On the night they arrived, Jocelyn was so eager and could hardly wait for them to come.  She drug that little blue stool to the front door window and clutched her (belated) Valentines in her hand and watched the moments passed as she anxiously waited to see them pull in the drive.  What a treasure to be able to watch your children grow to love your extended family.

   I always assumed that the distance separating us would grow to be less and less painful as the years went by, but I'm afraid that is NOT the case.  As your children grow, they learn to love more deeply and they bond more quickly and each goodbye is just a little bit harder than the one before.  I'm so sorry to break it to any other young, translated brides that find themselves in a new community far from their home, but I'm afraid that is has been true for me.  That although the years do bring more friendships and a feeling of "home" to this strange land, it also brings more pain to each parting.

Can't have it all, I guess.




   Randy and Dad are building shelves for storage that we desperately need in the garage today.  It will be a HUGE blessing to have those, and so nice for Randy to have Dad's help in building them.  I just love to see them working together.  Growing up, I was so impressed at my Dad's ability to make/fix/do ANYTHING.  He is the true definition of a handy-man.  And now, just as much or even more, I love to see Randy doing projects of his own.
 
   Mom brought a pink and purple sparkly dress with just the perfect "twirling" ability for Jocelyn.  And don't all of us ladies know that that is truly the mark of a perfect dress?  It's ability to twirl? Anyways,  she hasn't take it off since.  We're going on day two and I may have to hide it so she doesn't demand to wear it unwashed to church tomorrow for the third day in a row……..


    The sun peeked it's head out of the clouds today so we spent a little time outside.  I just adore boxwood, and a dear friend from church blessed us with a homemade wreath and a potted plant of it!  I think of her every time I see it.


   And while I'm at it, let me tell you just a little bit about Kate.  She is an inspiration to me.  She has 6 beautiful children, 3 boys and 3 girls, and somehow she still finds the time to invest in others and be a blessing to her church family and all of those around her.  I have so much to learn!  Sometimes with just my two little ones I can get overwhelmed and start to feel my "boundaries" shrinking and shrinking until it feels like I only have energy for my own family, my own home, my own small circle and DON'T GIVE ME ANYTHING ELSE PLEASE!  But it is people like her that remind me what we have to offer the world around us, and what a pity it would be if we missed out on the opportunity to do that.
  And so I hope that these beautiful plants last and last, despite my amazing ability to kill everything green within a 5 mile radius of myself, and serve to remind me daily of the simple, refreshing beauty of offering ourselves to others.

   Tell me about how someone blessed you recently, or an opportunity you were given to speak life to others…..I'd love to hear!

Here we are, on the last day of 2013.  Can you believe it?

   We are freshly home from our vacation to Florida, and it has taken me a bit to recover, regroup, and even THINK about logging onto my blog.  But the girls are sleeping and I think I am up for one last post in this marvelous year, before we start a brand spankin' new one.

   I have MUCH to catch up on.  Jocelyn's 3rd birthday, days in the sun, family reunions and airplane rides….but for today, the only thing I really want to do is a good ol' 2013 year-in-review.  I've done it a couple of times before, (see last year's over here)  and it never ceases to remind me of the many blessings we've been given, and all of the wondrous things God has done for us.

   I'm still asking God to give me a "word" for 2014, but I think I know what my verse is.  Psalm 77:11 says, "I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago."

    You really need the context of the whole chapter for that verse, but basically, the psalmist is in a dark and painful place, crying out to God for help and rescue.  He speaks of distress, seeking the Lord, groaning and growing faint.  He wonders….""Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion? Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." 

    And that is precisely when he decides to remember what the Lord has done for him.  To remember His miracles of long ago.  Because you see, even if we are going through a dry and weary place and it feels like God is no where to be found, we can always look into the past and see Him.  Sometimes it feels so hard to look into the future and find rest, hope.  So look into the past!  REMEMBER the times He has been there for you.  Come through for you.  Remember the miracles He has done.  The times He has saved you from the pit.  The times He has set your feet on a solid rock.  And by looking back upon all that He has done for you and brought you through, you will find hope. You will find joy.  And you will be able to look ahead, for the wonders and miracles that are still to come.



January


Lots of time indoors due to some sickness.

February……..