Welcome 2013!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

As shocking as it is, Christmas is once again here and gone and a new year is upon us. After all the preparation and anticipation for this most glorious time of year, in a blink of an eye Christmas day is but a memory. I think it especially feels like it to me this year because I had started preparing well in advance due to being out of town for Evelyn's doctor appointments and various other things most of December and was especially looking forward to celebrating this first Christmas with our baby girl. As things worked out, we got home a few days before Christmas and were very much looking forward to being home and the coming festivities with church & our own family traditions, but a day after we arrived home our entire family was struck with a nasty flu bug. Yes... God has a funny sense of humor! We'd never before experienced our entire family sick at the same time & I tell you I hope it never happens again... YUCK! I remember thinking, "Why now, Lord? All we want to do is worship you with laughter and song but instead we are strapped to our beds and the bathroom unable to sing your praises. Why?!?!" But I had to remind myself that even through the million extra loads of laundry & upset tummies, we can still worship our good God & be grateful for the birth of his son. After all, it is a fitting finale for the crazy year we've had! Although not the most enjoyable Christmas, I'm very thankful that by Christmas morning we were all feeling quite a bit better. Brian felt pretty crummy most of the day and the rest of us weren't at 100%, but we were certainly in a better state than the previous couple days.

As we stroll into the new year, we are extremely thankful that God has sustained our family through this past year & that He has blessed us beyond reckoning in every area of our lives, but above all we are thankful that He sent His son into this world and has & is & will redeem it. We are humbled beyond understanding that He chose us to be a part of His people, to love & forgive & to rescue. Through Him all things are made new. And so we are hopeful & trusting in another very blessed year. May yours be also!

The boys got some beautiful quilts from their Uncle Chris & Aunt Aubrey.

Evie's first Christmas!

Christmas morning:

"This is fun, but can I go back to bed now?!"

My beautiful bracelet from my amazing husband!
He surprised me with it on Christmas Eve as I was laying in bed feeling quite awful... it was a very wonderful & welcome surprise! He is so good to me!