Christmas Season

It's our family's tradition to decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. This year was no different, except that it was Savannah's first year that she was truly interested in helping (I use this term loosely). The girls have so much fun seeing the things come out of the Christmas bins. This was the 1st time in 3 years that we've put up a Christmas tree. We haven't for the past 3 years because we've gone home for Christmas. It was fun to pull out ornaments from mine and Brian's first Christmas, and Emily's first Christmas, and ones that's she's made...it's fun to remember. Let's just make sure we ALL remember what the season is truly about...God sending His only Son to earth to be born as a baby to die for our sins. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Please don't say Happy Holidays. :)


Brian and the girls decorating the tree Friday morning (hence the PJ's)


The outside. It's hard to get a good picture of outside lights.


My new Nativity Scene


My new Advent Calendar

Our beautiful tree and stockings

Thanksgiving Video

This is the new and improved Video

Thanksgiving 2008

I know this is a lot of pictures, but my parents and Sarah's family will appreciate them. I will have the video of the kids a little later.






The look on Emily's face is priceless.


The kids entertained themselves while we were cooking by dancing to Christmas music.


Our blessing tree. We each wrote what we were thankful for on a leaf.


The kids table.


Our Thanksgiving Feast!


Tim...umm...helping.


Sarah and her perfect 23 pound turkey.


Emily with the drumstick.

Happy Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. I love the food, the football, the family and friends. But, most of all, I love to spend time reflecting on what the Lord has given me and my family. I would like to give you a "thankful list". I'm sure I'll have pictures tomorrow to post of our celebration. I hope all of you take time to really thank the Lord for what HE has provided for you. For everything you have is from Him and Him alone.

1. My salvation and the salvation of my husband and little girl.
2. My family. My wonderful husband who understands me like no one else. My two precious little girls. My mom and dad who are our close friends.
3. My friends. I have some good ones....trust me.
4. My church. We may be small, but we are growing spiritually more than a lot of bigger churches that I've been to.
5. My possessions. I thank the Lord every night for my warm house that He has provided for my babies to sleep in.

I'm sure the list could go on and on, but these are my top 5. What are yours?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, everyone!!!

Palpitation Update

I went to the doctor Monday morning, and she didn't really have a whole lot of answers. She compared the blood tests she had ordered to the blood tests they did at the hospital, and saw that two different tests that indicated a blood clot were slightly elevated. So, she took me off of birth control (eek) and is sending me to a cardiologist. She took a chest x-ray to check for pleurisy and a collapsed lung. She was slightly concerned about a pulmonary embolism, but evidently not enough to test for it further, right now. She is waiting for more blood tests after I've been off my medicine for a couple weeks. So, there's that!!

Another Sign

When Emily got saved, all these thoughts ran through my head. "What if it's not real?" "What if she doesn't know what she's really doing?" I talked to our Pastor and he said to watch for signs of her heart. Signs from her heart that shows if it belonged to Jesus. I got another sign the other day when Emily and I were getting our hair cut...hairs cut? I don't know.

Emily had been talking to another hair dresser while I was getting my hair cut. She had talked this poor lady's ear off as she was cleaning up her station and everything. As she is walking out, Emily says,

"WAIT!!"

"What sweetie?"

"I have to ask before you go."

"What?"

"Do you know Jesus?"

PROUD MAMA sitting in the chair. The lady responded that yes, she did know Jesus. To which Emily replied, "I think everyone in this town knows Jesus!" :)

Thank you Lord for Your hand in my daughter's life.

Dizzy Dayz

Well, I mentioned in my last post that I had gone to the doctor and had some tests run. The tests were cholesterol, thyroid function and anemia. All of which came back normal. I had gone to the Dr to begin with because last Friday I started having these weird heart flip flops and feeling really dizzy. So, I went to the doc, she ran those tests and told me to come back in a week. Well, by Thursday night, I was so dizzy by evening time that I was having to lie down. I called the doc Friday morning and she told me to go to the ER. So, I did. Six hours later, I was on my way home with a diagnosis of......dizziness. Really? You don't say. He ran all sorts of blood tests (he was convinced I was pregnant) and looked for blood clot. My levels for that were slightly elevated, but not enough to run more tests.

Anyway, all that to say, I still have no idea what's wrong with me. Inner ear, Vertigo caused from a virus, heart valve issues? Who knows. I think my primary care doctor is going to send me to a cardiologist, so maybe he'll know. So, that's that, for all you inquiring minds. :)

On a happy note, I spent 2 hours at Best Buy this morning trying to figure out why I can't download videos to my computer. Finally figured out my computer software is too old for my brand spankin' new camera. So, Brian's on his way to Best Buy to buy new software. Yay! So, that right there is enough to make me stop having heart palpitations. Now Brian will be able to see video of the girls while he's gone!

Well, I guess that's about it. I'll give an update Monday after my appointment! Enjoy your weekend!!

Busy, Fun Day

Today was crazy! This whole week has been crazy, actually. Monday, I had a Dr. appt (more about that later if it's worth reporting....no, I'm not pregnant). Tuesday, I had labs in the morning and ran errands and went to help with Christmas parade costumes in the evening. Wednesday, the girls had to go to the dentist (perfect teeth).

Then, this morning, Sarah and I took some birthday muffins to Elaine. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELAINE!!!! I LOVE YOU!!

This afternoon, Emily had a play date with Jill from church. Funny things about play dates, we say it's for the kids, but I have SO much fun. :) I'm so glad Kalli, Jill and Axie could come play. Emily said she wants to have a sleepover with Jill. I'm kinda weirded out that we're "in that stage of life", but it's exciting, too.

Tonight, Emily and I went to get haircuts. I've had a picture of Emily with short hair on my refrigerator for a while, and every time I walk by, I think "She is so cute like that." So, tonight I got it cut. It's finally all one length. I took her picture and Savannah wanted her picture taken, but didn't want to stand still long enough to actually get it taken, so here's what we have.

The rest of the week....oh wait...tomorrow is Friday. Well, tomorrow and the weekend look pretty quiet. I'm sure that'll change by tomorrow early afternoon. :) Have a good weekend!!

6 Random Facts

OK. I've been tagged. So....I'm not sure what makes a fact random, but I'm supposed to write six random facts about myself. Hmmm

1. I took accounting in college, and hated it. Someone convinced me that since I'm good at math, I would like it.....NOT

2. My dream job (besides being a homemaker) is to be a secretary at a Medical office; preferably an OB clinic

3. I was a candystriper in high school

4. I love watching sports on TV...I guess that's random for most girls.

5. I hate to plan meals. Don't mind cooking them, just hate planning them

6. I hate asparagus.

Look! We're a Family Again!

This is what Emily said to us on Friday as we walked into a store together...as a family. And then, this morning, she said it again as we walked out the door to church. You see, because of ear infections, pneumonia, and skin issues, we haven't been OUT together as a family in a long time. Brian and I tag team to church, Wal-Mart, Commissary...anywhere we need to go so the girls can stay in. Today, they were all healthy and skin was good enough for us to all go to church!! It was SO nice to sit in church together and worship the Lord and praise Him for the healing He brought to our family. Here are some pictures of the girls in their first winter outfits they were able to wear to church. I took twenty-one pictures of them, and this is the best I could do. They were NOT cooperating.

I intentionally left the red in Savannah's eyes! She looks like she's killing something with her laser beam.

My Top Tens

I got this post from Kristen who has the most amazing little girl. Like her, I tag anyone that reads this! :)

What I'm not crazy about

1. Slow/Stupid Drivers
2. Being cooped up in the house with sick children
3. Bugs (roaches and things with stingers being at the top)
4. Living so far from my parents
5. My girls having eczema
6. Wichita Falls, TX
7. Slow computers
8. Peas
9. My husband's upcoming deployment
10. Living far from my best friend

Modern Conveniences I wouldn't want to live without (not necessarily in order of importance)

1. My Computer
2. The Internet
3. Refrigerator
4. Coffee Pot
5. Digital Camera
6. Stove/Oven
7. Cell Phone
8. My SUV
9. TV/Cable/DVR
10. Nebulizer

Things to see & do before I die

1. Go on another cruise
2. See Savannah get saved
3. See the kids get married
4. Go to London
Hmmm, I have very low goals in life. :o)

Things I would totally SPLURGE on if funds were unlimited

1. Our Dream house
2. A cook
3. A housekeeper (because my dream house would be huge)
4. An on call babysitter
5. A beach house
6. Clothes for my kids
7. A bigger TV for Brian
8. New furniture
9. Unlimited Airline Tickets
10. A laptop for me. :o)

The BEST feelings

1. Being home with my family
2. Knowing that if the Lord comes back now my girls and my husband would both be in Heaven with me
3. Having a stocked pantry
4. Job security
5. Having good friends
6. Contentment
7. Having the right relationship with the Lord
8. Hugs from my girls
9. Being warm in the winter
10. The first sip of coffee in the morning

And So It Begins.....

The Winter season, I mean. Should Winter be capitalized???? I don't know...anyway. For those of you who don't have the privilege to know us personally, let me give you a recap of last Fall/Winter:

September '07 -Jennifer has Mono
October '07- Emily Pink Eye
December '07 -Emily pneumonia
January '08- Savannah RSV/Pneumonia
February '08- Savannah Ear Infection/Pink eye, Jennifer Mono (again)
March '08- Emily ear infection/bronchitis, Jennifer pneumonia, Savannah ear infection/stomach flu
June '08 - Savannah Rotovirus and has to be hospitalized

OK, so I guess that goes into Summer, but that's not even all of the little fevers and colds. That's just the big stuff. So, it's that time again. It's November, so I guess we're a little behind schedule. I took the girls to the doctor this morning and they both have ear infections and pneumonia. Eek!! I praise the Lord that I seem to have caught it early enough. They are both on antibiotics, and Savannah is on nebulizer treatments.

We have a lot going on......We decided to stop Emily's piano lessons. I can't guarantee the teacher that Emily will be there from week to week (hello! Look at last winter), and it's not fair to her to keep her wondering week to week if we are going to make it.

I guess I haven't mentioned on here that Brian will be deploying soon. When we agreed to come here, one of the perks was that he wouldn't have to deploy. HA! Oh well. It's for 4 months, and it's not to too bad of a place. Things could be worse. The popular question is, "Will you go home?" Well....not for 4 months. My parents don't welcome my kitty, and I can't leave him for 4 months. Plus, the girls skin is TERRIBLE back home, and every time they have to go to the doctor (hello! Look at last winter!) I would have to take them to the ER. Not fun. So, the next few months will be filled with appointments for him, and shopping for all the things he'll need while he's gone.

Our friend, Chris Bode, had to come back to Texas for a business trip. He and KC, Hunter and Ella moved to Washington last February. It's been a lot of fun to have him back, but I wish KC could have come with him. We had more fun with this family than we've had with friends in a LONG time, and we miss them SO much!!!

I guess that's about it. Sorry there are no pictures. My girls are pretty much in their PJ's all day, so I can't have them trouncing around the Internet in their pajamas! :) Hope everyone is having a good week and praying for this country! We need it!!