...And a Happy New Year

I just finished packing away my Christmas dishes and it was kind of sad. The decorations must come down this week, but I'm having a hard time making myself do it. Mitch and I have so enjoyed snuggling up by the tree and watching Christmas movies after the kids were in bed, but alas, all good things must eventually come to an end...maybe not for a day or two :) We have enjoyed plain, ordinary, normal things so much this season.
We've discovered that Mitch's new job up the mountain is located at the North Pole. Seriously, we knew it snowed more up the mountain, but it snows up there every day!! The hour long drive becomes two at the speed of 40mph! We figure if he ever applies for a job at the real North Pole, he'll have lots of job experience.
Matthew and I worked on our China video a little yesterday. I had aspirations of pulling video clips and photos together into a nice video of our trip during Christmas break here but wow, break went fast! We didn't start school this week, but need to start Monday. Looking at the video clips made me cry, it kind of brought it all flooding back. Hopefully I'll be able to get it done and post it here before too long.
The snow around here is beautiful, but it is bitter cold. The kids and I dawned heavy coats, boots, and such to take a romp in the snow the other day. I put Faith in her crib to take a nap. We took a beautiful 15 minute walk in the snow in the woods by the house. We came inside as frozen as icicles fifteen minutes later. Now....here's a lesson for ya'll... don't ever assume your toddler is in bed just because you put them there. We have a saying around here. Any time we don't know where Faith is, we say she's "somewhere wreaking havoc". Within the course of fifteen minutes she had crawled out of her bed, gone into Matthew's room, messed around with his ipod, gone into Gracie's room and eaten most of her Christmas candy, gotten into the Christmas crafts and spread yarn all over the place, and done one of her all-time favorite things...shredded lots of toilet paper all over the family room carpet. Now....how can one toddler cover that much ground in fifteen minutes....the world may never know.
Well, I finally, after all this time, got Faith to "pose" for some photos. So, here they are....ta-da!!!

The only problem I had was everytime I said, "Say cheese" she would hike up her shirt and say, "Take a picture of my belly!"

Her new favorite phrase is "Awww tum on!" This she learned from her big sister. Here... I'll use it in context. We were at the counter

yesterday cutting out squares of finger jello Gracie made and putting them on a plate for dessert. Faith said, "Ten I have some?" I said, "Not now, this is for dinner." "Awwww Tum On!" she said.

This is where you'll find her much of the time, lying on the floor, coloring. She is left handed, but switches off occasionally.


On the serious side. I had a neat conversation with a clerk at a local store yesterday. I see her alot and we've gotten to know each other a bit. She asked about Faith's first Christmas. We talked about how amazing it was to see a child (on her birthday in Oct.) who didn't know what presents were. We talked about how we have so much!! We have so much stuff!! She talked about kids not being satisfied, but wanting more. As I was driving home, I was thinking about my kids this Christmas. I was proud of them. I thought about Mitchell, how he didn't ask for anything and said he didn't care if he only got one present. I thought about how they loved the gifts they got for each other and that was really neat. We started a couple years ago taking one evening, giving them a small limit of how much they may spend on each brother or sister, and just turning everyone loose in Walmart to pick out gifts for each other. This has been so neat. I am always completely amazed at how well they know each other. They pick things for each other that are perfectly suited to each person, things I wouldn't even think of, and they are always really pleased with the things they've found and enjoy giving them to each other. We let them give them to each other on Christmas Eve...when there are no other gifts...because that allows a special time just for this. It is incredible to see how well they know each other.

Here's a photo I love. I just happened across it today. I haven't ever posted it. This is in our hotel room in Guangzhou (you other mom's will recognize the room entry way really well). We were packing up to head to Shanghai for the first leg of our journey home. This is a photo of all the things we packed to bring home!!! Notice the one extra thing we packed that we didn't bring along when we came :)

I've been reading Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh Demoss. It's funny how it makes you notice all the little things you don't normally notice. Like I was sitting in the car the other night, waiting for my husband to come out of a store. It was a place I hadn't been since the end of September, and as I sat there waiting, I was thinking about how I felt the last time I was there. I remembered that the last time, I felt like everything in our lives was really hay-wire. And so as I sat there I realized how thankful I was to be sitting there, no longer hay-wire...but "normal" (whatever that is)...and I was grateful.
And so, with the new year and since this blog is to express our grateful hearts, I need to list some of the things that I am grateful for:
I am grateful that when we cannot walk...God carries us.
I am grateful that God's plan, whether its easy or not...is sovereign and beautiful.
I am grateful for the most awesome family whom I adore and who showers us with love.
I am grateful that God veritably "shouts" to me through His Word, so that even I, in my human condition can hear Him.
I am grateful that even when we can't see the whole plan, God gives us continual glimpses of Himself as if to say, "See, I am in this."
I am grateful that God has breathed fresh life into my spirit, so that I can finally say.... "What's next, Lord?"
Love to you all,
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!