On my heart.

When I think about Christmas, I think about past years.  Especially as a child, my family cherished the season.  I can still sing you the songs that were played each year on a CD while setting up the tree... I can tell you the names of the nursing homes we visited... I can tell you the trips we took to see family... I can even remember a handful of the gifts I received.  I remember my Grandma being there with us, how much she loved to open any gift that had a cardinal on them, I can still see her smile.  I remember the years my Grandma Nancy was there, how her presence made the holiday even more special.  I remember going to bed each night filled with excitement, and Christmas morning waking up to stockings full of gifts... loving every minute.  This was my family.  These are my memories.  Some of these traditions I hope to pass on to my kids the older they get. 

Today my heart is heavy thinking about all of the children, throughout the United States and beyond, who will not experience any of that.  They are orphans, they are waiting for a forever family.  Maybe they are your neighbors, who live in a broken and abusive home.  They are innocent kids, all over the world, needing love.  Needing a smile, craving a hug.  They need a reminder of what Christmas is all about.  Can you pause for a moment and try to even imagine what it would feel like to not have a family to celebrate with... isn't that half the beauty of Christmas? 

Maybe it was my friend Grace's post that got me emotional.  Her paragraph that said "Pray for all the orphans, that are waiting to be loved and part of something that they don't know, have not experienced, something that we take for granted...the love of a family!" -- it hit me a little too close to home.

I hear a lot of people talk about adoption, and Tyler and I have talked and began to pray about it as well.  There's a startling statistic that talks about how 30% of people talk about adopting, and yet only 2% take the first steps in doing something about it. {source}  My mood today is somber.  Something needs to happen, I'm just not sure what it is yet. 

I have no idea what this means for me or my family.  Maybe my role is just to pray for orphans.  Maybe my role is to support people in prayer and financially who are adopting.  Maybe this is the Lord's way of asking us to sponsor a child.  Maybe someday, we will add another member to our family through adoption.  

I have no idea what is going on in my heart ... but I can't deny that it's something.  

Last night.

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  

the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.  

~Burton Hillis

Tidbits.

- I hope each of you had a great Thanksgiving.  Ours was great, spent with a dozen of my favorite people, what else could a girl ask for?  Friday, my Sister, Mom, and SIL braved the crowds and went Black Friday shopping.  To be honest, it was busy -- but not horrible.  Were we successful?  I'll let you judge for yourself....

- I am still absolutely in love with my Erin Condren planner, just in case you wondered.  SO worth every penny.

- Last week, we had break night at small group, so Tyler and I decided to take the boys to do a little Christmas shopping, share a Starbucks, and then finish the night letting the the boys pick out their ornament.  This is one of my favorite traditions that we do each year... try not to be shocked, Jaxon chose a train.  Cohen's pick was the bell from the movie Polar Express.  If you haven't watched that movie, add it to your Christmas 2011 bucket list.

- I am hoping to get our Christmas tree & decorations up tonight.  The boys received a train to go around the Christmas tree as a gift, and Jaxon will not stop talking about it.  He's obsessed with all things Christmas this year, the season continues to get more and more fun the older he gets.  I have a feeling keeping Cohen away from the tree & ornaments will be a challenge, but that's part of the fun I s'pose.  :)

- This year I'm attending my first Christmas cookie swap party, hosted by my close friend Andrea.  I am so excited to go!

- I have been really dizzy off and on for the last month or so and finally saw a doctor last week about it.  The dizziness gets so extreme that I start seeing black spots and feel like I'm going to pass out... it has freaked my husband out so much that he rarely lets me drive anymore.  The doctor's first instinct was my thyroid, but after all my blood work and tests came back clear, we are moving on to my heart.  He thinks it may be slowing down at random times causing me to feel like I'm going to black out, so I have been blessed with this EKG monitor that I have to wear for the next 48 hours... yes, that means no showering.  Pray for me if you think about it.  Health issues freak.me.out... I am so thankful I serve a God who knows all and sees all.  We should hear back from the results sometime next week.

- On a much lighter note, do y'all watch the show Revenge?  I was hesitant to watch it because I am not a fan of scary movies/shows, but we..love..it.  Like, staying up way way way too late to catch up on it... that kind of love it.  

- I was so thankful for Tiny Prints and their blog promotion this year.  I love to send Christmas cards, so the blessing of getting them for free was icing on the cake.

- I don't say it enough, but I'm absolutely smitten over my husband.  He is such a rock in my life, he truly is God's perfect one for me.

- The no-heat curls has turned into my "go to" hairstyle... I'm constantly amazed at how well it works for me, since my hair has never held curl.  Here's a little timeline from the first day I tried it:

8 hours after taking it out

With a curling iron touch-up

At the wedding

-I am so thankful for our small group.  Last night we had our first "split" night where the girls met together, and the guys hung out with the kiddos.  The study was focused on speaking truth into each other's lives... so often we hear lies from the enemy and I don't know about you, but for me I start to believe them after hearing them too much.  Last night was a sweet reminder of who we are in Christ, and who we are to our friends around us.  If you aren't apart of a small group, please join one... I never knew how life-giving it could possibly be, but I'm continually blown away by the community we have because of our group.

- I am so happy with the family picture that we got at Thanksgiving... it is going on our Christmas card and I'm weird about showing it before it gets mailed... but it's definitely a keeper and will be framed for sure!

- Happy Tuesday.

DIY yarn wreath

We were asked to bring a gift for a Christmas gift exchange this weekend, so here's what we brought:

It was easy and fun to make, although pretty time consuming.

I figure if nothing else, I'd be happy to bring it back home with me to pretty up my front door.  ;)

Thankful tree.

“So much has been given to me; 

I have no time to ponder over that which has been denied.” 

Helen Keller

That sums up my life.  

SO much has been given to me, how can I even think about anything else?

Today I'm thankful for the obvious... my husband, my boys, my family, my warm house.  

But even more than that, I'm thankful for my salvation.  

For grace.  For love that's been extended to me, especially when I don't deserve it.

We celebrated the day with my family today.  I feel so abundantly blessed that we are able to be with family again on the Holidays, and my prayers are with anyone who can't be.  We have been there, and I completely understand the feelings you may be experiencing. 

I saw this idea on Christie's blog, and thought it was too cute to pass up.  A super easy DIY project that I prepared ahead of time, and it was fun to see all of my family members responses to what they are each thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving friends.