a little catching up

This was us last Christmas.

Here we are this Christmas. How awesome is that!

Well, 2009 has surely started with a bang. Some good and some bad ones. I'm just still sick and in shock over my friend and her husband. She isn't talking to anyone right now. She sent an email out letting us know she appreciates the kind words and wisdom,but right now she just wants to be left alone. She said she is just trying to comfort her boys and praying that he will come back with a changed heart. So keep praying for them. Their names are Amy and Matthew,the boys are Trevor and Samuel. Amy and the boys went to see her brother for a few days in MO,it'll do her some good to get away. Thank you very much.

Another prayer request is my extended family. My Dad's youngest brother is in ICU right now. He's got several things wrong and his son told us they are just trying to make him as comfortable as possible until he passes. It's the first of the siblings to pass. So pray for the Fryfogle family and Uncle Raymond's family specifically. He's got 1 son and 2 daughters,3 grand babies. He's not married,but divorced. He said that he asked Jesus into his heart last year,I pray he has. We went by there this morning,but didn't go in to see my Uncle. With him having staff as one of the problems, we figured it best not to go in. Everyone was doing okay. Stanley,his son, is really taking it hard. Christy and Kathy are doing better than I thought they would be. Continue to pray for them. This year has definitely started out just blah.

Onto more happy things. Things at our home have been wonderful. Christmas was wonderful at our home. We had a great time the Tuesday before with our friends. My candy I made was a hit and Daniel had fun with all the kids,minus one boy. He kept bullying all the babies and children. Christmas Eve we exchanged one gift and watched The Nativity Story. We let Daniel open a gift our neighbor got him and he went crazy haha It was so cute! Christmas morning we got up around 8 and let Daniel sleep in. We prayed and read the account of Jesus' birth in Luke. We exchanged gifts after that. Mike loved his gifts and I loved mine. He got me some nice things. I got a pair of new tennis shoes I've been needing too! We had a good time before we got Daniel up. I got the video camera and we went to wake him up. It was so fun! He sit up in the bed and just looked at us,like why are you doing this? hehe.. He really wasn't sure what to do about the presents. He would tear some and just sit there,I think he was still sleepy. He did like his puzzle and rubber ducky. We made it to my parents on time and alive ha! It was not even close to being cold outside,which was a bummer. We had a great time there! Daniel got some neat things. I got some jewelry and a huge collage picture frame. Mike got a tool box and some clothes. My Mother was so happy about the family portrait we gave her and so was Daddy. It was framed and everything! We had some great food and I got some pics. You can see them here @ Beauty of the Lord. Our last stop was Mike's parents. They were waiting on Karen to bring Maycie over. They all had been waiting all day on Maycie. She finally arrived and we did the gift exchange there. Daniel got a really neat Leap Frog Alphabet Pal. It will come in so handy in the next few years. He loves it! Mrs. Glenda LOVED the family portrait as well. I was so happy! All the women loved their make up too. Mike got some more cologne and some p.j. pants. I got some more p.j. pants and a Mossy Oak t-shirt,which I love,it's PINK! Daniel had fun there too,but was ready to go home. The Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Pie turned out great!! I didn't have time for homemade Peanut Butter Cookies,so the ones you bake is what I did. The cookies and candy,everyone loved. It was a wonderful Christmas. It's hard to believe next year Daniel will almost be 2 by Christmas!! Our New Year wasn't eventful. Mike was working and I was at home. Daniel and me just played and had fun. This is very late,but it's done at least.

Thinking about 2009 is exciting and scary at the same time. I wrote down some goals and aspirations for the year. I've been doing that since 2005. Just things that pertain to the physical or spiritual part of life, that I want to work on. This year will be really neat with Daniel turning 1 and really learning more. It'll be a neat time for us as parents and as a couple,we'll be married 3 years by December. It'll be trying at times I know,it's a part of life. I mean it has already been trying. But if we hold fast to the faith we have in Jesus Christ, we can make it. We can make it through whatever God wants us too or whatever the enemy may throw at us. I'm confident in Jesus and the Word of God. I want to grow much more in the Lord. I have really been grasping living it day by day,even when no one is watching. It is a daily choice to live for Christ,in ALL I do. I choose what to watch,how to talk,what to listen too,how to dress,how I think, and so on. I want this year to be a year of more growth and more dying to my selfish flesh. My verse this year is Galatians 5:16, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." It is not about me. This life is not about me,no matter how hard my flesh tells me it is. It is about Christ and being like him in all I do. It is about being a servant and about others. I may try and share my goals later this week. I pray you all want to be more like Christ too. It does matter how we live our day to day life,it matters so much. I love you all!! Until next time!