Busy...but my favorite time of the year!

This has been a long and busy week. I always have a difficult time getting in the swing of things after a holiday. We have just about finished decorating our house for Christmas...it usually takes me about a week. I have put a dent in my Christmas shopping and hope to get done tomorrow. I am going to the mall with no kids and no husband...Yeah!!! I love being with them but I will be able to get a lot more done without them. Doug usually slows me down the most :). I can't wait...I just hope I can get some creative ideas for Christmas. I hate buying a present just to buy one. I always put a lot of thought in what I buy people because I want it to be meaningful and special. We have already started reading some of our favorite Christmas stories. I read The Crippled Lamb last night and Ashleigh started reading The Legend of the Christmas Tree. I bought this book today for Ryan to read. I love to sit around the Christmas tree and read different stories with the kids. Now that they are getting older, they like to read them to us. This is absolutely my favorite time of the year!

Thanksgiving and more...

We had a great Thanksgiving....ate some and then ate some more. We went to Doug's aunt's house for lunch and then made it back to our house to have dinner with my family. It is always hectic trying to see everyone but we always enjoy it. Friday, Doug and I woke up at 4am to do our annual Christmas shopping. We love it....or least I do. We didn't have to wait in any lines in the cold because there wasn't anything in particular that we were after. We just like to get in, get some good deals and get out before the crowd gets too crazy. We came home, ate leftovers (yum!!!), watched a movie and then started putting up our Christmas tree. Doug is happy...I am only decorating one tree this year. We usually have about 3. (I may add another one before it is all over with though :) ). Well, Doug's feet started hurting him ( I guess from all the shopping) so we stopped decorating and will resume today. We are waiting on him to finish the lights so the kids and I can put the ornaments on it. We get the fun job. Doug also has the task of getting the outside decorated. We hope to be done before my sister comes over to watch Tech cream Georgia (we can at least hope, can't we?).

Date night with the kids

Tonight Doug took Ashleigh out to dinner and Ryan and I went to eat Mexican. I always love this special one on one time. Ryan talked my head off....he has some great ideas for the new church :). I am just glad that he is excited. He did tell me that we needed to buy some "gospel tracks" for him to pass out. I just smiled :). I then asked him what he wanted me to pray for him in regards to the move. His number one request from God is that we move to a neighborhood with a lot of kids. I reassured him that was already on my prayer list. We also talked about the bless it forward experience and he really wanted to hear the stories of the people that were blessed. I think it is important that we take time to sit down and just talk with our kids. There is a lot going on in their little minds and I love to see God working in their lives. I am so thankful for my 2 children. They are such a blessing!

I can talk....

I am so thankful that I can finally let everyone know what God has called us to do. I have a very transparent personality, so I have had to keep quiet and to myself lately. Those that know me best know that I wear all of my feelings and emotions on my face. So, if I have acted different or strange it is because we have been keeping this exciting news quiet. I was afraid if I talked too much, I would let everything out and it just wasn't the right time. We are so excited and anxious about God calling us to Savannah, Ga to start a new church. I am also very scared, sad about moving, and humbled that God would use us in this capacity. I am so thankful for all of the love and support from our CATR family. I will be sharing how our journey has been unfolding over the next several days. For now, I am just thankful that I can share our news and the opportunity to be used by God to reach a city for Him.

Wow!!!

Wow!.....that is all I can really say about yesterday and our blessitforward experience. You can read about it here. Everyone I talk to is still speechless. I can't wait to hear the stories of how lives were touched in our community.

Pajama Day

Today is pajama day! The kids are out of school for a Teacher's Convention and we are being lazy. I had to finish up some paperwork and Doug is driving it to Rome while the kids and I play games and watch movies. They are about to battle me to a game of Uno Attack....this game gets pretty intense in our house. I love days when we don't have a lot to do.

Ladies Weekend

This has already been a great weekend. Last night and this morning I attended CATR's first Ladies weekend and it was wonderful. We discussed how to truly "Seize the Joy" and allow God to work His plan in our lives. Our "problems" and "difficulties" are all part of God's plan. We need to be content and look for the blessings in our life. God really dealt with me about some things and I am more excited now than ever for the plans He has for me. I can't wait to see what He is going to do.
This is one of my favorite verses and one of the theme verses this weekend:
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future"
I am so thankful for the Ladies who took the time to pray and organize such a great weekend.