Finally, Facebook

One last post for 2012.  One last recording of the things I've posted on Facebook this month.  :)

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Dec. 3 - Agenda for today...
~ Teach in Tobin & Shav's Sunday school class. (Check.)
~ Make waffles for lunch. (Check.)
~ Take Josiah Christmas shopping. (Check.)
~ Enjoy a fantastic concert by the Shenandoah Valley Children's Choir. (Check.)
It's been a glorious day. :)

Dec. 3 - My dad  :)

Dec. 3 - It is completely ridiculous how much time I spent on a new blog look for December (we're talking, HOURS on three consecutive evenings), but it's finally done. I'm sure no one is nearly as excited about it as I am (with the possible exception of Jeff). ;-) In the end, I COULD NOT decide between two backgrounds, so I asked the expert and Jeff chose the one I'm using. Truly, two are better than one...because when I get stuck in such an *important* dilemma, Jeff rescues me. ;-)

Dec. 3 - "Can you just stay here and snuggle with me a little while?" one of my sons asked a few hours ago as I kissed him goodnight. I sighed, then said, "Not tonight. I need to go down to the kitchen and finish the dishes." Which was true, sort of. There were dirty dishes that needed to be washed, and I did go down and wash them, but the reality is that I was D-O-N-E. Done with people contact. Done with giving of myself. I didn't want to talk to anyone or touch anyone. I just wanted space...and quiet...and a cave. The evening had not gone quite as I had planned, and I was ready to kiss it goodbye and hope for better things on the morrow. I was NOT ready to linger and snuggle. But I felt bad as soon as I said the words; and as I went down to the kitchen, I was kicking myself for not accepting my son's invitation to come into a part of his heart. As the years go by, my times of being invited in are slipping away. I hope I have the grace to respond differently the next time he asks...

Dec. 6 - Since giving thanks isn't something to do only in November, I'll take a moment tonight to say that I'm grateful for the makers of Tylenol and Puffs Plus...because both of those items certainly made this cold I caught less bothersome! I'm also thankful that my cold seems to be leaving as quickly as it came, and hopefully tomorrow I'll feel even better. Until then, I'll just keep grabbing soft tissues, one after another. :)

Dec. 7 - Sometimes I'll say to Shav, "Do you know what? You're a treasure!" Then he'll look at me with a mischievous glint in his eye and exclaim, "No, I'm not!" And I'll say, "Yes, you are," and I'll tickle and hug him, and he'll laugh and laugh. And then he'll say to me, "Do you know what?" And I'll say, "What?" And he'll say, "You're a treasure!" And I'll get the biggest grin on my face and wrap my arms around him in a huge hug and say, "Oh, thank you!!" It's a silly little game at this stage of life; but I hope that, at ALL the stages of Shav's life, he'll always know what a treasure he is. :)

Dec. 7 - I always get a little discouraged when a child of mine wets the bed the night after I put fresh sheets on it. If he would only wait a week or so, it wouldn't bother me as much because I would think, "Oh, well, it was probably about time to change them anyway." (Not that I really change everyone's sheets every week or anything like that, because I don't.) But to put fresh sheets on a bed, and then in just a matter of a few hours find them wet? That's just flat-out defeating. But even in this, there is much for which to be thankful... Like a bed, an extra pair of sheets, a washer and dryer in which to clean them, A CHILD, a urinary tract that works (albeit not at the best times), etc. ;-) I will choose gratitude. :)

Dec. 9 - She makes me smile...

Dec. 10 - A memory came to my mind this evening that made me smile... Some time ago, jokes (corny, for the most part) were being told around the dinner table; and Jeff made Josiah and David laugh when he said, "When is a door not a door?" (Answer: when it's ajar.) :) Right after that, David piped up and asked, "When is a car not a car?" Instantly I thought, "Oh, David. He's just trying to copy Jeff's joke, but it's not going to work, and he'll say some completely silly punch line, and it won't be funny at all, but we'll try to chuckle halfheartedly so his feelings won't get hurt." But then David gave the answer: "When it turns into a driveway." And we laughed and laughed, for real, and I was reminded of how much of a little comedian David is becoming. He doesn't pull off every joke he tries to tell, but he nailed that one. The gift of laughter is a special gift that David gives to those around him! :)

Dec. 10 - Have you seen this? If not, take a look! It's creative, beautiful, mind-boggling, and just plain FUN!! :) Makes me wonder what Beethoven and Chopin would think if they could see what people are doing with pianos these days. :)

Dec. 10 - This evening during the Piranha Hour before supper, I asked Josiah to read a book to Tobin and Shav so they could be happily occupied while I finished getting dinner ready. I reached into our basket of Christmas books and pulled out Miracle in a Shoe Box (by Franklin Graham) for him to read, telling him that I chose that one because I can't get through it without crying. :) He sat on the couch and read it to the little boys; and then when it was over, he asked, "What's so sad about that??" "When the dad comes home," I answered him, my voice choking up even in that brief reply. "Oh, for pete's sake," he exclaimed, "I'M GLAD I'M A BOY!!" ;-) (His future wife can thank me someday. Because of me, he's well acquainted with all the things that can trigger a woman's tears...) :)

Dec. 12 - If you asked me tonight to name one thing I'm especially grateful for, it would be snuggles with a freshly-bathed, sweet-smelling, footy-pajama-clad baby.

Dec. 13 - I laid Moriah on the changing table this morning and opened the drawer to pull out a fresh diaper when it hit me, a verse I hadn't thought about for a while: "Serve the Lord with gladness" (Psalm 100:2a). Those two words: WITH GLADNESS. I'm very familiar with the idea of serving the Lord through serving my family and other people, and all that I do I *strive* to do as if I were doing it for the Lord (Colossians 3:23). But do I always do it WITH GLADNESS? Sadly, no. Too many times I serve with a grumpiness in my heart that I would be ashamed for anyone to see. But God sees, and He calls me to something higher: a JOYFUL pouring out of myself. Serving with gladness. That's my mission for today. :)

Dec. 14 - I didn't tell them why; but during quiet time this afternoon, I went around to each of my kids, hugged them, chatted with them for a minute, smiled at them, flashed them the "I love you" sign, etc...simply cherished the sight of Josiah laying in the sunshine on David's bed reading a book, David doing a puppet show in the door of his room, Tobin leafing through a Magic Schoolbus book, Shav playing with a little stuffed tiger, and Moriah sitting in her highchair eating a banana. After reading of the tragedy in Connecticut, what else could I do but take the time to show a little extra love to my kids? My heart aches for those parents who will never get the chance to do that for their children again. Oh God, be the God of comfort today!!

Dec. 15 - I'm enjoying the sound of a gentle rain falling on our roof. If it were only about 15 degrees cooler, it would be SNOW! Oh well, I'm thankful for the rain we're getting tonight...and I'm thankful that one of these days, we'll get the white stuff!

Dec. 16 - Shav wanted to be like his big brothers and take a Bible to church with him this morning, so on our way out the door, Tobin grabbed a Bible off the shelf and gave it to Shav. Actually, it wasn't a Bible, but instead was a Bible trivia book styled along the lines of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Shav didn't care, however, and happily carried "his Bible" along with him. On the way, he was flipping through the pages to "read" it; and from his car seat, I heard his little voice pipe up and say, "The Bible says, 'Dogs will not bite'." And then, "The Bible says, 'Tigers will not kill people'." "Aha!" I thought, "He must be 'reading' about heaven!" ;-) Then he said, "The Bible says, 'Batman is not a real thing'." Hmmmm, I'm not exactly sure what chapter and verse he was reading then; but at least he was speaking the truth!! :)

Dec. 17 - This week is highly unusual for me because of one simple reason: I have NOTHING scheduled in it. I am so grateful for the wide open space on my calendar, time in which to stay at home, cuddle with my kids, prepare for Christmas, and simply soak up this time. Soon enough, the days will be filled again with violin lessons and gymnastics class, children's choir and trips to the library; but for now, home sweet home is a very welcome place to be. :)

Dec. 20 - I awoke last night to the sound of little feet pattering across the hall and into my bedroom. The clock said 2:41. Tobin's head appeared beside my bed, and he asked anxiously, "Is David inside or outside?" "He's inside," I mumbled. Satisfied, he turned and left, climbed up the ladder to his bunk bed, and went right back to sleep. :) I've learned that, with little ones in the house, you just never know what might wake you in the night and what burning issues might need to be dealt with to reassure their sweet heads! :)

Dec. 20 - Jeff surprised us by coming home for lunch today, which made us all happy. :) While he was here, he opened the freezer door to get some ice for his tea; and while he was doing that, he said something to Josiah and David like, "Who wants to volunteer for a test to see how well you can endure cold?" While that is NOT the kind of test I'd like to volunteer for, they were both quick to say, "Me, me!" "OK," he answered, "I need you to run outside and shut the door of the woodshed." Off they excitedly sped, both barefoot, Josiah without a shirt, to run up the hill to the woodshed to shut the door. While they were doing it, I was thinking, "Boys and men are just DIFFERENT from me!" :) For one thing, I wouldn't have thought to ask them in that way. Rather than framing it as a challenge like Jeff did, I would more likely have presented it as a need that existed and shown them how they could show love by meeting the need. For another thing, I would have admitted defeat and said that I couldn't handle the cold and that someone else could do it...I wouldn't have competed to show that I could! And lastly, if I had to go out on this cold, damp day, I would have certainly worn shoes and a coat! We sure are different, but that's such a good thing. I want to always appreciate our differences, rather than wondering, "Why can't they be more like me??" ;-)

Dec. 21 - The first snowflakes of the season started falling this morning, causing great excitement in the Fisher household. The meteorologists aren't predicting any significant snowfall, but we can always hope, right? ;-) In any case, it's a nice way to begin winter. We hope for many more snowy days in the future! I could be wrong (and when I'm 85 years old, you can remind me of this), but I don't think I'll EVER get tired of snow!! :)

Dec. 23 - It's sort of a bad thing when you write something on your shopping list in code so that no one who happens to see your list will be able to figure it out...and then you forget what it is. Oh well, I hope it wasn't something important!! ;-)

Dec. 24 - "SNOW!" Tobin shouted a few minutes ago, pointing out the front window. "Really?" I thought as I turned to look. Sure enough, IT'S SNOWING!!! What an incredibly special way to prepare for Christmas!!! :)

Dec. 24 - The snow hasn't even quite covered the ground yet, but already a snowman has been constructed (Henry is his name), a sledding path has been smoothed out, snow angels have been made, snow has been eaten, and a snowball fight between two boys is in progress while the other two boys "jump" on a snowy trampoline. How many things have I crossed off my to-do list? Not one little ol' thing. Do I mind? Nope. ;-)

Dec. 26 - It's snowing! And (I never thought I would say this, but) I'm SAD!! My brother David and his family were planning to come down from Pennsylvania for our bigger family Christmas celebration today, but with the weather, they (wisely) decided not to come. I'm reminded of the truth of Proverbs 16:9. Even in this, I will be thankful: that they aren't fighting the storm out on the roads somewhere, that the snow here is beautiful, that we're safe and warm, that the pace of this day is a bit more relaxed than it would have been otherwise. Today is a gift!

Dec. 27 - I'm 36 years old, but I still haven't figured out how to get ready for, and celebrate, Christmas...and still keep my bedroom neat. Right now I've got wrapping paper, bows, gift bags, etc. scattered about that need to be put away. I've got two laundry baskets of clean clothes that need to be put away. I've got a huge pile of dirty clothes that need to find their way to the laundry room. And various other items that need to be put away but have somehow ended up in my room. A few days ago, I was apologizing to Jeff for how messy the room had become, and I told him that after the holidays, I would make it a priority to get it cleaned up. "That's OK," he said with a mischievous grin, "I like living in a laundry pile." Good man. ;-)

Dec. 28 - I feel old when I say this, but I'm having a really hard time believing that Christmas is already over. I guess I must have blinked, and it happened when my eyes were closed. Note to self: must do a better job of keeping eyes open in 2013. ;-)

Dec. 28 - Tonight I'm grateful for...
1. the beautiful light shining from my neighbor's windows and reflecting on the snow-covered grass,
2. more snow in the forecast,
3. the way Moriah's smile is a whole-body event (not only does her face break into a grin, but from head to toe she wiggles when she's really happy) :),
4. Facebook for the connections I so easily have with loved ones near and far (the majority of whom I would literally never be in touch with otherwise).
Gratitude. It does a body good. :)

Dec. 30 - Pondering this tonight, and saying Amen!... "How much we ENJOY what we have is more important than how MUCH we have. Life is full of people who have more than they know what to do with, but cannot be content. It is the capacity to enjoy life that brings contentment." (from Bits & Pieces, Vol. M, No. 1F)

Dec. 31 - Early morning, last day of the year.

Dec. 31 - What a way to bring in the new year! The boys and I went sledding ("IN THE DARK!") tonight; and because of the mix of snow and ice and thawing and refreezing that we've had recently, the snow was PERFECT. The best sledding snow we've had since we've lived here perhaps? From the top of our hill by the pasture fence, we could slide all the way down to the back of my parents' house; and, if we steered right, we could go to the left of their house and slide even further. It was amazing--the feeling of whooshing down the hill faster than we ever have before, crunching with each footstep on our way back up the hill, laughing crazily at various people's tumbles and wrecks (nothing serious, of course), watching the big, bright moon play peek-a-boo from behind the clouds. I loved every second of it and--imagine this--had to be convinced to come in by the boys! ;-) This was the stuff of which legends are made. :) I have a feeling that years from now, we'll be sitting around reminiscing, and someone will say, "Do you remember that New Year's Eve when the snow was packed just right for sledding and we went out that night and had so much fun? And Josiah and Shav nearly hit a tree, and David tried to go down standing up and he fell down and called out, 'I am hurt. I am very much hurt.' and we laughed and knew he was fine. What a night!" Yep. What a night. :)

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That's it.  The year is done.  Both Josiah and David were a little sad tonight at the thought of it never being 2012 again; but for me, 2012 lives on...here on the blog and, most of all, in our memories.  It's easy to say that 2012 was the best year of my life, but to that I'll add two words.

So far.  ;-)

2012: In the Rear View Mirror

With about an hour to go until a new year begins, my looking back continues.  It has been a good year--a VERY good year.  My heart overflows with gratitude.

If I had to choose the three most wonderful happenings this year, it would be first, the birth of Moriah (obviously!), second, our three-generation family vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and three, getting Jed.  :)  But before and after and in between those events have been SO MANY precious days of ordinary life with these people that I love so very much.

One thing I always like to do at the end of the year is include pictures of all my blog layouts throughout the past 12 months.  And then I sit and try to figure out which one I like best.  I always do this, but I never can decide.  :)

Do you have a favorite?  :)

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Another list that I want to include is the books I've read this year.  I could probably write a whole post about each of these books; but for the sake of time, I'll simply list them.  Much of the reading I did in the spring and early summer, by the way, occurred during times of nursing Moriah; and the choice of light fiction was so that I would stay awake.  I simply did not have the alertness or stamina to read something that demanded more brain power at that point in time.  :)

January
1. Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter - Vicki Courtney
2. A Lantern in Her Hand - Bess Streeter Aldrich
3. We Should Do This More Often - Lorilee Craker
4. Giving Away Simone - Jan Waldron
5. Ordinary Faithful People - Robert Hubbard
6. Spring Came On Forever - Bess Streeter Aldrich
7. Journey into Christmas and Other Stories - Bess Streeter Aldrich

February
8. The Lieutenant's Lady - Bess Streeter Aldrich
9. The Edge of Tomorrow - Dr. Tom Dooley
10. Miss Bishop - Bess Streeter Aldrich
11. Pregnant Goddesshood - Mary Ann Halpin (I enjoyed some of the pictures in this book; but quite frankly, a lot of it was a little too strange for me ;)...however, I could identify with this quote from the book, "I understand that pregnancy is not always a wonderful experience for every woman, but for those of us who enjoy being 'with child,' there is no other sensation that will ever come close to the magnificent feeling of pregnancy.")
12. Crazy Love - Francis Chan
13. A White Bird Flying - Bess Streeter Aldrich

March
14. Song of Years - Bess Streeter Aldrich
15. When the Belly Button Pops, the Baby's Done - Lorilee Craker
16. And Thou Philip - David Allison
17. My Jerusalem - Bronwyn Drainie

April
18. Supernatural Childbirth - Jackie Mize
19. Operating Instructions - Anne Lamott
20. A Night to Remember - Walter Lord
21. Love Comes Softly - Janette Oke
22. Love's Enduring Promise - Janette Oke
23. Love's Long Journey - Janette Oke
24. Love's Abiding Joy - Janette Oke
25. Love's Unending Legacy - Janette Oke
26. Love's Unfolding Dream - Janette Oke
27. Love Takes Wing - Janette Oke
28. Love Finds a Home - Janette Oke
29. The Tender Years - Janette Oke

May/June
30. Praying God's Will for My Husband - Lee Roberts
31. Too Long a Stranger - Janette Oke
32. Scientific Facts in the Bible - Ray Comfort
33. I Hear the Reaper's Song - Sara Stambaugh
34. A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul - Canfield & Hansen
35. The Calling of Emily Evans - Janette Oke
36. Home-Spun Schools - Raymond & Dorothy Moore
37. Julia's Last Hope - Janette Oke

July
38. The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom
39. A Gown of Spanish Lace - Janette Oke
40. Corrie ten Boom: Her Life, Her Faith - Carole Carlson
41. A Woman Named Damaris - Janette Oke

August
42. On Becoming Preteen Wise - Ezzo & Bucknam
43. David's Children - Bess Bates

September
44. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

October
45. You Need Never Walk Alone - Alexander Lake

November 
46. Laura Ingalls Wilder Country - William Alexander
47. The 30th Anniversary Reader's Digest Reader
48. Mistaken Identity - Don & Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen & Whitney Cerak
49. Joni - Joni Eareckson

December
50. Laura: The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder - Donald Zochert

It is entirely possible that I forgot to record some books; in addition, during this fall, I was doing quite a bit of reading aloud to the boys, and I don't count those books in this list.  I also wanted to mention that, despite my goal of reading a book that pertained to each of my family relationships, I did not accomplish that.  I read books that specifically applied to Moriah, to Jeff, and to Josiah; but although I started How to Get Your Child off the Refrigerator and on to Learning with David in mind and Small Beginnings with Tobin and Shav in mind, I finished neither.  That's not to say that my reading in those books was useless, of course.  I've learned that even if only part of a book is read, great value can come from that.

In this post from earlier this month, I mentioned some books that I hope to read in the new year.  I'm sure many more will be added to the list.  I hope so, at least, because I do love to read!  :)

That's a Wrap!

Before we figuratively say goodbye to Christmas and pack it away until next year, the time has come to write about a few things I never got around to posting about...until now.  :)

First of all, the annual trek to the Christmas tree farm to walk up and down big hills and find a live tree to cut down and haul home.  

I think all of us really enjoy that Christmas tradition; but honestly, this year's trip wasn't so great.  I can't remember why the delay, but we ended up waiting until December 5 to go get our tree; and because it was a Wednesday, we were rushed because of Josiah and David's violin lessons that afternoon.  As it turned out, we were actually late for their lessons (fortunately, their teacher is very understanding and gracious); but let's just say that our outing to the tree farm was not exactly helped by the pressure of "quick, let's find a tree and get out of here so we can get the boys to their lessons!"  ;-)

The other downfall of going on that day was that the selection was quite poor.  Apparently everybody and their brother had previously gone to get their tree, and what was left was rather lacking in either size or appearance...or both.  To be clear, we are NOT picky about how our tree looks.  We always let the boys decorate it pretty much however they want, and we are definitely NOT aiming for a magazine-worthy, "perfect" tree.  But even still, it was hard to find one that was even decent.  (And actually, we needed to find two: one for our house and one for Jeff's barbershop.)

I was carrying Moriah in the Snugli as we wandered around, and could not believe how quickly she started feeling really heavy and I started feeling really tired.  Josiah and David and Tobin were running around, searching as fast as they could for the candy cane tree (which they never found - perhaps since it was so "late" in the season, the candy canes had already been removed?).  No candy canes made for sad boys since getting candy canes is always part of the tradition; and what's more, there was no hot chocolate in the springhouse!  I hadn't realized how important to the boys each aspect of this holiday tradition had become until I saw how dismayed they were by their absence!

Well, after having said all of that, here are some pictures from that day.  And you know, all of that stuff really doesn't matter.  We were together as a family, safe and sound; and all the little disappointments and hardships were just that: little.  :)

That's Jeff down there in the next picture, under the tree, sawing as quickly as he could so we could get out of there in a timely fashion.  ;-)

Shav was my little shadow.  He did not want to go off with the other boys, and that was just fine with me.  :)

Holding out the camera and trying to do a self-portrait...  :)

Somebody else (David maybe?) took this next picture of Moriah and I.

Moriah and Shav as we prepared to head home.  They get to be middle seat buddies.  :)

And that's the end of that.  ;-)

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On to the next topic...

Making Christmas Affordable  :)

As our family has grown, we have had to become more aware of how we spend our money and more creative in how we procure Christmas gifts for all the children.  Although sometimes the thought is tempting (especially when I see how much stuff we already have!), we have not yet decided to eliminate all Christmas gifts; neither have we enacted a principle of, for example, only giving each child three gifts.  Fact is, both Jeff and I love to give gifts to our children; and their delight becomes ours as we watch them open and play with the things we give them.

However, at the same time, we have very strong convictions about being financially wise, continuing to give to various outreach/mission organizations and efforts, not going into debt, etc.  Plus, we don't want to spoil our kids by giving them everything they want, thus denying them the opportunity to develop necessary character traits of patience, sacrifice, unselfishness, etc.

So what to do?

Here are some things that have helped us...

1. We don't give gifts outside our immediate family.  In neither Jeff's family nor mine do we do a gift exchange.  We only give to our children and to each other.

2. We sell some things on Ebay so we can turn around and use that money to buy gifts (and of course, throughout the course of the year, we also use our Ebay money for a great many other things--most notably, books and other materials for our homeschool).

3. I literally keep my eyes out all year for good gifts at inexpensive prices for the kids.  This spreads out the spending so there's no time period when we suddenly have to figure out how to find a big pile of extra money to go Christmas shopping with; and besides, I can find better prices on items if I buy them when they're cheap and hang onto them until Christmas (and I do the same with birthdays).

4. We don't hesitate to buy things second-hand--either used items on Ebay, things from local thrift stores, or items from friends who are selling things.  Both Jeff and I have been buying second-hand things all our lives (and our parents did it before us), so that doesn't bother us a bit.  (In fact, we can't imagine going out and plopping down full price for a lot of the things we buy, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year.)

5. We utilize the dollar store.  One aspect of Christmas that is really important to me is having each of the boys give gifts to all the other boys, so they learn, even at their young ages, the joy of giving.  The best place we've found for the boys to do this shopping for each other is at the dollar store.  It's easy enough to find little gifts for each other there: coloring books, puzzles, toy figurines, etc.  And it doesn't break our budget.  :)  Josiah uses his own money to buy the gifts he gives, and David is starting to do that now, too.  But of course, Tobin and Shav still need money from us to buy the things they want to give.

6. When our children are very young, we hardly give them anything.  For Moriah this year, for example, we spent about $5 on her.  We got three figurines at  the dollar store (a Tigger one, a Piglet one, and a Pooh one to go along with an Eeyore one that Jeff had gotten for her a long time ago); she's too little to hold them and play with them now, but they are standing together on the top of the armoire in her room until she's old enough to have them (and not try to eat them!).  ;-)  We also spent about $2 on a Christmas ornament for her (we gave each of the children an ornament).  And that's it!  She doesn't need anything--and won't remember it anyway--so we didn't feel compelled to spend a bunch of money for her.  In a few years, that will change, of course; and she'll get more when she's old enough to understand what is going on.

With the future of the economy being rather shaky and our personal financial future being unknown, we're well aware that we may have to tighten our belts, so to speak, and give less to our kids in years to come; and that's OK.  But for now, we have a whole lot of fun trying our best to be frugal, while still giving thoughtful, useful gifts to our children to help communicate our love to them and bring delight to their hearts!  :)

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I've already done a post with lots of pictures from our Christmas Day celebration, but I haven't said much about the next day--the one that was supposed to be a larger family get-together.  The snow changed those plans, and my brother and his family from Pennsylvania (wisely!) decided to stay put and not venture out onto the roads.  We were all disappointed, but cheered by the thought of them being safe.  Since we didn't have the big gathering that we were anticipating (even my sister who lives here locally wasn't able to come out to our house), we had a quiet day at home--except for Jeff taking Shav out for their monthly breakfast date--and enjoyed time with my parents and Aunt Helen.  

I only took a few pictures that day, but here is a photo of the boys playing a new Bingo game that one of them received from my parents for Christmas.

And what do you know?  Batman showed up to play, too!!  :)

There was also time in that day for naps...

...the best kinds of naps: on the comfy couch, in the cozy living room, in the warmth from the woodstove, with faithful Jed right beside the couch.

Too bad more days don't have naptimes like that.  ;-)

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Now that I've written all I can think of to write about Christmas of 2012, there's only one thing left to say:

That's a wrap!  :)

Why I Love Snow at Christmas

We've been blessed (BLESSED!) by three (THREE!) snowfalls this past week of Christmas: the first came the day before Christmas, the second blew in the day after Christmas (and sadly, cancelled the plans of my brother and his family to come down from Pennsylvania for a Christmas celebration together), and the third was yesterday morning.  It's almost unheard of, despite the wishes of many in these parts for a white Christmas, for us to get so many snow days like this; and we relished each flake that fell.

But I got to thinking...  Why do I love snow at Christmas so much?  Granted, I truly love snow anytime it falls, not just at Christmas; but still, there's something extra special about the 25th of December being cloaked in white.  I've decided that...

It's not just because it's beautiful.
It's not just because it helps to turn Christmas into something out of a Currier & Ives scene.
It's not just because Irving Berlin gave us the song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" and something within us wants to croon along, every time we hear it.
It's not just because Christmas vacation gives us more time for play, and what better way to play in the winter than being outside playing in the snow?

For me, there's a deeper reason.

Two years ago, when we woke up on Christmas morning to discover, to our great joy, that it was snowing, the thought entered my head, "Only God could have given us this gift."  And then I realized, to my even greater joy, that that perfectly describes Christmas.

The snow that falls at Christmastime--a gift only God could give--leads my mind straight to that other gift only God could give, His precious son Jesus.  And that's why I love snow at Christmas so very much!

Because it points to Him!!  :)

*******

Most of the time when I went out to play in the snow this past week, I left my camera safely inside.  It stayed nice and dry, and I could focus on having fun with the boys and savoring each moment.  But on Christmas Eve, during the first snow we had, I did take it out for a little while to snap a few pictures.  :)

Looking out from the garage before venturing out...the kids from next door came over to play, which always adds to the joy...

Yes, we eat snow.  No, it hasn't killed us yet.  :)

David, with a little help from others, made a snowman whom he named Henry.

 Henry got to wear our neighbor Marlene's glasses.

 They look good on him.  :)

 Because our neighbors are Old Order Mennonite, they don't have cameras or pictures, so I usually show great restraint and don't take pictures of them, even though I would love to.  :)  But Wanita, who is about 9 or 10 years old now, was so fascinated by my camera that she kept asking me to take pictures and then she wanted to see them on the back of the camera.  ;-)

 This is a snow angel that Wanita made on the driveway; at her request, I photographed it, then let her see it. :)

 Josiah's snow angel on grass...this was still early enough that the ground was not quite all covered; but later on, we got enough to cover it.

Our four-legged friends had fun in the snow, too.  :)

It just so happens that, as I type this, Jed is sleeping curled up at my feet, close enough to touch me.  The warmth and happiness he brings to me is immense.  I'm so glad we have him.  :)

And I'm SO GLAD we've had SNOW!!!   :)

What I've Learned This Year {about Being a Mom}

With these last few December days steadily ticking away and a brand spankin' new year shining out from a fresh calendar on the wall, the time seems right for some self-evaluation.  As I look back over the past 12 months, I see changes that have occurred during this latest voyage around the sun--changes in me, changes in how I parent (among other things).

I think I'm a different mother now than I was at the beginning of 2012.

I think I'm a better mother (most of the time) than I was a year ago.

What has changed?  Well, for one thing, I think I delight in my children more.  I think I truly enjoy them more.  I think I listen to them more.  I think I relax more and stress less (about the messes they make, the noise they produce, the process of educating them, etc.).

I think I still have a long way to go.

During this past year, I jotted down a few quotes that spoke especially loudly to my heart.  They have instructed and inspired me in my quest to become the mother that God desires for me to be; and as 2013 unfolds, I want to continue to implement the wise principles contained in them.  Every so often, I need to read back over this post so that I can be convicted all over again and encouraged to continue striving for the goal of Godly motherhood.

Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what.  If you don't listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won't tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has always been big stuff.

~ Catherine M. Wallace

The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.

~ Peggy O'Mara  - the silverpen.com

The average 4 year old asks 437 questions a day.  This means we have 437 opportunities to nurture our child's curiosity, or 437 opportunities to roll our eyes in annoyance.  Which will you choose?

~ from Code Name: Mama

Remember these two rules of thumb when responding to your preteen.

* Measure your response against the excitement on his or her face,

* Think before you speak.

~ from On Becoming Preteen Wise by Ezzo and Bucknam, in a chapter on healthy communication

The most precious jewels you'll ever have around your neck are the arms of your children.

~ seen on Facebook

My five children are truly the most precious jewels in the world to me; and because of my great love for them, I am eager for the refining work to happen in me more and more throughout this new year.  Cut away the bad; make room for the good.  Do whatever it takes, Lord, to form me into a mother who wholeheartedly follows You.

Because they--my five--deserve the very best that I can be.

* these pictures of Shav were taken back in November when I was doing a photo shoot in preparation for a special Christmas gift for him...since I had never posted these pictures, I decided to toss them into this post, just for fun *

:)