Happy New Year!

Ellie's Wii Bowling technique is pictured above~

No time like New Year's to reflect on the blessings of a year. God has been so good to our family. I'm eternally grateful for my family, and I thank God that we've had the past 2 days to enjoy one another's company. Josie-Tatum has treasured these moements when we are all at home. She was even asked to go to the movies with a friend, but she didn't want to go. She wanted to stay with her family.

Mother of the Year..I am not!
Caleb and I spent the ENTIRE morning yesterday at the eye doctor's office. It was the last day to use our $200 allowance for contacts, and with a change in insurance, we won't have the allowance next year. I procrastinated until our only option was to show up on Walk-In Day. The office accepts the first 26 people in line when the doors open. We arrived 30 minutes early, and after opening, learned we were 25 and 26 in line. So, we spent the next 3 1/2 hours waiting for our turn. I did save over $300!

Another Kind of Gotcha
We've recently passed the day one year ago, when a judge granted us full guardianship of Brandon. A couple of weeks ago he said, "Mrs. Robbie, you know how the girls get to choose where we eat on their Gotcha Days. Well, since mine is coming, I've been craving Outback."
So, yesterday, after an entire morning at the doctor's office, we loaded up and went to St. Simon's for Brandon's "Gotcha Day" celebration. I might would call it Forever Family Day for him, since he had been with us before, but he seems to like the idea of having a Gotcha Day like the girls.

Funnies
Both of the girls cracked me up while we were driving.
Ellie said, "When I grow up, I'm going to be a teacher, and a cooker, and a firplace."
Josie-Tatum later asked, "Does anybody know how old Santa Clause is? I surely don't. I'm only 6 years old, and I'm not as smart as Mama thinks I am."

After our dinner at Outback, we drove back home and went to church. Our challenge from our pastor was to remember our purpose...to know HIM! My primary goal in life should be to know Jesus, more closely, more deeply. May I continue to walk worthy of that goal.

We spent New Year's Eve in a Wii Bowling Tournament, just our family, my sister's family, and a few friends. Of course, we watched the ball drop in Time's Square at midnight. (BTW, Stan bowled from his chair, and Ellie even got a strike once!)




We've spent most of this lovely New Year's Day doing nothing important. Whitney and I've done some good reading. We highly recommend Silent Tears and China Ghosts. I'll post more about Silent Tears another day. We've watched Barbie's Christmas Carol, (the photo of Stan, Brandon, and JT) and college football. I've worked on the blog makeover...still working, and the girls made messes with glitter paint. We played in the sand box and on the swingset.




In about an hour, we're going next door to my parents' house, where we'll eat a traditional southerner's New Year's Day meal. We must have black eyed peas, hog jaw, and greens. And, we'll just enjoy the company of family.