SNOW!

OK -- all you midwest and westerners can laugh hysterically but we finally got snow! Three inches or more which is now getting a topcoat of sleet, freezing rain and ice; but oh, it was so blissful to be outside in the snow today. The county schools were already off for a teacher work day but rest assured that they'll face at least a delay tomorrow...no one around here knows how to drive in this stuff!!

Any excuse to play with our backhoe, dumptruck and tractor with the bucket...helping daddy clear the driveway.

Other fun and random pictures from our past week:

Marcail fingerpainting for the first time. When she gives into her laughter, it's with reckless abandon.

Andrew and daddy share a laugh before the dolphin show at the Baltimore Aquarium.

Our house may be a three ring circus for the next few days. A friend's two year old is staying with us while she heads to the hospital to deliver his baby brother. A new baby...how very exciting. We're so anxious to meet this new little member of our small group! And so I celebrate with one friend and grieve with another very dear friend who is at this moment in the hospital. Jill, a dear friend from eons ago, lost her sweet daughter at a little over 30 weeks. In those moments of sheer frustration with my own children, I am reminded how very blessed I am. Won't you join me in praying for Jill as she mourns and Christy as she rejoices. I am so thankful that both of these dear friends rest in the hands of our precious Savior.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

A Magic Act

Want to see five dozen cookies disappear in less than 20 minutes?

Put them in front of five teenage boys who are gearing up for a "small group Bible Study" involving play station 2. It's a good thing I had to taste test one of them before they went to the boys, otherwise I would have been sorely disappointed.

As I write, Andrew and Marc are busy making me a meal with their new kitchen set (a Christmas gift)...I believe I will soon be dining on a mixture of oatmeal, rice, oregano, basil, rosemary and sage. Certainly sounds delicious, don't you think?


Happy Thursday to you!

On becoming homeowners...

A new home, monthly mortgage payments and all of a sudden, date night is spent at Lowes or the Home Depot. Today, the kids stayed with a babysitter and we got to peruse the aisles of our local hardware stores without worry of someone climbing in and out of kitchen cupboards, trying to swing from plumbing fixtures or begging for a red gatorade from the cooler. Why is it, though, that every one item we purchased seems to translate into five more hours of work in the house?

With every coat of paint, every little project we accomplish around the house, we feel a bit better. We see progress...we're enjoying the changes from the inside out. It's kind of like Christ's love for us...changing us from the inside out. Let me ruminate on that thought a bit more...somewhere in my sleep deprived brain there's a metaphor about a fresh coat of paint (I think!).

More house pics for you to enjoy:

Andrew prepares to help daddy put new locks on the door.

Happy Birthday Marcail

How is it that a year can pass by so quickly? That a mom can blink and you've gone from an innocent little five pound baby to a sassy, independent, determined little girl who wants to play with everything her brother has? Why is it that the days can seem so long but a year passes by so quickly? Why is it that your beautiful little smile, a simple chuckle or your sweet little voice saying "Mommy" can melt my heart even as I struggle to keep my eyes open after another sleepless night with you?

Happy Birthday dear sweet Marcail. You have enriched our lives in so many ways. We love you.

Roses from daddy for my first birthday!

A tractor from Andrew...of course!

Ahhh sweet birthday cake...

Home Ownership

We took the plunge...signing enough paperwork to make us feel as if we need to replant a forest. And so, here you have it...random images from our new home. All of our "stuff" gets delivered tomorrow; so sometime next week, we will be in our own beds. Oh, that will be the best Christmas gift ever!!

Andrew, helping prime the walls, ends up wearing it. I finally got it all out of his hair this am, 6 days later; just in time to take Christmas photos!

Marcail's room -- gone is the wall to wall mint green and in its place: heffalump purple and fabulous frog!

Unless you see it up close...you can't appreciate the metallic bronze, gold and silver wallpaper in the bathroom!

The cable guy was on the roof...and we had to have the bucket truck brought in, much to Andrew's delight. Thank goodness, there was no charge for all of that, save for the monthly bills that are already rolling in.

This is the first of many house pics as we look forward to moving in and making it our own. Our kids have been troopers throughout the whole process but we are all tired, exhausted, fighting sickness and more than ready to be "home".

What's a mom to do?

Marc is teething...which translates into a cranky, clingy, crying child 24/7. Andrew is worn out from the non-stop, on the go pace we've been keeping and wants to be held, read to, cuddled with...all the time. So, what's a mom to do when she needs to fix dinner, make a casserole for dad's potluck holiday dinner and clean up? Make cookies, of course!

Because, when there are two beaters with cookie dough and two kids, Mom can get at least ten minutes of peace and quiet. Hallelujah!

Just for you, our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. The vanilla pudding makes them so moist and chewy and yummy good!

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 package (3.5 oz.) vanilla instant pudding

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

12 oz package chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugars, vanilla and pudding mix. Beat in eggs, Add baking soda and flour until mixed. Stir in flour. Drop by heaping teaspoonful onto cookie sheets and bake for 8-9 minutes at 375 degrees.

Happy Thanksgiving friends!

This year I am so very thankful for my dear husband whose strength I lean on daily; my two beautiful children who make me laugh with their antics and daily shower me with their unconditional love; and my Jesus for even when life is full of stuggles, there is joy in the journey!

Moving Day

Moving Day was one week ago today -- in a mere four hours, with the help of so many WONDERFUL family and friends, all of our belongings were loaded into two PODS. I have never witnessed such amazing packing skills before...I don't think another thing could have fit into either one of those "garages." It's been a long two weeks...we have packed our lives into boxes and garages, filled a storage shed, scrubbed our old townhouse from top to bottom, lived through sickness, moved in with a family member, tried to constantly reassure Andrew that we'd all be together and his bed will be fine living in the garage, and now, it looks like we'll be able to settle on our home right around the first of December.

Our home: http://www.4308franconiaroad.com/

I never realized buying and owning a home would be such an emotional journey. First we loved the house, then not so much (we've had a lot of sewer/septic issues that took over two months to resolve), then we started looking at other places, and now, I'm ready to be back in my own space. Do I still love the house? Yes, no, perhaps I'm just indifferent right now. Am I starting to think about paint colors again and dream of remodeling the kitchen? Yes, of course. This time, however, it's tempered with the exhaustion that I feel from the move...perhaps we'll move a little more slowly in the home rennovations. Of course, I'm told that house projects never end!!

So there you have it folks...it looks like we'll be calling our moving crew back again to unload those carefully packed PODS...this time we only have two levels instead of three and the big piece of furniture stays on the main floor!

What have I learned from this journey? I don't know yet...maybe I never will. But as we enter this season of thanksgiving and holidays, I will tell you that I'm thankful for having a roof over my head, family members who welcome us with open arms, food on the table and clothes to wear. And I'm grateful for all those friends and family who willingly and lovingly gave of their time to help us out in ways that were far beyond measure.

My dad takes a quick break from moving to play with Andrew's new toy. Boys and their toys...they never do grow up!