A Storybook of Grace

Here’s the tree we picked!  The house is all decorated, the stockings hung, the tree up, the Christmas music playing.  I am praying I can really REALLY focus on the reason for the season.  For the sweet story of our Savior’s birth.  We all need this hope.   We went to Kroll’s Farm to get our tree.  They had some great trees to choose from, however, they were all expensive, but we got one any way and I am enjoying it, as are the kids and the cats!  I chose mostly non-breakable ornaments this year to decorate the tree with!!!   Dad flies back home to Florida today.  Sad to see him go, but enjoyed our time.   xo

 Natalie’s first Thanksgiving!  The turkey cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes was delicious!!!  It was so cute, almost too cute to eat.....ALMOST!  Each turkey feather had a space on the back to write what you are thankful for.  We got the pumpkin spice flavor of cake and it was so good; tasted like pumpkin pie.  We ate, walked, watched football, did crafts, watched Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and enjoyed spending the day together.  

 Do you remember when?   Do you remember when I saved you?  I saved you from sin.  I saved you from a life of drugs and alcohol.  I saved you from partying and guys.  I saved you from continuing to hurt yourself over and over.   Do you remember when I saved you from anxiety and fear and depression and PTSD?  Do you remember when I shone light on the darkness?  When I helped you to see clearly.  When I wanted better for you.  When I wanted you to experience true peace and real joy.   Do you remember when I carried you along?  Or how about when it all worked for good?  When Natalie’s heart was fine.  When she survived even though she had a true knot in her cord.  How you both made it through a rough pregnancy.  Or Lucas.  Do you remember how I spared his life?  Do you remember how sick he was at birth and for the months and months following?  Do you remember how I brought him through two he...

 Since this week is Thanksgiving, I thought I would share what I am thankful for.   1.  GOD - remember He sent His son so that we could be set free and be with Him forever.  Ephesians 5:1  For  freedom Christ has  set us free;  stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to  a yoke of  slavery.  We don’t have to have it altogether.  We don’t have to work for His love.  We are worthy and He does love us and He will not leave us or forsake us.  And as we love Him we will want to listen to Him and do His good will for our lives.   2.  My husband!  Love. Of. My. Life. He’s my everything. He has put up with me!  That’s saying a ton!  He is patient, kind, funny, handsome, and smart.  143 NSM 3.  The 8 kiddos.  I love them with all my heart.  They are the most difficult things in my life because it is through them that I am reminded how imperfect and broken I really am!  An...

  This morning, like 6:15 in the morning, Sean and I headed off on date with baby Natalie.  We went to Illinois Beach  State Park to see the sunrise.  We sat in the car and drank coffee as we watched the water, the birds, the clouds, and the sun.  It was very peaceful and so beautiful.  After that we went to the Wildberry Cafe for breakfast.  So indoor dining is closed, but they do have a covered tent set up outside with gas lamps.  It’s pretty crazy how we walked through the empty restaurant to go inside a covered tent to eat because no one is allowed to eat indoors yet we go inside to go outside to go inside to eat.  Does anyone else find this a bit crazy??!!  In the tent, tables are not socially distanced and there isn’t the proper HVAC ventilation like in the restaurant.  Oh well.  Any way.  We ate with our coats on and had a good time.  On the way home we stopped off in Wadsworth to go on the trail for a walk. ...

 I don’t know how it is where you are in the world, but in my little spot things are starting to shut downand restrictions are coming back because of COVID. I know it has been a long year for everyone and I am hoping that we can still all have hope, especially with the holidays upon us.   We get really cold here!!!! Really cold.  So Sean and I have been discussing how we can get creative.  We are still new to the area, only been here a little over a year, so I think we have felt like drive by van sight seeing road trips are going to be in order.  That and snow suits, hats, gloves, scarfs, etc so we can bundle up and get outside.   And praise the Lord we have things like this to love on....... It makes me sad for the kiddos.  I know this is wearing on some of them.  We were still trying to meet people and make friends when COVID came along.  And the friends we had made in our neighborhood, well, their family is moving now.  :(.  The ...

  https://www.intouch.org/read/features/through-the-lens-cooks-meadow-yosemite-national-park I wanted to share this article.  It really spoke to me yesterday.  I struggle with my past often and I like to marinate in it for way to long, almost as a form of punishment because I think subconsciously I don’t feel I deserve any better.  I feel guilty when I have good days and when I experience joy.  I think I have to stay in my struggles and can’t have the freedom and victory.  A victim mindset I suppose.   Any way, reading through this article I was thinking how yes I have painful memories that will surface and I can acknowledge them and stay there for a bit, but then I need to get back to the present and focus on moving forward with God because He has new things for me.  Also a good reminder to certainly remember all God has done for me to get me through the difficult stuff of life and that He never left me and that He is continually working on me to...