I guess I need a new name for this blog!

I'm looking at this picture at 14 weeks pregnant and I still have a hard time believing that it is true. It's been a long and somewhat bumpy road, but God has been faithful the whole way. We're very excited, especially Joshua! I need some help coming up with a new blog name. Obviously, Just the Three of Us will no longer be accurate. So, if the 1 or 2 people that actually look at this will throw in any ideas I would appreciate it!

Here's a late Merry Christmas to all! We had a nice, relaxing Christmas at my parents' house this year. We were able to get there in time for my Mom's Christmas Eve buffet and then stayed until Friday afternoon. It's really nice to be close to family! Hope you all had a great Christmas!

Practical or Hum Bug?

Does anyone else out there get to a certain point with Christmas decorating and then just run out of steam? It was always kind of a tradition in my family growing up to take the pictures off the wall and wrap them to look like presents. Then we would hang them back up. I loved Christmas growing up and my Mom always did an amazing job of decorating and making it very magical. I want to do that for Joshua, but am find out just how much work my Mom did. I either don't have her stamina, or I'm just a Christmas humbug. I do finally have the tree up, with lights and garland and an angel, but am seriously considering going sans ornaments this year. Is that terrible? The tree looks very pretty as is and there seems to be so many other things to do that I thought I might just skip the ornaments. What do you think? Well, I'd better get busy doing all those other things. In case I don't get back on here before Christmas, Merry Christmas to all!

Something to Think About

I recently read a very thought provoking book called, 'Destiny Junction' by Michael Phillips. It's not a flashy book, which it even tells you in the introduction. But it will get you to thinking about your life and what kind of legacy you will leave behind. The story is about a cheerful, energetic young women who loves the Lord. She is the only child of a pastor and his wife and has a heart for all people to come to know Jesus. While trying to tell a homeless man about Christ she is murdered. The rest of the book is spent showing how her life and her death impacted people for eternity. It's powerful and caused me to think about whether or not my life or death would impact anyone for eternity. If I were to die today would anyone beyond my immediate family and close friends be affected? Very sobering when I have to admit, probably not. I wanted to share a poem that was in the book. The main character, Lynne, would put it in Bibles she was handing out to people.

"The Bible is truth, for it is God's book.

To quench life's thirst, in its pages we must look.

Open it, read it, and you will find

an abundant life meant for all mankind.

But the greatest new of all, and to you I say,

is that it's true for you, if you'll only obey.

How can I know this truth you speak of?

Where do I meet this God you call love?

He's not far to seek if you'll but make a start.

In fact, you'll discover Him in your very own heart.

That's where He will dwell if you'll open the door,

and by invitation make Him your personal Savior.

So take God at His word, put His truth to the test,

open your heart to Him, let His Spirit do the rest.

Again I remind you --please, hear me through:

The Bible is true, and God's love is for you!"

Think about it! I want to challenge you like this book challenged me to think about how we can daily make an impact for eternity. Our time is short!

Let me explain

No, this is not Joshua's b-day cake from his 5th birthday. It was from this year when he turned 6. I didn't have a number 6 or six individual candles (which I didn't realize until I was ready to leave the house for his party) so I took the 5 from last year and put a single candle beside it. Since he had been working on his addition facts I thought it would be fun as well as educational (ha! ha!). I'm just glad at 6 that he doesn't really care. He had a great time! The water balloons went over even better than I had hoped and everyone enjoyed trying to hit the pinata.

My Big 1st Grader

I remember always hearing as I was growing up that time flies by. I never thought that was true until Joshua was born. And even then I didn't think it true until he was about 3-4 months old. Now, time truely does seem to go faster and faster. It's amazing to me that my child is in 1st grade. I'm so thankful for the good mind God has given him and that so far, he likes school (at least most days).

Super Dog?

Yes, that is our dog, Taz, wearing Joshua's Super Joshua cape. Joshua loves to play with Taz and thought it would be funny to put a cape on him. Taz actually tolerated it pretty well. What you can't see is that shortly after having it put on he tried to chase his tail. It didn't work out so well.