As the deer pants for the water so my soul longeth after thee...

Just a moment ago - okay a few moments ago - while I was working on my blog and updating Facebook, I glanced out the window and saw this beautiful sight!

I quickly grabbed the camera and after calling the kids to come see and taking the picture, I thought there HAS to be a divine message in this and so there was....

Just as this buck and the doe and fawn before him (they didn't hang out for the photo op) were looking for food in the snow - I need to be longing for the Lord. I should be longing for every bit of Him that I can get.... and yet, I think I tend to just stand by hoping someone will drop some crums in my lap and I don't go longing for all of Him.

So - I am reminded that as this deer was searching for food so I am to be longing each day for more of my Savior. Just thought I would share this thought with you!

Christmas Time!

We just returned from a FANTASTIC week with family in Texas! There are SOOO many pictures and I would love to share them all with you but it just isn't feasible so I have to limit it to the highlights!
Most of the pictures - still not all - are posted on my Facebook account and will be on my MySpace tonight as well.

So here's how it went: Saturday Dec 20 - Drove 18 hours straight to Dallas!!! Arrived at midnight.

Sunday Dec 21 - Got up and were able to visit our old church in Lewisville - Northview Baptist Church - we saw lots of old friends, wonderful time of worship. Sunday afternoon was spent playing games and hanging out with family and friends.

Monday Dec 22 - Slept in!!! Then did a tad last minute shopping at Grapevine. Monday night we went to Medevil Times in Dallas. It is like a Dinner Theater where you eat while you watch the Knights fight. Our Knight was the Green Knight (he was the bad guy) so we had to cheer LOUD for him! The kids really enjoyed this. Wonderful experience!

It was really an awesome thing to see it all in motion! Highly recommend this if you ever have the chance.

Tuesday Dec 23 - More shopping, we ate at Rainforest Cafe, and then the guys and Hannah went to watch the Dallas Mavericks play Memphis. They really had a great time and the kids were all excited that the Mavs won!!! It was great to have the means and the time to let the kids experience some events that we normally wouldn't get to do.

Wednesday Dec 24 - was spent at my sister's house relaxing and playing games. That evening instead of a Christmas Eve service at church, we had a family concert and the kids acted out the Christmas Story. Tyler made a great Baby Jesus!

Christmas Day - Was a wonderful time of worship and celebration with the family. My parents, My sister Michelle, her husband Scott, their three kids Daxton, Devin, Ellisyn, My aunt Pat, Uncle John, Cousins Robbie and Katie and then our family were all together. We really enjoyed the time together. The kids got a lot of fun things as did the adults but the best was just playing games and hanging out together!

Friday Dec 26 - Shopping Day - kids all had money burning a hole in their pocket and the opportunity to shop at BIG malls was too irresistable! In the afternoon, we had family picture time. It was fun to coordinate clothes and take pictures at the park!

Saturday Dec 27 - Another long day of traveling back to Colorado. However, one advantage to having both my sister and Joel's sister live in Texas is that we often get to see both families when we travel there. So we met Joel's sister Jana and her family at McDonalds in Amarillo for lunch. We decided that everyone needs pictures taken at McDonalds - right?

Sunday Dec 28 - We got our first good look at all the snow we had been reading and hearing about all week at home.....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

This weekend has officially "kicked off" the Christmas spirit for our family! Yesterday - Malachi helped out at the hospital "Breakfast with Santa" by being an elf and I took the pictures! It was an incredibly fun time and of course Malachi was adorable!




This afternoon, Kestra got to make her first cake for her cake decorating project in 4-H. The reindeer is still needing his antlers but other than that he is finished!

Tyler had his Christmas program at school Friday night and he was a riot of course!!!

This morning, Hannah sang "Breath of Heaven" in church with one of my close friends from Bible Study Dani Vaughn. It is so hard for me to believe that my "baby" Hannah is now singing in church as a young lady but I am SO very proud of her.

Thanksgiving and other fun things!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with Joel's parents and then also at church on Sunday. Joel is working on a youth website and once it is up and running I will post a link to it as well but I decided to include some of the "church life" pics so you can meet those we serve with.

This is Anna and Liliann Huber. They are too much fun!

Me holding Liliann - Joel says he has too many pictures of me with babies!!! What can I say - they attract me....

Tab and Tyrel Karp - two of our youth just hanging in SS!

Here are a few highlights from our Thanksgiving Day!!!!

Fun in the Mountain Sun!

In contrast to the post on Nov. 11 with snow ...here is the weather today the Sunday before Thanksgiving!

Hannah Montana Birthday Party

Kestra had an all out "Rockin" Party yesterday! Here are a few highlights!

So much to be thankful for

I am so blessed and so thankful for many things! This morning's sermon was on being Grateful and it was really inspiring and challenging. Our pastor used many quotes from the notes of Jesse Herrick that were simply amazing! Jesse was a member of our church that was killed in a tragic car accident last December. It has made a tremendous impact on the life of our church and continues to do so - only this was positive! Here are some of the things that were written in Jesse's notes for a lesson he had prepared for the youth:

"If there was one word to describe my spiritual condition, would it be gratefulness?" Jesse Herrick

This one really made me think - am I truly grateful for my life as a Christian and ALL that entails?

"Gratitude towards God - gets our mind on God" Jesse Herrick

Hello! If we are grateful to Him we will in turn focus on Him.

"If we as Christians are not deeply grateful - it shows the condition of our heart" Jesse Herrick

Seriously - we as Christians have more than anyone something to be grateful for - JESUS CHRIST!!!

As I spent the afternoon at the park with my family - the Lord reiterated to me how Grateful I should be for EVERYTHING! I Thes 5:16 "REJOICE ALWAYS"~ therefore I will be thankful and grateful.

I Thes 5:18 "Give thanks in EVERYTHING for this is the will of God" The past few weeks I have really been searching for the will of God in my life and yet I have neglected this truth! His will is for me to be Thankful for where I am right now ~ to be thankful for the place in life He has me....

This afternoon I am grateful for every aspect of my life - the good things that show I am loved and cared for and the trials that teach me to be totally dependant on the Lord in all I do!