'tis the season...

tis the season to be busy!  and we are!
our calendar has been full this whole month!  we've had choir practice for the boys, physical therapy for me, taking care of a friend's children a few days, a birthday party, a baptism,  a winter concert at the school, a Christmas production at my neighbor's church, MOPS, a small pizza party with a school friend's mom making Christmas arrangements, making goodie bags for all 3 boys' classes, and baking goodies for their holiday parties!  not to mention the Christmas shopping, and getting the Christmas cards out! whew! 

i also took the time to go to the holiday remembrance service at my church.  this was the first year that i attended this service.  Hank was called into work unexpectedly, so i had to ask my mother-in-law to watch the boys.  the service started at 7pm.  so i dropped the boys off in Corinth at 6pm & drove about 45min to Halfmoon.  it was a lovely service.  several candles were lit, one for Jesus, one for grief, one for courage, one for love...i cannot remember what they all stood for.  then someone read off the names of the departed and who was there to remember them.  as the names were spoken, their loved ones took a flower up to the front of the sanctuary and placed it in a vase along with all the other flowers...to make a HUGE remembrance bouquet.  it was beautiful.  it was a nice way to remember my mom and dad, as i am missing them so much this holiday season.  the service took longer than i expected it to, and ended around 8:40pm!  by the time i picked up the boys, got home and got them all into bed, it was after 10pm and i still needed to bake lemon squares for MOPS the next day! 

there is still so much more to do before Christmas.  the cleaning.  the cooking.  the wrapping.  the baking.  the ironing! oh wait....i finished the ironing!  LOL!  i am so looking forward to Christmas morning...spending time with my family and watching the boys open their gifts; having a leisurely breakfast and lounging around ALL day!  we do our visiting on Christmas eve so we can stay home on Christmas day.  this has been our tradition ever since we had our first baby 8 yrs ago!

this will also be the very first year since we've had children that we will be attending the Christmas eve service at our church!  i am so excited!  i have been wanting to attend this service for several years now, but it just never worked out!  however, now that the boys are singing in the children's Christmas choir, we will HAVE to be there!  it will be a memorable moment for me.  i get to worship, praise & celebrate the Lord on His day, listen to my 3 beautiful boys sing their little hearts out, and listen to a gifted pastor give a most likely awesome sermon...all with my wonderful family beside me, and alongside my church family.  what more could i ask for?

but wait...we're not done for the month of december!  the day after Christmas is TSO!!!  the Trans-Siberian Orchestra!  i cannot wait!  Hank and I have been to see them several times.  last year, we brought the boys for their first time!  they absolutely loved them!  so we are going to make this a family tradition for as long as we can afford to!  the following week will hopefully be more relaxed.  we are planning a tubing adventure, and a visit to the Great Escape Lodge indoor water park!  WOOT! 

but even with all this busy-ness and hustle bustle, i take the time to praise God, and thank Him for His Son Jesus! born on Christmas day to save us from a most certain dreadful death! for without His sacrifice, i would be lost in my sin and tresspasses.  but because of His love for me...for us...i don't have to fear that anymore.  i am redeemed!  i am forgiven!  i am FREE! 

'tis the season to celebrate Jesus...happy birthday Jesus!  and MERRY CHRISTMAS!