Merry Christmas with LOVE!

From our blog to yours . . . May the joy of the season surround you!

The Four Hour Photo Shoot

I have been meaning to record our first photo shoot with both of the girls. It was a month or so ago that we headed to the city to take Ella's first portraits. We had planned to go to the usual studio (which shall be remain nameless) that I had always taken Lucy Anne. Actually, we went to a different location but the same company because I was picking up a friend's portraits for her. Anyway, I had tried to call and set up an appointment but to no avail. So, we loaded the girls and decided to try our luck. And, boy, did we! We showed up at 4:0o and the girl behind the counter said there were appointments in front of us and we would have to wait until 5:00 or so. I let the girl know that I was making my appointment for 5:00. So, my mom , the girls, and me went to the food court for me to feed Ella and kill some time. By the time we got back to the studio the appointment before us was still in session. Let me paint this horrible picture as best I can. There were only two people working . . . and a line out the door for pick ups, customers lined up at the little photo kiosk (sp?) to order their pictures, and a photo session of three girls with multiple outfit changes taking place. Oh, and a phone that wouldn't stop ringing. Five people wouldn't have been able to keep up with the mess, let alone, the two. And . . . there was us waiting our turn patiently with a 2 month old who had eaten an hour before and was ready to go back to her little newborn dreams and her sister, 2 years old, without a nap.

Well, finally, it is our turn to smile! By this point, it is 6:00. The photographer tells me we will have to hurry bc he has an appointment coming at 6:00. I got a bit fired up at that when we were supposed to have been his 5:00 appointment. We, then, argued over the definition of "walk-in" until finally we decided the 6:00 appointment wasn't coming. Nevertheless, to shorten this story, we took our pictures as best we could and managed to leave the mall after 8:00 with four very tired and hungry girls!

I have decided, as a result, to hire my mother. She has always taken my most favorite pictures and it is much more convenient as well as cheaper! You may not even be able to tell a difference!

. . . And She Pondered These Things in Her Heart

Dear Ella:

It is amazing to see how much you've grown in the past three months! I think it has literally been overnight! Before you, I couldn't see how mothers loved and cared for two or more children. I had so much to give your sister that I didn't know how I would be able to give you the same affection. Isn't our Lord amazing, the way He provides . . . even an abundance of love. It helps me put into perspective His love for so many of His children. I pray the same for you someday: to know and feel a mother's love, to understand and bask in your Father's love, to wonder, with that same love, how it was that God could give up His own Son and then to know that He is God which makes it humanly impossible for us to understand. Thus, the mystery and love of Him!

I wrote this little paragraph soon after Lucy Anne was born and I want to pass the same feeling on to you. . .

I had always dreamed of this day, looked forward to it, had prayed for it, somewhat rehearsed it in the back of my mind . . . I had no idea, though! It is an experience beyond reason, imagination, anything in THIS world . . . to get to see you for the first time, to hold you, to feel your skin, your hands, your feet. . . to fall in love with absolutely every part of you . . . nothing prepared me for all of this . . . AND I AM SO GLAD!

Does Santa take Returns?

Santa came to church the other night. He gave Lucy Anne some animal blocks (that I bought her). First of all, she wouldn't take the present from him so her Sunday School teacher (Santa's little helper) gave her the present. I'm convinced that she thinks her Sunday School teacher (Mrs. Carol Ann) will be bringing her the rest of her presents on Christmas so she won't have to see Santa again. Anyway, tonight she asked me if she could give her animal blocks back to Santa, she didn't want them.

This Santa list idea I copied from another friend's blog. Her 4 year old's answers were a bit more normal than Lucy Anne's. I think she was just looking around the room for answers but here it is anyway . . .

Dear Santa,

Lucy Anne wants . . .
- A little dolly
- A plate
- A Christmas flower
- Blue Christmas lights

Ella wants . . .
- A dolly (all the dollies)
- A black seat
- A book
- A Bible
- A paper to play with
- A Santa
- A Christmas ceiling (what ?!)

Mom wants . . .
- Santa dolly

Dad wants . . .
- Santa dolly (that he has to share with mom)

Snow Day - Nov. 29, 30, 2006

There is often so much hype over weather conditions in Oklahoma that I am usually quite skeptical of whether or not their predictions will actually occur. However, I must admit my excitement of being snowed in that I had Justin go to the store to get some hot chocolate, etc. Wednesday night church was cancelled and gave us some fun, family time putting up the tree, reading the Christmas story of Jesus' birth, and hot chocolate with cookies and a fire!!!! Oh, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

So, I kept waiting and waiting for it . . . even early the next morning around 6:00 (after feeding Ella) I peeked outside to see if the ground was covered . . . nothing. Finally, around 9:00 the white stuff started falling. Around noon, both sets of parents called to see if we were experiencing "blizzard-like conditions" like the news had said. About an hour later the blizzard came. It was so beautiful!

Some of our good friends and their two kids came over. Justin and Todd went to the hill to do some sledding. They actually ended up staying the night. We all had such a wonderful time! Great, great memories!

Lucy Anne and Mom's Blessings List

For a few months now, Lucy Anne and I have started a morning "quiet time" (if you can call it that with a two year old)/Bible study. I was having a hard time fitting my Bible study time in and wanted to teach Lucy Anne to get in the habit of it (since it is such a struggle for me). So, I combined the two and everyday (almost) at breakfast we read from the Little Girls and Mommys Bible. This is a wonderful gift given to us from our dear friend, Jacob Jackson when Lucy turned one! I highly recommend it. It has a Bible story, with pictures, about a woman and then adds questions and applicable story from "mommy's" past. We love it and Lucy Anne asks to read it. Anyway, we had a story about the Israelites receiving the manna from heaven and how thankful they were to God. Therefore, we made our own list and have it hanging on our frig to remind us of our Daily Blessings.

1. Gives food.
2. Gives pencils.
3. Gives bread (manna) to Israelites.
4. Gives rest/sleep.
5. Heals legs that hurt.
6. Heals runny noses, keeps us healthy.
7. Gives us the house - safety, warmth.
8. Gives convenience - cars, "pecuters" (Lucy Anne's word for computers)
9. Gives good hearts to help take care of others.
10. Gives money/jobs.

I have been so surprized at how much I get spiritually out of this time. Some times it is something new and most of the time it is just good to be reminded of the basics! The last blessing . . . 11. The time I have with God and my firstborn. By the way, Ella enjoys the Bible study from her bouncy seat!