Moving to Facebook

Thank you all for following my blog!  I have decided to discontinue my blog and move to Facebook to post my pictures.  I didn't feel like paying for a Blog for the rest of my life!  :-)

A Prayer We Can Pray For Our Children

Lead me, Father:

Lead me that I might lead these children whose lives and hearts you have entrusted to me for a season.

Lead me daily to the well of grace, that as I nurture and instruct my children I would find my own weaknesss, selfishness, and pettiness replaced by Your abundant strength, generosity and kindness.

Lead me to listen and consider the thoughts and emotions of my children before I speak. Give me unusual insight into their hearts and lives. Guide me that I might guide them in the midst of the decisions and storms they will face. Supply me with wisdom to prepare them to live as agents of grace, redemption and mercy in a fallen and broken world.

Lead me into a greater love for your word and truth, and into a greater hunger for you, so that my children might grow up in a home where your presence is known, learning by example what it means to seek you with all of their hearts.

Lead me to the wisdom and sensitivity I need to be a nurturing steward of the gifts you have placed in my children. Let me see beyond the paths of my own life, that I might be open to the unique purposes and plans you have for them. Lead me to release my agenda for their lives, and to embrace and facilitate Your dreams for them instead.

Lead me to diligence, discipline, and creativity in my work, that through the labor of my mind and hands your provision for the physical needs of my family would flow. And in seasons of sickness or unemployment, give me yet an unwavering faith in You as this family's Provider and Protector.

Lead me to live each day with eternity in view, so that the ways in which I invest the time, talents and treasures you have loaned me will be an ongoing witness of Your infinite worth before the watchful eyes of my children.

Above all, lead me to the cross, the place where I might receive the grace required to humbly model for my family what it means to follow in the footsteps of Christ, loving and serving them as Christ loves and serves his church.

I bow my heart before you in recognition of my utter dependence. Leading this family requires more wisdom, selflessness and strength than I possess. But as you lead me, I know that you will show me the way to lead them.

It is in this hope and this promise that I expectantly pray. Lead me, Father. Amen.

Christmas!

 The boys got a Castle set, and they each got a few extra guys to go with it.  (See Video at the end)

 And Josh got a Red Rider BB gun.  He was afraid he'd shoot his eye out, so he is happy we are going to be there to help him shoot it.  (As if he had a choice!)  He's actually a pretty good shot!

Christmas Eve!

The boys got to open their stockings on Christmas Eve.  

 They got candy...

 ...lots of candy...

 ...and some matchbox cars.

 And this year, their annual ornaments were in their too!

 It was a fun glimpse of what was to come the next morning!

??

Ninja!

 Josh has a lot of fun creating costumes for whatever he feels like being that day.

 Today, he's a ninja...

Hide!

 Josh and Hudson have found a new use for our blanket storage box.  

 It's a place to hide, a car, a spaceship, and about anything else you can imagine!

Christmas Program Videos!

"Ring the Bells"

A mid-movie camera attack by Hudson and a mid-song "Hi Mom!" by one of the kids.

Josh saw me video taping him and decided to hide.

"He is born the Divine Christ-Child, Play the oboe and bagpipes merrily..."

After the song, Jeremiah announces, "I sang the song even though I don't know what bagpipes are!"  Possibly the highlight of the program.  And yes, he now knows what they are.  :-)

Christmas Program

I have some pretty priceless videos uploading right now of this Christmas program, but for now, some priceless pictures... 

 The little kids are always so fun to watch.  Half of them singing, the other half staring at the audience, and the random kid that decides to just sit down.  

  This little girl decided to take out her pretty pony tail and head band that she had and restyle her hair during the program.  This is how it ended up... (She's still pretty cute!) 

Videos to come....!!

Batcave Fun

  Josh and Hudson love their batcave. 

 And they wanted to say, "Thank you Uncle Brian and Aunt Lois, and cousins!" for their newest addition...the Bat Helicopter.  It even shoots bullets.