Merry Christmas!

What a fun time we had with our new camping gear.

The girls wanted to open all their gifts inside the tent!

Our oldest C discovered the secret of Saint Nick...but had a good attitude about now being a big kid:)

It is fun to have family around.

Grateful for you all!

i love my girls

Family

Family...I am constantly grateful for mine. It seems like you hear a lot about gratitude these days. A friend was just mentioning someone who is battling cancer who quipped, "Gratitude is the new black!" So true. Gratitude is everywhere and looks good on most everyone!

Anywho, I wanted to post this picture (AB, hopefully it is bigger this time!)

from when my NC siblings visited for Thanksgiving. (We missed you Gin and Rob:)

We had some fun times and laughed a lot.

I report daily to my sweet grandparents. I told them that we try to carry on their legacy of gathering with the siblings often and laughing as much as we can.

Thankful

Most nights at bedtime...

We ask the girls to tell God what they are thankful for.

This is one of my favorite times of the day.

Not just that my energetic little cherubs are headed to bed!

But that we have a chance to make amends for the day and share our hearts.

Caroline always thanks God for Daddy and how hard he works for us and others.(She is a Daddy's girl:)

Clair thanks God for her bed and prays for those who don't have one. (She loves to sleep:)

Cammie thanks God for food (she loves to eat:) and for her family and for the whole world!

I have been overwhelmed this November by all of God's blessings.

Especially in light of so many that are hurting and alone.

I hope my gratitude points me toward Advent.

I hope this year our family can continue to be thankful and in turn give back to those in need of love, warmth and food.

To quote Johnny Appleseed:

"Oh, the Lord's been good to me. And so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed. The Lord's been good to me, Amen !"

Tantrums

Just when I think I am getting old

(like standing for an entire concert/4 hours with Bart in San Francisco last week and thinking my knee caps might fall off:)...

I feel like my two year old today.

I want to throw a tantrum or two or three.

My Cammie even cried herself to sleep.

Phew.

Maybe I should try that!

Things are not that bad. Life just doesn't always go as you plan and there is more to do in a day than you can ever accomplish. Relationships are wonderful and messy and exhausting and sweet. And the piles of laundry and paper and artwork and bills and dishes and shoes, never go away. There is so much more of the mundane than anyone ever prepared me for.

Some days it just feels good to get it out. To cry. To laugh. To pout. To stomp. To run around. To take a deep breath.

And follow my Grandmother's words of wisdom.....

"Honey, you just need to go to bed and start over tomorrow!"

I think I will.

Night night

Salvation Army came today and hauled off all my baby things (sans the ones I gave to my sister in law:) Besides being grateful to de-clutter and clean out before our crazy rainy season that started today. I felt like I needed to tell the donation guy, "Take care of those things...make sure they find a good home....there are many memories wrapped up in that boppy, tricycle, potty seat, backpack!!!" But alas, it is time for me to move on. Embrace my new season. Do you see a reoccurring theme here? My kids are getting older. My job is changing. We are out more than we are in. Nevertheless, some things are staying the same. We are clinging to our breakfast time devotions, cuddles on the couch, afternoon snacks, strolling our baby dolls, reading books aloud, and backrubs at bedtime. Bart and I are trying to relish in the laughter, exhaustion, and drama.

Another year older

So, I love birthdays. I mean REALLY love birthdays. I inherited the obsession from my Mom. Our three girls had also been bitten by the birthday bug. They love them too. Not just their own, but everyone elses. The cards, signs, hats, balloons, and of course cupcakes!

However when it is my birthday, I miss and my growing up years when I was treated like a queen and had no responsibilities. My Dad would always buy me flowers and review the highlights of my year. My Mom would wake me up (or call me in college) at 8:11 am and say, "Happy Birthday, Honey. This is the moment that God brought you into the world and gave me my little girl! I love you."

I have to say that this year my family and friends went above and beyond to make me feel VERY LOVED! Bart carried the load for the weekend and gave me lots of time to just enjoy being me. My sweeties, Caroline, Clair and Cammie let me sleep in (until 7:30:) and made me my favorite breakfast in bed (french toast and coffee). They cut me fresh flowers. They made me cards. They "helped" Daddy refurbish my old Cannondale bike. They let me go shopping for new jeans.

They even posed for a family photo that a friend offered to take for us on my day. And miraculously we got this good one (see above). My dear neighbor babysat the girls so Bart and I could go out on the town to enjoy a new restaurant in Oakland called Pican, A taste of the South! It was amazing. Fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, caesar salad with fried okra on it, fried chicken. Are you seeing the theme? Anyway, it was a wonderful day.

I remembered again that my birthday is not just about me but the wonderful people in and around my life. I feel very blessed. Grateful for another year of life.

Thanks.

A Brand New Day

My husband is the one who stays plugged into new music. He introduced me to Joshua Radin. I love his song "Brand New Day." I have always like the idea of a fresh start. A clean slate. A new day full of mercies. It is that time of year around here. A new school year. Another birthday. Another year of living.

My family keeps telling me that I should write a book. But they might not want me to go so far as a memoir! Nevertheless, I just watched Julie and Julia. I thought I should start here...with a blog.