Multitudes on Mondays {130 - 150}

130. my husband helping the kids learn all of their lines and music for "Pirates of Penzance"

131. dinner out with homeschool friends

132. listening to our kids laugh and play during dinner

133. friends to do Weight Watchers with

134. watching our golden retriever lying in the sun ... soaking in the rays

135. my sister giving birth to a healthy baby boy

136. for camera phones and texting so that I could see pictures and hear all the details as soon as my nephew was born

137. an afternoon of sitting on my friend's deck and watching our children play in her backyard

138. spring is everywhere

139. watching Devin and Lexi's astronomy presentations in their Timothy Class

140. my daughter finally catching the lizard our cat brought into the house many days ago

141. watching my son play baseball on a warm Saturday afternoon

142. wearing flip flops for the first time since last season

143. the amazing moon on Saturday night

144. our telescope

145. an impromptu astronomy lesson for the kids led by my husband

146. witnessing spontaneous baptisms at our church

147. a fun Sunday School class

148. Spiritual Gifts

149. feeling convicted about really examining my life and figuring out where God would have me use the gifts he has given me

150. being commissioned as new members at our wonderful church

A Month for Thanks and Giving

We like to focus each November on Thanks and Giving ... one of our traditions is our Thankful Tree. Each school day the kids and I write out something we are thankful for and hang it on our Thankful Tree. It is so nice on Thanksgiving to read out loud what everyone is thankful for.

Another tradition is celebrating Thanksgiving with our homeschool friends by packing Operation Christmas Child boxes. It is something we look forward to every year. Today was our party and after packing boxes the kids enjoyed craft projects, pizza, and lots of playtime with friends.

3 Days and Counting ...

Last night we delivered gifts to the family we had adopted for Christmas. We were joined by our family friend, Jen and some friends from church, Dawn S., and her son Aiden. I think it truly hit home the sentiment ... "it is so much better to give than to receive". Even our children were so excited to deliver all the gifts we had so carefully chosen and wrapped.

Many of our friends generously added to what we had already done ... giving clothes and toys for all the children. My good friend, Dawn S. organized collecting a huge car load of baby clothes and items for the new baby due in the home any day. Lexi had a Christmas Party with many of her homeschool friends and they wrapped almost all of the gifts themselves that we brought to the family last night.

What a wonderful way for us to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas.

4th Sunday of Advent

Wow ... I cannot believe it is the 4th Sunday of Advent. It seems like just yesterday it was Thanksgiving. Of course, it has not helped that I have been sick for over 10 days now with pneumonia. It has really, it seems, expedited Christmas.

Earlier this week I was really questioning in prayer how it is I would come down with pneumonia in such an inopportune time ... with no family around to help, I could not figure out how I was going to finish up all those little details that a Mom needs to get done before Christmas, when I feel so horrible. In moments like that I try to remind myself that "If God brings me to it ... he will bring me through it". With that change of thought also brought dear wonderful friends with offers of help. My very good friend, Jen came over yesterday and baked Christmas cookies with my girls, then today she showed back up to wrap all of my Christmas presents, tomorrow she is heading out to finish some little items I needed for the kid's stockings. My dear friend, Tammy came over this past week and took the kids to her house so I could get some much needed rest, she went grocery shopping for us and, then, brought us food for two dinners. Yesterday our HFC Leaders and very close friends - the Roach family brought us soup, dinner and a frozen lasagna for later in the week. Today, after an elder prayed for me at church, we were blessed with more offers of help for meals and watching the kids. How this has humbled me ... God is so good and he truly cares about me and my family and provides for us!

So, tonight, as I lit the 4th candle of Advent "Joy" - I did so with Joy in my heart!

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" 1 Thessalonians 5:16 - 18