our Christmas morn...

oh how i love Christmas morning...



i cherish the moments of excitement and laughter bubbling out of my babes...

their gratitude is sincere and the hugs & kisses after all the paper is tossed aside are totally worth all the hours of work to earn the coins that purchased gift..

the memories we make as a family on Christmas morning will not be what they found in the box but of the giggles in trying to tear the paper, and the time playing new games together, the sibling relationships that deepen with each moment playing along side the other...

it will be how our home felt as they came down the stairs that sunny morning, the warmth of each other's embrace, the smell of the coffee and cinnamon rolls mingling together in the air, the snuggling under the blankets while listening to daddy read the Christmas story before even a present is revealed...

my mind already remembers a little boy kissing me and pulling on my hand to go downstairs to discover his stocking overflowing, the lights were turned on by another son who had made his way down before us and unpacked his stocking and his hug of thanks, me telling God thank you for these sweet babes, listening to my little men awake the princess with tales of a stocking filled for her, reminding myself that these moments will be gone someday and remembering to treasure these times... so blessed to have this family, so blessed to have a God who prepared a Man just for me, these kiddos just for me...

isn't God grace wonderful?

a Christmas greeting and 2009 rewind...

Merry Christmas to You!!!!

another year is drawing to a close, Christmas 2009 is just a couple weeks away with 2010 waiting to burst forth with endless possibilities and potential!! yes, i have much anticipation for the beginning of a new calendar and a list of goals (God willing!) that we hope to work on & move toward in 2010... and let just get this out of the way, it is so odd to be typing 2010!! wasn't i just getting accustomed to writing 2000 and BAM!! ten years have flown by!!


but before we move on to a new year, i don't want to forget all that has happened in 2009. we are so thankful that you have taken a minute to drop in and read about our family (fyi... we invited all our family & friends on our Christmas cards to stop in) and all that we have going on in our world!! feel free to pursue the blog, read past writings, visit my Community, check out the beautiful pictures of my POK* and please leave us a quick 'merry Christmas' or somethin' in the comments so we know you stopped by!!


*POK: Posse of Kiddos

so what happened in our life this past year? hhhmmm..

.. well let's see if i can recount all the blessings and events of this year:

• my amazing Man has traveled all over the country this year for work, from California to Alabama, South Carolina to Las Vegas, Dallas to Georgia... the life of a corporate mogel is never boring, hee hee!! it is definitely a bit of a strain here at home when he has to be gone for a week or two at a time but i am incredibly proud of him and how he has climbed the preverbial corporate ladder. the Lord has truly given favor in abundance to Daddy, and while work isn't necessarily fun, it is a blessing in and of itself to have a great job in a rather lousy economy (but a lousy economy is a whole other post!!)
  
  



• we are blessed, oh so blessed to be planted in an awesome church!! i am involved in the worship & praise team department along with assisting with leading our high school choir; wow it has been such a great experience. i have since taken a step back, leave of absence so to speak, just because the life of mothering 3 kiddos many times doesn't leave an abundance of time. but i am working with the toddler department now and teaching on Sunday mornings and this has been a great, great, great experience. the Man also has a ministry in the early childhood department working security in the elementary area... not because our 1st graders are out of control!! but to keep them safe :) and he is really enjoying this position and this allows him to meet & hang out with others in the church. 'P' is a big kid now (then why am i still cutting up his chicken at dinner?...) and has services in the realife building just for junior highers and i love seeing his desire to know God grow and to serve the Lord boldly!! nothing brings us deeper joy. my lil' girlie 'S' has service in the upper elementary department and again she is great at memorizing Scripture, and she is a worshipper!! it's awesome!! and well, baby 'K', he loves coloring his Bible pictures, playing at playland during service and he says "Je-vus is gud", what more can we ask for at 2 1/2?!!
  
  






• this year we are a completely all natural, organic food eating family!! we i use all natural cleaners for our fun household duties and i'm going to start intergrating tofu, sshhh!! your gag reflex might have just showed itself, but this part of our lives, going organic, has been a great experience for all of us in trying new things and i highly recommend trying to cut out just a few artifical elements from your foods and see how you feel :) . we started the all natural route in late 2008 due to my sudden turn for the worse with sickness, and along with the guidance of my natropathic physican and my own intense research, we went all natural, baby!!! and we aren't looking back!! it has blessed our entire family's health and has been fun to make 95% of all of our food from scratch... it's been fun for me to cook more, which i really do love. how about you: are you organic?

that isn't even close to all the blessings but i don't have 67 hours to write this, you know?!

let me brag on each Kiddo real quick and give you the low down on what they've been up to:

• master 'P' is a great 11 1/2 year old kiddo, who got baptized in water this year after realizing the importance of being completely obedient to God's calling on his life (yea!!!), he played football again this year in the Mighty Mites league and was the starting tight end & backup quarterback and defensive end and yes i know what all those positions are and didn't have to ask my Man for help (giggle), he plays on 2 different competitive basketball teams and is working extraordinarily hard to develop his talents and loves playing ball, 'P' is an amazing student on the honor roll whose fav subjects are science & writing & recess (that's from his mouth!!), he went to KC Chiefs football camp for the second time in June and had a stupendous time, participated in an endless string of basketball & football camps, went to church camp for a week, he is a outstanding big brother who truly loves his sister and is a great example for his little brother, 'P' is an awesome kid that we are so privileged to call our son and we are so proud of his heart, his attitude...

• lil' girlie 'S' has a heart of gold trimmed in pink!!, she is not only a beauty outside but on the inside as well, she is compassionate and kind, she has been named Caring Kid of her class each year, she will play with everyone but is totally okay spending time in her room for hours practicing to be a mommy (that is what she wants to be when she grows up!! along with being a pop star..), she has been taking piano lessons against her strong will since early summer and is doing very well with an upcoming winter recital, she is playing basketball this year, she attended cheerleading camp & had an awesome experience and she is soooo excited about pursuing this, she spent 3 days at church camp and she didn't cry at all (i can't say the same about me, it was her first year to attend...), she is a straight A student, she loves to read Fancy Nancy books, her will is strong and tenacious with a strong sense of justice, and she loves it when 'P' lets her tag along with him around the neighborhood and she loves mothering baby 'K', she still loves to sit on my lap and snuggle, she is a Daddy's girl and loves to go on Daddy dates, and we couldn't imagine life without her!!







• sweet baby 'K' is all boy, running & jumping & throwing a ball all the time, he has grown so much in 2009, he is always talking and is following the example of his siblings 'cause when i call out to him he doesn't come, he just yells back "Wah?", he is a beautiful boy with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes, he potty-trained this year (thank you God!!), his best friend is our mammoth great dane puppy Magnus, he is ever-so-much in love with his Mama, loves to wrestle with his Daddy, his big "bubba" is his hero and he follows 'P' everywhere while holding onto his hand, his "zizzy" is who he goes to when he needs a kiss and hug and loves to snuggle with her & look at books, he absolutely completes our family and while he is a wild child we love him immensely!!
  

(halloween outreach at church)

in 2009 we've been thankful for...

• our jobs, while so many have experienced this hardship we've been blessed with the Lord's provision. my career has taken many hard blows due to the state of our economy but i'm still hanging on and my Man has had a crazy, busy career in 2009 (as i previously wrote) and the Lord has really used him to speak Life to those who don't know Him.





• when my Man's car emploded, we were so thankful for the blessing of a (almost) brand new suv for him and it didn't cost us very much at all





• healthy kiddos who are strong and growing (believe me! i have the grocery receipts to prove it!)





• the Lord's leading in strengthening our marriage through revealing His plans & will for our family. we are working, God willing, on me being a full-time at-home mama and this is a wonderful yet difficult path right now. we are selling our home & down-sizing a little, shaving some luxuries out of our lives, but as we work & pray on this, the Lord has drawn us even closer to each other and to Him





• that the Lord has sustained me physically and grown me spiritually. i have suffered so much over the last 18 months with illness & horrible pain, and when i think back to this time last year, we wondered if i would even be here a year later but God is so good (read Romans 8.28) and He is my Healer. and while i have claimed healing before only to have this disease resurface, many times worse than before, i know that i am healed by His stripes and this trial has been a blessing to my walk with God, it has drawn my Man deeper with Jesus, shown my kiddos how to suffer well & to walk in faith.





• our family and friends, near and far. it is a blessing to do life with those that lift you up with their words and actions, but to also be used to pour into others lives.





• the research work i do for natropathic medicine and how this has totally changed our lives, our health, it is a blessing...

okay, your retinas are bleeding profusely by now!! so i'll wrap up this 2009 rewind...

during this 2009 Christmas season it is our family's prayer for you to think back over the year and recall the countless blessings that have been bestowed upon you & your family; that you remember that it has nothing to do with the amount of gifts under the tree but that you spend time growing closer to Jesus & celebrating His birthday; hug your loved ones tightly and know that we are not promised another day, another moment to love them, that God's gift of love is for you and those around you, how cool is that?!

our family loves you all, have a very merry Christmas!!!

if you are able to come and celebrate with us, we are hosting a Christmas Open House next Saturday the 19th from 2p to 8p. come by the house anytime, stay as long or as little as you please, eat some of my organic cookies (they're awesome!!) and drink coffee while we catch up on life. email me if you need more info or directions, floodedbygrace@gmail.com and i'll get back with you asap.

'when they [the wisemen] saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him.' Matthew 2.10-11

a Christmas challenge...

i did it.... yes i woke up at the insane hour of 3:30am on Black Friday morn, i quietly washed my tired eyes in the bathroom, hoping i wouldn't wake baby 'K' as he snuggled with daddy in bed, and i applied new makeup as i ran over my list of gifts in my groggy head. our lists are shorter this year than last, we drew names for some of the upcoming Christmas gatherings instead of buying a gift for every single person (which shortens the list quite a bit with families as large as ours!), and this year has been less profitable in some ways due to the economy and such... so as i slipped on my nikes, grabbed my scarf and my vitamin water, crammed all the ads in my bag along with my trustly list, i was out the door for some Black Friday shopping!!!

i turned on the radio to fill me heart with some Christmas music before braving the crowds at my first stop, and asked myself again, i think i said it outloud even, was i really sure that i wanted to do this yet another year? well, too late for second guesses, i'm up and i'm gonna get all these things on my list, no matter what!!

i had brought my book with me, i know how long the lines can be and this year i was shopping alone so what better time to catch up on my reading... and on a side note i'm in the middle of reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan, oh my goodness!!! this is an amazing book, truly calling us to live out our love for Christ boldly!! go buy it right now, seriously, merry Christmas to yourself!! okay, back to the gist of this tall tale: long lines=read a book... but i didn't grab the book, nope! darn! so i just struck up conversations with the other weary looking women standing in lines, trying to make the best of it, attempting not to be annoyed that this line was taking forever and the longer i stood here the greater chance someone else was at toys r us buying the 5am doorbusters instead of me!!! ahem...sorry for my little fit of shopping rage.

have you ever stood in a crowd and just watched people? while forever standing in the WM lines i looked around me, waving to some other moms i knew several lines over, and i saw my brother & sister-in-law checking out as well, but i saw many faces i didn't recognize and saw the stress & weariness in many eyes. now i do realize it was 5:20am and probably many hadn't even gone to bed yet, however it was a weariness that doesn't come from lack of sleep but from the stresses of life. does my face look weary to the others standing around me? do i wear my worries on my face too? where is the JOY?!!!

so these thoughts were abruptly interrupted as i got to move up in line, checkout and drive on my merry way to the next store with my organized list sitting next to me as a reminder of all that i had to track down

as i walked the aisles, annoyed about all the toys that were already gone, scooters that were no where to be found, i did remind myself to smile and say "hi!" and spread Christmas cheer. and while feeling frustrated and slightly disoriented & overwhelmed i reminded myself that all of this stuff didn't really matter... it is not in the least bit important!! my children will not be sitting on a couch with their therapist someday tearing up about the iPod they didn't receive, or the barbie dolls were not the right ones (and if they are, i have seriously failed as a mama!!). we enjoy blessing our kiddos with gifts and fun outings, we get much happiness being able to provide them with everything they need, due entirely to God's flood of grace & blessing & provision in our lives!! just fyi..., and the majority of what they want. so while i try desperately each birthday and Christmas to dive into the depths of my creativity for the perfect gift, this year i just keep hitting a brick wall... because my children have need of nothing!!!

i left the toy store as i was mulling over these thoughts, really in prayer because i felt a real heaviness of the Spirit as i waited in traffic, watching again all the hectic shoppers in their cars fighting for a parking spot, or rushing for a much desired gift, and i began to cry... this is all so meaningless! the Lord brought the Kaat family and Jaymun to my mind and i know that for Christmas they would just love to be able to squeeze & kiss all over that sweet boy. and as i prayed the Lord's peace and blessings for them, He reminded me of my friend Stephanie and her awesome hubby Eric & their 3 kiddos and how Eric & the kids would love nothing more than for mommy to be here this year, and how this will now be Christmas #2 without her.

"God why are you bringing all of this to me today? what is it that you want me to do? this their someone we need to bless? what?!"

and the longer i sat in the truck just crying and praying, trying to understand the root of all this joyless-ness i had seen today, He began to reveal purpose of this heaviness i had seen and felt in my shopping endeavers all morning. our family has need of very little... yes, we are trying to sell our house and i'd love a home depot card to be able to finish up a few projects prior to selling, and yes, the 4 wheel drive needs fixed on the truck and we'd like to take the kids on vacation soon... but nonetheless, in the grand scheme of things we need very little.

the Lord has graciously provided needed mercy in regards to my disease this year & poured into me like no other time in my life; and my Man is healthly & strong & loving & an amazing leader of our family; my love, master 'P' is in perfect health & becoming a teenager (yuck!! :) ) and is such a smart & intutitive boy; lil' girlie 'S' is all heart & she hasn't experienced any further hearing problems and the Lord has restored her ears to pretty much perfect condition; and baby 'K' is all-boy all the time with a toddler zest for life with inquisitive twinkle in his eye, and while he had a hard winter/spring last season with 3 bouts of pnemonia & hearing loss/ear problems due to an endless string of ear infections & a surgery, he is very well & healthy!! SEE!! i have all my children, my husband is right next to me (ok, not physically right now..) and i have a Lord and Savior who sooo loves me!!

but i am struck with compassion and grief for those near to my heart who could care less about the black friday sales, they just want their baby healthy again and in their arms!! and while i know that sweet little Jaymun resides right next to Jesus (this very moment he is running & jumping on the streets of gold with Jesus!! wow...), his family aches deeply for his physically presence... so my thoughts moved from sadness in the midst of the crazy shopping experience to "how can my family bless those that need some joy & hope & encouragement... and maybe a gift or two?"

if my kiddos and our family has need of very little in the gift department, then how about we transfer our money and our time to those who do? now this does not mean i have since taken every gift i bought for the Posse of Kiddos back to the stores, but it does mean that this year we're going with three boxes a piece. where did i get the idea for three gifts? well, this whole Christmas season is the celebration of the birth of our King, right?!! and if the King, our Creator, only received three gifts on His first birthday then that seems like a right number to us then too! i have three boxes for each of the kids and i'll put several trinkets and stuff in each box, but this will limit my shopping for them if i know i have limited space. so what about that extra money and time...

we are spending some time this month at our local Ronald McDonald House to bless families whose babes are sick with meals, gifts, and our time to talk & pray with them. we want to bless them with some gifts that maybe they don't have the time or money to go buy. i want to be used of the Lord to bring His joy to people that are going through a trial that might be overwhelming them. we are doing this in honor of Jaymun this year... there is so many more important victories to be won than scoring the latest and greatest toy.

i challenge those of you to stop in the midst of the hussle and bussle of the Christmas season, quiet yourself in the presence of God, spend more time loving on your kids than buying toys for them, look up from your to-do list to see the others around you that need a word of life, take your gently used toys to the local homeless shelter or women/childrens mission houses (i have the kids do this a couple times a year to teach 1. generosity & selflessness 2. gratitude 3.love for those you don't even know), call your local hospitals and ask what their children's floors might need for playrooms.

i'm so thankful that the Lord stopped me long enough to remind me again, that this life as a child of God is not about me at all... it is entirely about what God is doing in me and through me. thank you Jesus for using a sinner saved by grace, such as me, to show my children how to love selflessly and use the blessings you've so graciously poured out on our family to bless others.....

so... what are you going to do to bless someone else? share your ideas & thoughts, i'd love to hear 'em!!!