One Thousand Gifts (Continued)

"May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you" (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

That is my Christmas wish to all of you- to experience the peace that only God is able to provide. I am thankful that the busy time is over, but I am also thankful that aside from the busyness, I could feel God's peace. I am so thankful that He is with us all the time. What comfort!
Continuing my list of thanks...
#1250-#1276

-our first Christmas with Deborah

-goofy faces, even when we're trying to get a nice family picture!

-a very successful poinsettia season
-poinsettia shipping is over (until next year)!


-Deborah taking in all the hustle and bustle of family gatherings

-fun times playing games with cousins (that is what they recalled as one of their best parts about the Christmas gatherings)

-fun family gatherings

-of the 3 family gatherings, the farthest we had to drive was 3 minutes!

-special music in church

-my father- in- law contributing to the special music by playing his trumpet in church

-spending time talking with my son about his day as he helps me fold socks

-seeing nephews and our niece from afar as they came home for Christmas

-LOTS of skating time

-another family day (just the 6 of us) yesterday

-6 of us on the ice rink together

-the children choosing gifts from Compassion for those less fortunate then us

-another child being sponsored

-singing Christmas carols

-eating lots of yummy food

-warm jogging clothes (to run off all that yummy food)

-Paul being home a lot for the holidays

-little jobs around the house getting done

-watching Janette Oke movies with my daughter

-shedding tears together with my daughter during movie time

-another birthday for my mother-in-law

-my mother-in-law's health and healthy/active lifestyle (truly an inspiration)

-celebrating Christ's birth and that He was born so that we may have life! Thank-you, Jesus!

Welcome to the Family

"and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:18,19).

This Christmas I want to make time to treasure our family. As Deborah has her first Christmas with her forever family this year, I want to take joy in how our family interacts with each other. I want to take joy in their facial expressions, feelings and noises (and it can get VERY noisy)! I want to remember that sometimes it's busy and overwhelming, I don't want to miss a minute of it and I want to ponder all these things in my heart as Mary did so many years ago. Most importantly, I want to ponder the gift of our Lord Jesus and treasure that in my heart.

Deborah, welcome to the family...


-there's a lot of joy in these facial expressions

-so many cousins who all get along

-enjoying songs together (even if it was rather loud)

-pondering the thrill and excitement of playing games together

-oh, what fun we have


-Deborah's older cousins

-the talented planner in the family- even if it gets more difficult with such a large (sometimes uncooperative) family- we are blessed with such a large loving family

-such loving, generous grandparents

Lord, thank-you for the gift of family. Help me to treasure our family in my heart.

One Thousand Gifts (Continued)

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other" (Ecclesiastes 7:14).

Although I'm a day late with my list, it's never too late to give thanks!

My list continues with #1218-#1249

-birthday hugs
-another year-another birthday

-family photo with lots of giggling


-singing praises- with all his heart!

-excited to join the choir, now that she's in grade 4! (special choir for grades 4-8)

-so serious, but still participating and practicing the songs at home with his siblings

-first vacation as a family of 6

-super fun water slides!

-still cute, even with crazy glasses

-Deborah's first picture with a mascot (and she wasn't crying)!

-bigger boards on the ice rink and great help

-rides on the ice

-awesome big brothers

-young at heart Opa

-Daddy/ daughter time (she LOVES that)

-birthday girl - every day she's a gift to us

-posing with her big brother (she LOVES that too)!

-birthday wishes from Beppe

-siblings having extended conversations -music to a mother's ears

-Curtis reminding us that we hadn't prayed before we went on our travels -I love the accountability we have from our children!

-Curtis' excitement to try new things and go on adventures

-about Great Wolf Lodge, "Isn't' this the best place on earth kids?" "No" says Curtis, "heaven is" Well that led to a small theological conversation, but that wasn't the point!

-amazing Christmas program at our school

-a very gifted music director

-beautiful candle light service at church with lovely music (again, amazing talent)

-times to celebrate and reflect on Christ's birth

-a nice relaxing and fun birthday

-a fun birthday celebration for Nicole

-God entrusting Nicole into our care for another year (I can't believe she's nine)!

-the joy that Nicole brings into our lives

-privilege and excitement of getting away as a family

-lunch with my sister

One Thousand Gifts (Continued)

"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound"

(Psalm 4:7).

So much joy in my heart.
My list of thanksgiving continues...
#1 190-1 217

-Deborah clapping and learning so many new things

-Deborah's happy demeanor

-Deborah laughing as her older siblings crawl on the floor with her

-help with our backyard rink
-our completed backyard rink (gets bigger every year)!

-learning to back and decorate cookies (on a class trip)

-trimming the tree

-my helper putting the lights and garland on the tree (we work much better together than Paul and I with regards to tree decorating)!

-hanging the ornaments together

-eager tree decorator (for a while anyway)

-opening the Christmas boxes

-hanging the lights and decorating

-tree netting

-helpers carrying the tree

-finding the perfect tree

-tradition of cutting our Christmas tree

-tree farms

-enjoying the outdoors

-wagon ride

-my first attempt of pony tails

-our first Compassion Advocate experience

-14 new children being sponsored -14 children's lives being changed!!!!

-visits with friends

-positive post placement visit

-Nicole's determination and desire (and inspiration to me) to read through the New Testament

-family time

-getting "tackled" for winning Uno

-hand me downs!