CHRISTMAS COMPANY, PROGRAM AND BRIBERY:)

JOJO IS ON THE FAR RIGHT... THIS IS HIM SINGING THE "GO" FROM "GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN" THE FUNNY THING IS, THE DAY BEFORE THE PROGRAM THE KIDS WERE TELLING ME HOW JOJO NEVER DOES ANY OF THE MOTIONS AND BARELY SINGS... JOJO'S EXCUSE, "I'M SHY."

LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT MY DAD RAN INTO JOJO IN THE HALLWAY BEFORE THE PROGRAM, AND HE TOLD JOJO THAT IF HE DID A GOOD JOB, HE WOULD TAKE HIM OUT FOR DONUTS AT STICKY BUNS THIS MORNING.

WELL, BRIBERY WORKS ON THIS LITTLE GUY. HE SAID ALL OF THE WORDS AND WAS MORE ANIMATED IN HIS ACTIONS THAN MOST OF THE OTHER LITTLE KIDDOS. TODAY IN THE CAR, HE TOLD ME THAT WHILE HE WAS UP THERE HE WAS THINKING ABOUT DONUTS... YEP, YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT DONUTS, NOT BABY JESUS, OR THE MANGER... BUT DONUTS. WHAT A RASCAL.

CALEB AND ANNA BEING A PART OF THE CHOIR... ANNA IN ALL HER GLORY:)

CALEB, LOOKING A LITTLE TORTURED:) HE DID A GREAT JOB, I WAS PROUD OF HIM, CONSIDERING HE WOULD RATHER BE IN THE BACK YARD TOSSING THE FOOTBALL.



LOUIS, WORKING IT ON STAGE:)



AFTERWARDS WE TOOK MY PARENTS TO THE RHEMA DISPLAY OF LIGHTS... HOLY COW, DO THEY HAVE THE LIGHTS... IT IS BEAUTIFUL!

JOJO AND ANNA TAKING ON GRANDMA IN CONNECT FOUR.

We are plugging along. We had a really nice week. I was amazed at the kids Christmas program. They all did such a good job, and the message was awesome... I actually felt a little choked up just by the message of the play. It was really neat.

We have so much going on, so much I want to share, but now isn't the time. As always we appreciate your prayers for us.

As we plug along through this week, tomorrow my mom and I will go to my ladies small group Christmas get together. Then we will meet up with the men and all of the kids and go on a blue bell icecream factory tour....(there is always time for ice cream right?) Then we have our couples small group bible study tomorrow night, the 3 girls come on Saturday, and my parents leave on Sunday.

I prayed for distractions and I certainly got them:) Even with all of the distractions... I can't help but to be thinking of my Samuel... Man, do I miss him. Sometimes I wonder, how can I miss someone SO much who I only shared 9 mos in my womb, and 5 hours in our arms. How, I wish I had understood grief before, and how I realize how much I have probably misunderstood people, did not reached out like I should have, or just plain didn't understand how someone else was grieving... especially on holidays or special days. Oh my, what a year... really I am ready to kiss 2009 goodbye... I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for 2010. I am ready for it. I will enjoy this Christmas and cherish the times of making memories with my family, but I will welcome a new year at the end of it.

Who else is ready for a new year??