From Dreams to Reality

My heart overflows with thankfulness. As I child, I dreamed of having a large family. I thought it would be cool to be the little sister to John Boy Walton...really, I did. I never really dreamed I would one day be the mother of a sort of big family.

This has been the most blessed Thanksgiving holiday, and it's not Thanksgiving yet. We've had the entire week to be at home. Monday and Tuesday, we were all here, except Whitney. Today, Stan is the only one not a home.

I have so enjoyed being home with my children, and with Stan. We've just "hung out." We've cleaned house...we desperately needed to do that. We're almost finished with the Christmas decorating...and the girls had so much fun. I took a small tree from the attic, and Ellie saw it from downstairs as I walked across the balcony with it. She said, "Bring that down here, Mama." I told her that was my plans. She excitedly shouted, "Josie, come here, come here. Look what Mama has."

I've spent much time in reflection, too. This passage of scripture from Isaiah 43 has come to my mind today, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall teh falme kindle upon you. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior."

We've spent some time passing through the rivers this year, walking through the fires. Last year, in my prayer journal, I was praying, desperate for sleep. We were working to establish a new night time routine with Ellie in the family. The week before Thanksgiving we learned Stan was losing his job. We didn't know what to do. When he found a new job, he would need a new vehicle. (He had been driving a company truck.) We faced court proceedings to establish the guardianship of Brandon, unsure of the protest it would cause.

I was thankful last year, so glad to wake up each day with Ellie and Brandon in our home, but I worried too much. I worried about finances, and I worried over Ellie's medical condition.

But, this year I can say, "God is faithful. He has been with us. He has provided for our needs. He has flooded the dry ground. He has brought peace to my soul." Experience has brought more faith, more hope, more joy.

I thank God that my house is full. I thank him for the gift of five precious children. I thank him for a husband who will drive a $2,500 car, so the other members of the family have something better to drive. I thank God that, when the $2,500 car broke down, my neice's boyfriend help Stan repair it. I thank him that my parents provided him a vehicle until his was repaired. I thank God, that our cupboards are full. I thank him that I can enjoy Christmas. I thank him for the abundance of laughter in our home. I thank him that gas prices are under $2.00. I thank him that Stan and I both have jobs. I thank him for my parents who live next door, and my sister who lives down the dirt road. I thank him for my church and my church family. But, most of all, I thank him that He has called me by name, and I AM HIS!

The girls played dress up while Mama played clean up.







Yesterday, Ellie said, "I want more pretzels, Mama." I said, "We're getting ready to eat lunch. Ellie said, "I want more pretzels, Mama." I said, "We're getting ready to eat lunch. Ellie said, "I want more pretzels, Mama." I said, "We're getting ready to eat lunch. After about 7 times, I said, "If you tell me you want pretzels one more time, you're going to bed. Ellis said, "I want more.....bananas. (Should a 3 year old be that smart?)

Stan's days off this week were Monday and Tuesday, so we could all sleep in those days. The girls love coming into our room and piling into bed with us. They play a game with Daddy---Can you be still for 30 seconds?--He pretends to go to sleep, and then tickles the girls so they will lose.


The girls made a train of all the boxes from the attic. Then, they loaded up their stuffed animals for a ride.


Caleb On the Roof

It's Caleb's job to get on the roof and hang the wreaths on the dormer windows upstairs. Today, though, as he was holding the extension cord, he asked, "Which end to you plug in to the socket?" Scout's honor! After I got control of myself I said, "It's pretty standard that those 2 metal prongs have to be plugged into something for current to flow."

One of Brandon's Contributions to the Decorating

And, BTW, I was told my Aunt Bernie...I didn't tell you about Branon's foot...it's broken. He broke it in his next to last football game of his career. He wouldn't go to the dr, though, because he wanted to play in the last game. Dedication or......?

Whitney's Christmas Spirit!
Well, she did have to be at work at 7:30 this morning, so we'll give her a break. And, she is making mint chocolate later this evening, recipe compliments of an early Christmas present from our choir director, Mrs. Edie. Thank you, Mrs. Edie!