I know I've been MIA for way too long, I've scolded myself so you don't have too. But come on I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old, and I'm exhausted, I de

serve a break. But just because I haven't been visible to the blogging world doesn't mean I'm doing nothing :)

I'll blame my absence on my sister! My sister from Rwanda and her hubby and baby boy were just here to visit for the last 6 weeks. It was so fun to feel like a real complete family again. My girls just adored their "new" cousin. This was the first time that everyone (except my Mother and I) met Valerie's little family. Appolinaire who from the Congo and is a pastor at a a local church and Benjamin who is 6 months old with the sweetest little cheeks you'll ever find! We got together often although in hindsight was never enough for me. It's been bitter sweet watching Valerie's life unfold. Bitter to essentially "lose" a sister, brother-in-law, and nephew and only visit every 2 years or so. But oh so sweet to know that they are doing what Christ has called them to do regardless of the difficulties. A servant is a great description of them.

Things with baby #3 have been great. We found out it's a boy! I was rather stunned because I had already convinced myself that I "do" baby girls only. But we are so excited! I took my hubby and sister with me on ultrasound day. What a blessing to share that with Val. Earlier I realized that this baby just may be like 2 years old before she ever gets to meet him so I wanted her to have a first look :) I've been spending my crazy days trying to rest up and pondering names for our little man. I think we've fallen in love with a first name, but the middle is proving to be more difficult. We still have time. It's just a good feeling that he will not be nameless because I was wondering for a while!!!

So there is a quick catch up on what we've been doing. I have the house all decorate for Christmas and realized how much I absolutely LOVE Christmas! The friends, family, Christmas cards, cookies for neighbors, toffee, stockings and the list goes on. Our tree reflects my childhood along with the life I've built with my little family. It's not "designer" in any way (my first few were) and I've globbed on every ornament I could find but if you look closely you'll find "babys first" ornaments from 1981 and pretty yellow and blue balls from Philip's grandmothers tree. Everyone tells a story.

As Christmas is less than a week away I encourage you to reflect on your memories of childhood. Push aside any hurtful things you remember and find the "great" things you can remember.

New jammies on Christmas eve.

Mom and Dad in their room "wrapping gifts" (yeah right, I now know why it took so long!!!)

Waiting to come out of our rooms until we were told we could.

Running down the hallway.

Christmas morning breakfast.

The Christmas story

The anticipation of holding a stuffed stocking with the cutest tiny little presents inside.

Hoarding the "loot" in a large brown box and just gazing over the gifts and trinkets for days!

Oh the memories. Which will you hold dearly in your memories forever? Which ones will you pass to your children?

Merry Christmas blogging friends!

Baby Cube #3!

So it's about that time again! And yes I know what causes it and I plan on keeping it up so I don't need any prevention advice from anyone, lol!

Baby #3 is due Spring 2012, and we are so excited!

Alyssa's first reaction was "we are going to have a baby brother!" After bursting her bubble that it may be a girl she exclaimed with attitude "but I already have a sister." lol Yup, well if it was only that easy :) We are happy with either of course but I can't help but with for some blue for my hubby. On the other hand if I think about having a boy it makes me nervous. I don't know how to do boys! LOL

While coloring with the girls this morning (one thing I love and cherish) I suddenly realized Alyssa was singing out her thoughts (a normal routine).

"I love my sister. I love my sister. She is soooo beautiful, sooooo beautiful. I love my Mom. I love my Mom. Jesus and her made the world." Then she stopped and laughed. "You weren't born yet, so Jesus had to make it by himself!"

I had heard that your children look up to you and think that you make the sun rise every morning for them. I guess that is just short of creating the earth. :) I feel so blessed by these two cuties.

They think I've created the world for them and they don't even know they are the world to me.

Surprise Raspberries!

 We had a great walk the other day and as we were checking out some really pretty flowers I spotted them! Raspberries! Just there, growing amongst the weeds by the side of the rode. I'm pretty sure the people driving by was like "what is that lady doing?" but the girls and I had a great time picking and munching on the berries. I have proof...

I cannot believe it went this long! I'm sorry if you actually look for my posts, and I had been doing really well with them but as with your family also I'm sure, life catches up and summer proceeds.

I'm back from Africa and had a wonderful time. I'll be sure to add tidbits soon. I'm headed to the beach with the family this week. So when I return I promise I'll try my best to squeeze in some blogging time. :)

The little things

I guess you could say in the last month, which was one of the toughest ones in my life, I've had an famous Oprah "ah ha" moment. Actually I'm not sure if it really truly counts as one because it's a simple realization of how life should be. I guess it is true that we get wiser with age and I must be simply getting old. I'll see if I can put it into words but I've found recently that if people aren't ready to accept it they can't hear it.

We've all heard it... "Life is short" but do we really know what that means? Several precious people in my life have passed away recently, ranging anywhere in age from 20's to 60's. Seeing this first hand forces you to realize how short life really is. It is so so SO important that we live our lives to it's fullest. I heard someone just today saying "she lived a full vibrant 12 years of life." Wow, what a way to look at it!

We need to slow down, maybe even stop. Think about life. Think about your life. How are you living? Whose lives do you touch each day and not even think twice about it. If everyone could just take that moment to make the best of it. A positive connection to those around us, what a different world this would be. Are you continuing to trudge through your life with no meaning? No real purpose? Maybe, just maybe your looking in the wrong direction.

I personally have vowed to slow down. Moms and Dads, wake up, our children are at a critical age. What are they learning from us? What are they getting from the time with the most influential people in their lives, us? What are you giving them, blessing them with? This can seem overwhelming but start small. My girls are young, and everything around them amazes them. I find as we "explore" I learn some very important things too.

Plant a garden~ Does your child know where their food comes from? Or is it from a box in the freezer section of the nearby grocery store? Did you ever really stop to think "wow, this came from a tiny seed"? Or have you thought about how God created the earth and everything in it? That should keep you busy for awhile :-)

Open your eyes~ Did you ever notice the little things? Recently a sweet robin picked a not so good nesting spot. But it has been wonderful to hold the girls up and watch the wonder drip from their eyes. Here is a little peek...

A great place for a nest? Not for us. Cleaning the gutters will have to wait :-)

Beautiful blues ~ What an awesome color!!

Newborns

Stop caring what our president is doing or not doing, or where he is from. Does it really matter in the great scheme of things? Friends our time here is so short. Are you going to think in those last moments here on this earth "boy I wish I could've been more involved in politics."?

Stop the circles and circles of gossip. I'm sick of it! Where does it get you? Who does it benefit? When a concern comes up, and oh it will no matter how "positive" you are, go to that person and in brotherly love talk to them. Don't allow Satan the satisfaction of gossip.

So I encourage you to look at the bright side of life. Live it for real. No regrets. And touch someone else,  stop being so selfish and realize you are a gift from God and he has a plan. And your not going to find it gossiping, hurting others, being self centered and hurrying around minding your own business. Wake up and smell the roses, literally. 

I've been so absent and I'm sorry. I truly don't know that anyone reads this on a regular basis so I don't feel so bad about it. But it's been almost a month geez!

There is so much happening right now I don't even know where to begin. I haven't been feeling very creative or experimenting in the kitchen. So nothing fun there. Life has been chaotic and sad lately. I'm finding myself saying "Life just sucks right now." and it does. Now don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm great, my family is great, we don't suck, but there seems to be this dark cloud around me and the devil is doing his thing to the best of his ability. Keeping this brief...there has been 3 great losses in the last 2 weeks. All lives in one way or another have been cut short. Life just isn't fair. I've cried a lot more these last 2 weeks than I care to remember. My heart hurts for those who are missing someone. I hate to see the shock, the pain with losing someone that you love and I'm struggling to understand why. Some things in life I just don't get.

If your sad in anyway please PLEASE know that there are people who love you. People who care about you, people who would miss you like crazy if you weren't an ever present being in their lives. You are worth more than you might ever know. I've been there, believe you me! It's not pretty. Maybe I'll share more, another time, another place. But know that there is nothing in this world that cannot be solved, or fixed. And that guy upstairs who created you, loves you. His creation is always perfect, just how he wanted you to be. You are loved!

To all the others. Every conversation you have. Every wave of your hand at a neighbor passing by. Every smile just might be someones last. The last face they remember. The last conversation. The last laugh. Make it real. Make it true. Put your heart into it and mean it! Reach out and talk to someone. It may just save a life or make one happier.

As for me, I'll be ok. I wake in the mornings and take a deep breath and thank God I'm alive. Life is so precious. Take in the sunshine and breeze and enjoy it. Don't worry about tomorrow or next week. Stop and look at today and love the time you have with your loved ones. I will, so should you. And hug your kids. Hug your parents. Hug anyone who will have you. Everyone loves hugs.

On a positive note, a great thing did happen in the last 2 weeks. Amanda is a married woman! I'm so happy to see her so happy! Congratulations Amanda and Ryan!