December # and a New Year

Well, we haven't gotten our official email update with our number but everyone else has so we know we are number (took this at Sea World yesterday as we found a parking spot right by our number!):

Can you believe that? Wonder how long we will be #13 but you just never know... we are expecting to wait until #1 because of our parameters so it will still be awhile. We couldn't be more excited about starting the new year being so close to single digits (well I guess we could be if we were actually in single digits but don't want to get greedy or ungrateful here!).

This month we haven't done much to get baby's room together. My mom was so sweet to think of us and him for Christmas and got the CUTEST Hungry Caterpillar quilt kit and will have it made the next couple weeks. I was a blubbering mess when I saw that it was for him. Made me miss him SO much... The girls got a rock painting kit for Christmas and have created many. They were so sweet to think of painting some for baby brother all on their own. They are sitting on one of his shelves:
With the close of 2011, we anticipate this to be the year we welcome baby #3 into our lives. It's hard not to hope and have an expectation so we will wait patiently to see his face sometime this year. God has taught us so much in the year of 2011 and I can't wait to see what He does in 2012!

Speaking of 2012... we had a wild and crazy party at our house tonight to welcome the New Year. You know, one of those parties that starts at 5 p.m. and people start leaving at 7:30 p.m.? 17 kids, 2 babies and 11 adults...My how New Year's Eve has changed with having kiddos =) It was actually a lot of fun to get together with our dear friends in life group to share food, catch up, have the kids play, do a mock countdown at 7:15 p.m. with hats and party blowers. So glad we had those over who could make it and missed those who couldn't be here!

Here was the kid crew for the evening! Look at all those boys (14 to be exact)!! We were missing a lot fo families but glad we had the Gibbins, Craftons, Millers, Lamars and Zimmers to help us bring in the new year!
Celebrating with Channing
Party hats, blowers, glow stick bracelets and sparkling cider
Linden, Ethan and Reef
Hadley
My sweetheart
Crystal and Henry
The Millers stayed for a little longer and the kids were so cute playing together!
May God bless you this year and show you how He wants to use you to further HIS kingdom!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent with Neil's family as usual but we started for lunch this year so we could get to our church's service. We had a great lunch and opened gifts. Neil's mom wasn't feeling well and ended up in the hospital that evening and an appendectomy a few days later. Claire had just gotten over her 4 day fever and on the mend and little did we know Eden would have 103 the next day.... besides all the sickness we had a great time!

Claire found the fish ornament on the tree so she got to open the first gift

Kyle and Justin
Maw Maw and Mary Ellen
Loves to paint even in the bath!
Squinkies!

Shannon and Steve



Our church service went really well - I was a caroler in the drama and conducted our ensemble that prepared a gorgeous arrangement of "Coventry Carol" - we ended it with our traditional candle lighting and singing of Silent Night and Joy to the World. All went well and I was releaved =)

Mike, Heather and Pierce, my parents and Heather's parents were all there and it meant the WOLRD to me to have them there! How awesome to worship with so much family!
Isn't Pierce's Santa Coat cute?!
My mom and dad got to spend time with the Williams and my brother's family while we were with Neil's fam. Couldn't resist snagging this picture!

Staycation - La Cantera

This past weekend we were given an INCREDIBLE gift from a sweet couple at church - two nights at the La Cantera Westin Resort right here in town!! We love being tourists in our own city so this was the perfect staycation... one night alone (thanks to my parents) and one night with the kids. The girls were SO excited when we told them right before we took them back to the hotel to take part in all the fun kid's activities they have planned for the holidays. Our first night was divine... it's been a long time since we had an evening alone. We went to one of our favorites, Copeland's, for dinner, window shopped a little bit, went to the resort bar for a drink and some live music, sat by the fireplace with my favorite peppermint mocha - it truly was one of the best evenings we've spent together the past year or two!

The first stop with the kids was the snow blower aka.bubble blower! They just ran and ran through the bubbles with the other kids and had a blast!
Then it was off to decorate the gingerbread cookies and of course eat them!
Nothing like crafting for my girls! They each made a photo frame
Spending time by the fire place
Visiting Santa one last time - Eden wouldn't do it but Claire was all about it because she decided she was going to change what she wanted for Christmas. WHAT?! I already got squinkies and convinced her that a hoola hoop would be a great birthday gift =) She was ok with that
Our last stop was getting in our jammies and watching the Polar Express together on a projector in the Kids Club. We couldn't believe that they stayed up for the whole thing! It was all of ours first time to see it. They shortly looked like this around 10:15 p.m.

Thankfully they didn't get up until about 7:30 - woo hoo!! Sleeping in!! We got ready for church and walked around outside a little bit. Claire loved hanging out on the balcony!



The stay was magical... I know that sounds pretty dramatic but it was JUST what we needed. A little retreat and oasis away from the busy and stressful season (even though we had to get through my studio recital in the middle of it!) What a joy it was to make such a special memory with the girls! We were SO blessed to be given such a wonderful gift!

Breakfast with Santa

Our church puts together Breakfast with Santa every year and the kids just love it! Eden was so cute - up until the day before she was saying she would NOT sit on Santa's lap but as soon as we got there, she wanted to go right away. Nevermind the pancakes with candy and the craft (which boggled my mind!) - she had a one track mind so off we went. She sat with no problem but wouldn't look or talk to him! When asked what she wanted to pointed to me because she wanted me to tell him. It was really cute! We had a great time with friends, making the cutest hand print reindeer towel, sharing the memory with Grandma and
Eden's first time to sit on Santa's lap!
Eating with the Miller's

Claire and Leyna
Grandma with her girls
Maynard is such a sweetheart to all the kids at church =) The girls and we just love him!! We caught him on a break from an elders meeting!

The girls showing us their craft - what a great idea!

As much as I struggle with Santa it really is a lot of fun to see the kids get so excited to see him!

Chili Cook Off

On the 14th we had our annual Chili Cook Off at church with our life group and as usual it was so much fun! Our theme was Disney so we chose to do Princess and the Frog to utilize the huge amphibian that has been living in the girls room =) I knew that giant frog would come in handy one of these day! We pulled together to decorate with Mardi Gras stuff and bayou critters. Jayme and Erin made YUMMY chili and gumbo. Our booth won second place which is always good when you put that much effort into it! Neil and I worked on the back drop and I made cute little frog visors for our family. Here are a few pics of our fam and one group shot!

National Orphan Sunday

Nov. 6th was National Orphan Sunday and after our short video clip we showed last year David said we could do the whole service around orphan care this year to help bring more awareness! Between our partnership with Jeremiah's Hope in the Ukraine, advertising for foster care certifications, families throughout our congregation adopting, supporting and pursuing foster care, it's so exciting to see how God has worked through our church to embrace orphan care the past two years! Since that Sunday I've heard from three additional families who are either starting their foster care research, meeting with a domestic adoption agency and who ready to foster to adopt. The Lord has really been stirring hearts and I pray that it just continues as we all become a source of support and joy to one another!

Our service included a video from orphan sunday resouce page, video created my Andrew Kelly at Jeremiah's Hope, Bulletin insert with 10 ways you can be involved (all over the spectrum!), Heart Gallery photos and prayer cards of children in our area who are in foster care and waiting to be adopted (thank you Tara for your help with this and the prayer cards for the kids at Jeremiah's Hope) and a testimony from a young couple, the Mitchell's, who spent some time in an orphanage in Haiti last Christmas. It was a powerful morning and God's love for these children and for us was exemplified!

If you or someone you know would like to talk or have someone pray about your involvement (something as simple as mowing the lawn for a foster care family) then please let me know! I would be more than honored and will give you other ideas and resources to know how and where you can become more involved. Some of the organizations that I REALLY love are the ones that support families to PREVENT the orphan crisis to continue growing such as:
http://www.kiva.org/ (micro lending to families all over the world)
http://www.bloodwatermission.com/ (empowering communities while providing and then teaching them how to care for their water supply)
http://www.147millionorphans.com/Ugandan-Necklaces_ep_48.html (Mothers in Uganda make necklaces and you buying them will help them earn sustainable income for their families)
http://www.compassion.com/ (sponsor a child to help sustain a family)

Can't wait till next year!!! I already have some ideas brewing and hope to hear from you if you have any others.