I posted before I added my Bows!

I can't beleive I posted my first pictures before I added my bows. I am so excited, I've already made my cakes to put in them...I hope they like them as much as I'm going to enjoy giving them!

Rena and Jenny's Cake Carriers

Just finished two cake plates and a cookie jar for my sisters. Now I just have to finish my cookies and cheesecakes and then I can't wait to give them. I'm already excited about what I might make them next year! I just love homemade gifts, I honestly think I like giving them better then anyone likes getting them.

Sharing God's love with a loaf of bread.

What an ablsolutley wonderful day! I had so much fun delivering homemade bread to neighbors and friends. I also carried a jar of my orange marmalade along with each loaf. I told my husband that I had Christmas today...One of my neighbors that I normally just send a card to had been on my mind a lot lately so I decided to carry her some bread. She had seen me from the window as I walked up the driveway and tears filled her eyes as she realized I was bringing her a gift. She just couldn't beleive that I would think to bring her something, especially since she is caterer and is always cooking for everyone else. As I wisherd her Merry Christmas she begin to cry harder and then told me that she has just found out that the doctors had found another spot on her dads liver. God opened the door for me to pray for her and we then we laughed and cried together. We never know when God has an apppointed time and place for us to be to do his work and share His love. Always keep your hearts open to hear His voice and allow Him to use you...

We all need each other

~How do you really express to God how awesome you think He is and how much you appreciate all that He does for you.

~My mom had surgery last week a very simple procedure, but never the less you always worry.

~My dad had heart valve replacement today, and the doctors say he is doing great.

~While at the hosptial a young man came into the waiting room and began to cry uncontrollably; I couldn't just watch so I went over and began to talk to him. His wife had given birth to their first child by C-section last Monday. He had rushed her back to the hopital tonight with complications. While talking with him they called my family out to go see my dad in recovery, as I looked back where David sat alone and then back at my family I realize how blessed I was to be there with
people who loved me. It was so difficult to pull myself away from him, so as soon as
saw my dad I made my way back to David to make sure he was okay. Before I left his wife had come through surgery and was stable. It makes me wonder if in the grand scheem of things that maybe God orchastraed daddys surgery for an appointed time so I could be there for David. Daddys surgery time was changed 3 times, which put me in that waiting room at the same time this young man needed someone. I think we miss God so often becuase we don't realize how in control He is or how very involved He is in our lives when we allow Him to be.

MHH Christmas Tour of Homes

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Before clicking on my smilebox and coming to the house, go to my playlist and turn it off so you want have 2 songs playing at the same time.

Cherished Books Treasured Memories

Christmas at our house was the most wonderful magical time a child could ever experience, in fact it was that for anyone that had the honor or privilege of being in the presence of my dad. Daddy decorated everything, he would wrap the front door in foil paper and then put fresh pine all around it so the fragrance would hit you then minute you approached it. As for the tree and the gifts, to be completely honest I don't think mom and I were allowed to do very much, every ornament had to be in just the right place and the gifts were all wrapped in white tissue paper with hand tied colorful ribbons to match the tree. He gave attention to every detail, especially the gifts he gave. I remember the first book he gave me, I was 12 years old and it was the complete Peanuts Charlie Brown Collection. After that daddy started giving me a book every year for Christmas. The books became especially important to me because I wasn't allowed to open it until Christmas morning and with my mom and dads divorce that same year. It was like having him with me Christmas Day. He still gives me my book on Christmas Eve and I'm still not allowed to open it until Christmas morning. Since the tradition started my mom has also started giving me a special Christmas book, after all it was her that instilled in me the love of reading. Growing up she owned a beautiful Christian Bookstore "Wings of A Dove".

I use to put away my books with the decorations every year but now I proudly leave them out to enjoy all year. Everyone needs a little Christmas everyday. A few of my favorites are "Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect", "Polar Express", and "The Time Life Book of Christmas".

About 5 years ago my day had to go in for operation just before Christmas, at the time he and I were having a few problems and I was doubting if he loved me. I'll never forget when they brought him out in the hall to go to into surgery and he had a wrapped gift in his hand; it was my Book...and I was told a could open it right then. This is why my books are so special, they remind me I'm loved.

Great Expectaions

Randy has warned me this morning to curb my excitment just a little; and with good reason, I am one of those people that tends to get so very excited that even the most perfect laid plans can not live up to expectaions my anticipation has created in my own mind.

I look foward to Thanksgiving and Christmas longer and with more anticipation then all the other holidays combined. The anticipation is what brings me the greatest joy. Christmas Day itself is not what brings the thrill, it's the journey that brings the real joy, the planning and participating in every moment that this magical time of year has to offer. I tend to get what you might call an emtional overload created from my own expectaions of myself and what I expect from others.

So occasionally he or one of the boys will reel me back in so that I don't experience the Chistmas Blues created by expecting a Norman Rockwell Day! My family teases that Bing Crosby had me in mind when he sang "A Marshamallow Word" . But we are so bombareded by "It's a Wonderfeul Life" and our Hallmark movies that it's easy to want to our homes to look like they do in the magazines and our families to dress and act like they are straight out of a Dickens Novel. When in reality things aren't like they are in the movies or in my favorite books, but it is fun even if only for just the few weeks before Christmas to escape our real lives and live like we wish we could all year.

So to keep eveyone in my house happy I will stay as grounded and possible and will take thier advice and manage my expecations of myself and those around me so that I don't let myself down by an emotional overload of unrealistic ideas of a Norman Rockwell Christmas.
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