Christmas Morning

Meg and her boyfriend and Ash with the girls
Dustin had to work

Girls with Santa in Hartwell

WE HAD A MERRY CHRISTMAS


We went to several family Christmas parties this year and the girls has a blast. We always start the season with my mom's side of the family get together. We use the church hall in Hartwell and visit, eat, catch up with family and Santa usually pays a visit for the small and large kids.

This year my aunts and uncles wanted to do something special for Mom. She has battled cancer again and just finished radiation right after Thanksgiving. She had kidney problems and had to go through hell but we are prayerful that this battle is over for her.

Every year we do a white elephant gift exchange. It's a lot of fun if you have the highest number so we did this again but everyone bought gift cards that would be useful for my mom and you could add a little gift if you wanted. Everyone played along and stole each others gifts and had a great time. When we finished mom left to go to the rest room and we hurried and put everything in one big stocking and a gift bag for large items that didn't fit. My aunt held a speech about my moms struggle and presented her with the gifts and gift cards. She was speechless and teary eyed it was so touching that all the family came together for her.

Santa Pictures--at Bass Pro shop, they had a awesome Santa and set up for pictures this year.

Happy boy pictures

Pictures from Haiti-- my poor boy looks like they are torturing him trying to get him in the Christmas spirit!

A large group of people just returned from Haiti. I am so blessed to receive some pictures of John with his gifts. A said he like the blanket and the truck and seems to be a easy going baby. I can't wait to go visit and hold him! Thank you A!!!!!!

Church and a early Christmas gifts from my girls.

We had a great time at church today and caught up some with Priscilla and her husband Ken. It was so great to be back in church and connect with friends. The girls had a great time and went to class by themselves with the other little kids and did fine. This was their first time being left anywhere without mom or dad.

Ash and Meg gave us a early Christmas gift of black and white photos of the girls. They turned out awesome! I shared some of the here.

A renewed spirit from a trip to Walmart


I was out about running around today with TnT and Meg. She missed school today to make a run to the eye doctor due to sleeping in her contacts. She now has 2 ulcers on her left eye to add to the one she had on right eye earlier this year. Needless to say she will not be wearing them now, she has to be back to the doctor in the morning and she will be styling her lovely glasses until she turns 18 in May and we will explore lasix surgery.

On the way home we made a unexpected stop at Walmart. Meg needed a Christmas stocking so we pulled in to Walmart. We decided to wonder the store and get some ideas for Christmas while looking for a stocking. This of course took forever. We were ready to leave and M decided we needed to look at shoes. This usually results in her getting a pair (not today!). We finished up there and headed to the front and there she was standing and so many feelings came rushing back. My dear friend Priscilla, I don't think she recognized me at first(I am sure it had nothing to do with all the weight I gained!) and then she looked again and she was just smiling! This is one of the awesome ladies that went on the first medical mission trip I went on to Haiti. This is where it all began my journey. She looked at the girls and said I still remember your first trip and the baby you held and died. So sad but reality in Haiti.

Our friendship grew and S and I started going to church with her and 2 other ladies from the group. These are amazing ladies and contributed to TnT adoption fund and helped us grow so much in the Lord. It turns out she is now going to a local church so close to our house and just started a Haiti mission group, the church is excited to get involved. She invited us to come visit and it just made my day, and already voting us in on the mission group. I need to get involved again. Our other church is just to far away and with only 1 car for a few months we just stopped going. The girls are really excited after I told them we would start going and they will have lots of other kids to play with. Who knew a trip to Walmart could make me feel so renewed in the Lord and excited about going to church!

After I got home P followed up with a email and she sent something the pastor was sending out to members. I could not believe how much this touched me and our lives.

Dear Church Family,

We always say that God is patient, but have you ever wondered HOW PATIENT? Does God really understand when we avoid Him, when we sin, or when we give Him the cold shoulder treatment? Is God patient enough to wait for us to come back to Him even if it takes weeks, months, or years?

2 Peter 3.9 says that God is patient because God wants everyone to come back to Him. That is what the sermon is about this Sunday. Come find out that God's patient love for you is very real.

Thank God for patients

THANKSGIVING!! WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR! HOME HEALTH FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO NAME JUST A FEW.


HERE ARE A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF THE KIDS WITH THEIR COUSINS AT THANKSGIVING