prayer request.

edited again: Dr. feeling much better...good enough to perform the surgery.  We will be going tomorrow (Dec.18) morning 6am sharp. Please pray for the doctor, the anesthesiologists, Lauren (who will be a little fearful of the unknown), and me (who will have to be strong for her).  

edited: the surgery has been postponed.  the doctor is very sick.  we will update as soon as we know anything.  thank you for your prayers. thank you for the verse Elli, I will share it with Lauren.

lauren is having surgery tomorrow on her elbow.

we found a bump about two months ago.

the doctor says it's a benign tumor but wants to take it out.

very close to the radial nerve in her right arm.

they have to give her general anesthesia.

not excited about this, but we are resting in God's plan.

please pray for Lauren to remain calm and trust that God is with her.

please pray that I can remain calm for her.

please pray for Dr. Morton to be well rested and precise.

thank you for all your love and prayers.

Happy Monday!

Alicia

a little break.

hi everyone,

once again probably taken on more than I should.

worked really hard with the kids school so we could have the whole month of December off.

God has such subtle ways of sharing truth with me.

I have not been doing what I set out to do.

which is spend abundant amounts of time with my family/children.

been working on the computer on family gifts.

too much.

everything is good.

family gifts will still happen.

I am still going to journal but won't be blogging it.

just going to take a break and really let God take the reins again.

enjoy the Christmas season.

fully.

Christmas cards will be in everyone's mailboxes soon.

had plans to do them myself but plans have changed and I will be letting the kids do them with me, if not all by themselves.

Love and Blessings to you all!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Alicia

day 9.

Q and A about the holidays.

going to try and keep the answers short.

At what time do you open your presents?

one present Christmas evening.

stockings first thing on Christmas morning.

rest of the presents after a yummy breakfast.

How is your home decorated?

wreaths on the doors and windows.

tree in the living room.

holly on the mantle.

a few other things here and there.

Where do you visit during the holidays?

a live nativity.

the nutcracker ballet.

What is "normal" to your Christmas but not universal?

as Charlie Brown would say, "even my baby sister has gone commercial!"

we try not to get too wrapped up in the "world's view" of Christmas.

What colors symbolize Christmas for you?

my favorite color is green.

How long did you believe in Santa?

i'm not quite sure.

mom, do you want to take this one?

What do you eat for dessert at Christmas?

pumpkin pie and usually a cheesecake of some sort for my honey who does not like pies (usually).

Where do you hang your stockings?

our fireplace in the living room.

Do you watch any films during Christmas?

the list is long, but my favorites are Little Women (Winona Ryder) and Miracle on 34th Street (Natalie Wood).

What do you miss about Christmas from your childhood?

getting together with the whole family (Maddens, O'Briens, etc.)

my grandma.

What things from your childhood Christmas have you brought into your adult life?

good cooking.

like my grandma.

Is there anything you do everyday in December.....besides journal?

my mom gifted us with a wonderful Story of Christmas Advent Calendar a few years ago and we read one part of the story every day and then hang it on the tree.

we also have an advent calendar for the kids and they open a box each day (a little note, a goody, a fun thing to do for the day, etc...)

Happy Wednesday.

Alicia

day 8.

decorations.

goodies.

our manger scene. i put it together. jack takes it apart.

jack's angel that he made. great hair.

joy to the Lord.

karen's surprise. a trip to the Billy Graham Library.

they have all kinds of fun Christmas events going on now.

we arrived a little late and couldn't do much. 

but decided we would come back.

still had fun together. 

the camel was a hoot (this picture is the only one i got of

her sitting up, the rest of the time she was laying down).

we think she ate something that didn't agree with her.

jack loved "bessy" the cow.

the girls enjoyed some hot apple cider.

can't wait to go back and get the whole story.

an amazing man.

Happy Tuesday!

Alicia

day 5, 6, 7 and birthday.

Today is Karen's birthday.

We are very excited to be able to celebrate with her.

Can't say what we have planned it would ruin her surprise,

but will have it here tomorrow.

day 5,6,7

(click picture for weekend album)

Had a great weekend!

Friday started with Proverbs 22:9

"A generous man will himself be blessed,

for he shares his food with the poor."

Our interpretation....grandma needs a Christmas tree.

Grandma is not poor and she has food, but we were 

so happy to bless her with a Christmas tree.

While she was at work and actually on the phone with Jeff

we were secretly setting up a Christmas tree in her home.

Needless to say, we got a very excited phone call later.

Friday night, Jeff took the kids to stuff stockings for our churches

Christmas village.  

Mommy checked a few "to do's" off of her list.

Saturday a haircut for mommy. 

and I came home to crepes.

yummy!

The kids helped grandma decorate her tree and home.

I was able to check a few more things off of my list.

Karen came over for dinner and then we all went to Bethlehem.  

A church in Matthews set up the whole town, 

animals, sheckels, jewelry, pottery, meat market,

and the star pulling us closer and closer to the barn with a

baby in it.  

a joyful feeling.  

Just knowing this is what it's all about.

There is no Christmas without Christ.

Sunday we headed to church and our pastor began a series

on The Shack.  

today he spoke about the fact that we are all broken, that God wants

to meet us in our brokenness, "our shack", and heal us,

because He loves us so much, and we can never DO enough to make

Him loves us, He already does.

Came home from church and played.

We baked scrumptious caramel squares.

I worked on Christmas cards.

We took our Christmas picture.

Happy Monday!

Alicia

day 4.

played around on photoshop.

errands with all the kids and gamma and pop pop stark.

(including library and trader joe's).

new favorite drink starbuck's peppermint mocha twist (ok, so I

like my coffee sweet). 

leftover turkey sandwiches.

gamma leann had sardines (sorry mom, had to spill the beans......

we love you no matter what, although, this pushed it pretty hard).

kids resting for the choir concert tonight.

girls dressed in their beautiful dresses.

choir concert at 7:00.

AMAZING voices, beautiful songs.

jeff left with jack and lauren.

megan and I planned to go to Fuddruckers for post concert fun.

left keys in jack's bag.

jeff had the bag.

jeff did not have his phone on (concert courtesy).

jeff all the way home with keys in bag.

jeff's mom (hi karen!) drove to the house picked up keys and

drove them to megan and i at the church where the concert was.

thank you karen!

megan and i to Fuddruckers.

shared a cheeseburger, orings, and a vanilla shake at 10:00 pm.

gamma and pop pop left for home.

really enjoyed having them here.

jack will miss pop pop's "moon pies" (last bite of his protein bar).

see you in a week mom.

have a blessed night!

Alicia

day 3.

learning to crochet with gamma leann.

knitted a red sweater for macs.

jumping in the leaves for a "treasure" from sissy.

lauren lost a tooth.

box 3 in our advent calendar...warm fuzzy jammies and a dove candy.

favorite dove saying..."your presence is the best present of all".

happy thursday!

Alicia