not follow through with the writing down of my thankfuls. I never stopped being thankful, I just wrote them on my heart instead of words on a page. The thought of trying to "catch-up" with 'One Thousand Gifts' seems completely overwhelming. I am ready to begin with 30 Days of Thankful that lead right into the heart of the most beautiful time of year... remembering all we are thankful for and celebrating the birth of our Savior.

My 'thankful' for this first day encompasses all of our time taking care of Gogo and the amazing honor it was to be the Lord's hands and feet in her life. I think back to Thanksgiving day in 2005 when Don baptized Papa just as he decided it was time for Hospice. Thanksgiving has been SO much more to us since that special day. Now I think ahead to this coming Thanksgiving day which will celebrate and honor both Gogo and Papa who are dancing toghter in Heaven. If you have a moment, would you please join me in praying for our family, especially Don, as we journey into this season missing Gogo and Papa. Although there is a precious peace that comes with knowing where they are and Who they are with, the pain of loss runs deeper during these times of celebration and rememberance.