Myla's First Christmas!

Even in the midst of sickness, we had a wonderful time together!  How can we complain?  We have each other.  We have the love of our Savior.  It was a joy to celebrate HIS birth as a family of nine.

 

Myla was all smiles.  She had a wonderful day.

 She was wide eyed as we gathered together to read the story of Christ's birth.

I love this magical little picture of Myla with Isaiah.

  She must have known we were going to unwrap gifts.

 

Of course, our boys were goofy. 

Even though Drew had a fever, he joined in on the celebration.

 

Watch out!  These ribbon bandits might attack again.

I will keep the moments I have with my children in the scrap book of my heart.

I cherished the love they had for each other on this special day for it will help me through the days when it seems as if they have none.

 I will never forget the joy in their faces as they received gifts from us.

Our Christmas wouldn't have been complete with out our parents.

 We celebrated with my parents last week.

Bryan's parents braved the sickness and came over to be with us anyway.

Blessed.

 



Christmas Eve Traditions

We have a great time each Christmas Eve.  This year was no exception.

 

Long ago, Bryan decided the kids would arm wrestle him to see if they would be able to open one gift early.  Only one child needs to winner in order for everyone to receive an early present.

This year Libby must have lifted weighs to prepare for the big event.  She was able to slam Daddy's arm to the floor at the last minute.

We also give each child new pajamas on Christmas Eve.  Once everyone is dressed and ready for bed, we play games and watch

It's a Wonderful Life.

 

We were blessed.  It would have been a perfect night except for the illness that started to sweep through our crew as we prepared to celebrate the Savior's birth.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!

 

May the Lord bless you this Christmas as you reflect on his birth, love, and sacrifice!

Myla's First Snow

As I glanced out the window on Friday, I observed the thin blanket of white covering the ground.  It hit me that this was Myla's first snow.  It is funny how the simpliest things will bring forth a wave of thoughts that leave me pondering all day long. 

Why would the snow bring forth a time of reflection?

Simple, our little princess is from Arizona.  Her Birth Mother has never seen snow.  It is a reminder to us that even the snow on the ground will bring forth a drastically different life than  she would have had if she were not in our hearts and lives.

 

Thoughts like these always leave me wondering...praying that I will be all that she needs me to be.  It brings me to a place of determination that I will not let her, her Birth Mother, or the Lord down. 

I will fight for her.  I will strive every day to show her the love we have for her.  I will try to represent the Father to her each and every day. 

 

With each day that I ponder these things in my heart, I will fall before the Father and ask for him to guide me as I love on our Arizona Princess...the child he chose for us. 

Super Woman

The other day a women asked, "Are you Super Woman or do your kids help out alot?"

She asked because we have seven children, and we allow them to play on competitive sports teams.   

 

Of course, I answered, "NO, I am not Super Woman!"

 

As I got to thinking about her comment, I realized in a way I am a Super Woman!

 

 

I am a SUPER, busy WOMAN

 

I am a

  SUPER blessed WOMAN.

 

I love it!

When Bryan came home last night from work,

 

Drew went running out the to greet him yelling,

"Daddy, you missed me!"



Daddy and his buddy, Drew

 

The Blame

My dear husband has been telling me for months...ok, years that times are changing.   He has been warning me that we need to prepare our children for the times ahead.  We haven't done anything different than we have before; however, we have stayed up talking and sharing with one another the ways we can help our children. 

 

We feel that we need to continue our daily reading of the Word with our children and discuss the ways of the Lord through out each day.  We need to help them to be strong Warriors ready to fight for Truth. We need to help them see that the Lord needs courageous followers who will never waver from the path Christ laid before them. 

 

This past Friday was yet another reminder that much needs to be done for our children's future.  As I was reading the blog, No Greater Joy,  I found the words that expressed it so well.  It was written by the author's friend on facebook.  Please read and remember that this is our fault.  We have strayed from the Truth.  We have strayed from the Father. 

 

We have a job to do.  Let's get at it and teach our children to follow the Lord as we unashamed follow the Saviour.  Be courageous.  Be a Warrior.  Be a teacher.  Be an uncompromising follower of Christ...one our children can use as an example.

 

"We teach our children that there is no God, that morality is tractable and reducible. So what do you expect? We teach our children that there are no losers, that everyone wins. So when life teaches them failure they can't handle it. So what do you expect? We teach our children that losing touch with reality is "recreational". So when they do drugs, it's OK. So what do you expect? We teach our children that you don't have to earn respect, it's automatic. Then they get frustrated when they don't get respected. So what do you expect? We teach our children that it's OK to kill babies in the womb. Then shouldn't it be OK to kill children in the school? So what do you expect? We teach our children that it's wrong to pray on the football field, on the basketball court on the baseball diamond. So they learn to prey on each other. So what do you expect? We teach our children that the truth can be offensive. So they speak lies and pretend. So what do you expect? We teach our children that reverence to things in antiquity is passe, so history is left to obscurity. So what do you expect? We give our children television where every form of deprivation is acceptable. So they grow up depraved. So what do you expect? Sadly, we can expect more Newtowns in the near future. We are reaping what we have sown. Children learn whether we want them to or not. Don't blame the guns, blame our teachings." Shared by Doug Billings