They Must Really Love Baby Jesus!

This family must REALLY love Baby Jesus a lot!

I was walking earlier this week with my granddog,Oscar, and my son, Erich,  when we happened upon this house.  Wow!

All I can say is they must really love Baby Jesus!

I can certainly understand the sentiment; however I am unfortunately lacking compared to their enthusiasm when illustrating it with light bulbs.

Santa!

I saw Santa tonight!  How can that not fill one's heart with joy?!

Spiderman Removes His Mask

Tonight at church a mother and her young son were at odds with each other.  He didn't want to participate in the children's program.  After a full day of work, school and a sibling's birthday celebration, they were both at wits end so he ended up having a cool down period in the hallway by himself.

I usually pop between our classes to make sure everything is flowing smoothly and as I did I discovered this little boy sitting on the floor with his Spiderman mask on.  I knew he'd had a rough day so I sat on the floor next to him and started chatting.

We talked about a wide variety of topics and he shared with me that he is not really Spiderman, he's six and will be seven in June.  He goes to school and today they had cheese sandwiches for lunch but he couldn't have one because he's allergic to cheese and milk.  Somewhere when we started talking about peanut butter sandwiches, his teacher and his friends he pulled his mask off and slowly started smiling.

As we went to find the crayons I discovered Spiderman has the cutest dimples when he smiles.

The Ways Of A Cat

Tigger our cat died in his sleep last night.  Over the weekend he stopped eating and we found him curled up in small places.  Under the computer desk, under the shelves, in between two boxes.  We made two trips to the vet with him where they tested him for everything and found nothing wrong with him, yet he died during the night.  On top of heart breaking, it's baffling.


Tigger was quite the cat.  He woke us up in the morning with a joyful and loud, "HELLO!"  He liked to hang out with us as we worked in the yard or watched TV.  He was very personable and when I moved to the Country House (the name we have dubbed our home) he made me feel very welcome, accepted and loved.  He helped my transition into the family.

He liked to play (although rumor has it that he played a lot more in his younger days) and he didn't put up with any crap from our granddogs when they came to visit.  He and Dia were good friends and he easily tolerated her silly puppy ways.  Tigger was very happy when Dia went potty where she's supposed to because that meant he got a treat as well.

I learned a lot from Tigger and saw many things from a different perspective because of him.  I hope he felt as loved by me as I did by him.  He will be missed.      

Changing The World From A Car Seat

Erich and KT

In Pastor Greg's sermon this week he told a story of a young boy helping his mother set up the nativity set in their home.  As the little boy unwrapped each porcelain piece he proclaimed, "Here's the shepard!", "Here's Mary!", "Here's the cow!" and as he unwrapped the last piece he announced, "And here is Baby Jesus in his car seat!" 

This month Christians around the world are preparing with great anticipation to celebrate the long ago arrival of a baby boy that changed the world.  Our family is preparing with great expectation

VERY large stuffed animals!

the arrival of a baby boy also!  Baby Mason is due the middle of February and we are so very excited!  Erich and KT (my son and his wife) are busy painting the nursery, picking out a car seat and buying very large stuffed animals. 

Although this post is certainly filled with lots of joy; there is nothing "every day" or common about this particular event.  We have stopped holding our breath as the pregnancy progressed and count our blessings daily that this little (or not so little?) bundle of baby-goodness is coming.  

This baby is going to change OUR world. (And yes, he has a car seat.)  

Joy!

Joy!
Joy is so very cool!
It can be seen in the eyes....in the smile...in the walk and it's great when it's bubbling up and overflowing outward for others to enjoy.
I feel that joy is not something that can be given to someone else or believe me I'd give it to you.
There is nothing I can do or say that can place joy on your heart.
It can't be given or forced; however it can be shared.
Joy is something that is found within, comes from within, and must find it's place in your heart by you alone.
I pray JOY is a lifelong resident in your heart.

~written by Patti Bacher circa 2008

Yummy-licious Memories

Yummy-licious!

Today I'm baking for the "Delicious Delectable" cookie walk at church tomorrow so I pulled out my Christmas CD's and started cranking my favorite holiday tunes.  Every year we have to start with Sleigh Ride and then move on to some classics performed by Mannheim Steamroller.

I was suddenly hit with a huge wave of homesickness for my daughters.  Both are grown women, one living in Minnesota and the other in Honduras, so Christmas season now looks very different from when they were young.

Holiday decorating and baking ALWAYS included the music and "kitchen" dancing as we burst into fits of giggling and laughter.

Here's a snippet caught on video a couple years ago.

    
With perfect timing, in the midst of my baking, Lindsay texted a photo of her Christmas tree and some silly antics of her beloved black lab, Samwise.  Perhaps she sensed my need to connect or perhaps she was feeling the same nostalgia as I.

I love these Yummy-licious memories.  

Color My World

A touch of color

Colors make me happy and when I saw this on my way to work I had to stop and snap a shot of it to share with you.

I like color.

Singing Hearts

One of my favorite things is when Harry and I go to a restaurant and sit on the same side of a booth.  I know it’s the norm if there are just two people that they sit across from each other rather than next to one another when eating in public and sitting in a booth.  However, whenever we go out and sit on the same side of the booth it feels so romantic, close and intimate.  We sit close, lean in and talk softly.  We are the couple that I have always wanted to be part of.  I love it and it makes my heart sing.

Tonight I went to a local sushi restaurant to meet a friend for dinner and while I was waiting for her to arrive, two women came and sat in the booth directly in front of me.  One scooted in and as the other sat directly next to her, the first questioned that she was sitting on the same side.  Her reply was, “Yes, I am.”

They sat there, heads close together, chatting and laughing while they enjoyed their meal.  They leaned over and kissed once or twice.  It was so refreshing to see them enjoying the love they have found in one another.   I hope their hearts were singing as mine does when Harry is next to me.  

Soaking up their laughter

Last night we had a potluck dinner at church for Advent.  I was standing in the hall outside a large multi-purpose room and could hear the children inside playing.  They were laughing and giggling as they ran around playing hide and seek.

I just stood there for a minute soaking up their laughter.  Oh, I do love the sound of children laughing.