End of year thanks!

We celebrated a late Christmas with all of my family on New Year's.  It always promises to be interesting when you get this many children under eight together...

Yep, it's 11 and counting!

Miraculously, we still had some moments like this:

There are so many things to be thankful for as I think back on this year!

56. a new sprinter to drive around with plenty of space for the entire family

57. the excitement of adoption and the hope that we will add more little ones to our family soon!

58. lots of lost teeth

59. a major surgery that (Lord willing) allows for a long break before we head into another season of surgeries

60. squeals of delight from the water as my kids swim and splash at the beach

61. TWO children in school

62. a puppy that is sweet and the kids enjoy chasing

63. What an awesome privilege it is to be the mom of boys.  I always desired to be a mom, but the reality is so much greater than the dream.  Boys that run and play and wrestle and constantly amaze me are such a joy!

64. My Bo! Bo just blows my mind sometimes.  That smile that comes so easily at times, and that mind that is always working.  He understands things in ways that I can only dream about and asks questions that keep me on my toes! 

65. Jack-attack.  What can I say about this firecracker of a four year old.  I have a hard time getting my head around the fact that he will be old enough for kindergarten next year.  How did we get here?!  My Jack that feels things so intensely and loves with such abandon.  He is creative and imaginative, and I love being part of the stories he creates every day!

66. My girls and sisters.  I always thought it was really special to have sisters growing up.  I dreamed about what it would be like to raise girls and to watch them engage as sisters.  It is awesome.  Each one is so precious and unique in her own way, and yet I see the things that bring them together.

67. Mae.  I really don't think there is a one year old girl who could be more precious than this.  She oozes delight and pleasantness.  Those blue eyes sparkle and she smiles and giggles at the simplest of things.  I am delighted that the Lord allowed her to be part of our family.  What a gift!

68.  Sadie.  My sweet girl would not look up from the lawn mower to let me take a picture.  She was so excited to have control of that thing!!  When Sadie enjoys something, she enjoys it fully, and the lawnmower was no exception.  Sadie has this way of engaging people that is so precious and endearing.  She connects with people on such a heart level and can convince you to love her quickly! I am humbled every day that I get to be her mom, and I am beyond thankful for how Jesus has worked in my heart in her three years. 

69. My big girl Ella.  Goodness, this one is so tender and so sweet.  She will mother anything that she comes in contact with and just radiates joy.  I love seeing her delight in the things around her and experiencing that delight.  I feel like I can almost hear her grow if I listen closely enough and I know these precious days of childhood are fleeting!

70. This man.  He knows the deepest parts of me, and loves me anyways! Marriage, for me, is a constant unveiler of what is really going on in my heart, and sometimes it is hard to see the depth of my own sin!  I am thankful for a man who leads me and loves me so well!

71.  I can say that as I look back on the past 12 months, I am most overwhelmed by the sweetness of this year and this season in our life.  After a decade of transition and lots of unknown, this felt like such a nice year of rest.  There were so many blessings for me that my heart could just burst!  I am excited for what I know God has in store for us in 2013.  I am forever grateful for the depth and passion that I sensed this year in my walk with Jesus. 

Christmas recap

We celebrated Christmas Eve with a yummy family dinner and a beautiful service at our church.  The kids were very excited to get up Christmas morning, and waited patiently while we got the camera and the coffee ready.  Thankfully, not a creature was stirring until after 8 AM, so it wasn't too early a morning!

I love the squeals of excitement!

Mae was content to shake her container of tic-tacs for a long time!

After a big yummy breakfast, we got dress and headed down to J's parents to finish out the day and celebrate with the rest of his family.

I did a terrible job taking pictures, but we enjoyed a few days of celebrating and eating and relaxing with his family.  With 11 kids under eight and 12 adults and 6 dogs, there was enough chaos to keep us all pretty busy!

I am so thankful to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

Late Thanks

It wasn't until I was settling into bed last night that I realized it was Monday, and I had forgotten to post thanks!

42. Sooo thankful for babes tucked quietly in their beds and sleeping peacefully...for a house that is full and the excitement of Christmas that is to come.  I think often about the families in CT who are feeling a very deep void in their homes as they prepare for this holiday.  Lord Jesus, come quickly!

43.  freshly slip-covered couches! I am still trying to decide if I love them or not, but at the very least it is a small break from the stripes that have been in our living room for a decade.

44. The smell of pumpkin bread that fills my whole house.

45. A fenced in yard and a warm day so the dog can be sent outside for a while when she poos on my floor. 

46. The promise of advent.  I feel the groan of anticipation for the Savior in so many tangible ways this year. 

47. new, (to me!) cozy sweater

48. music floating into the kitchen as the kids practice piano

49. hugs at just the right time.

50. holiday projects with kids

51. spontaneous eruption into Christmas carols from the kids as they "practice" their songs for the kid's choir

52. Christmas "presents" that the kids keep making for one another and wrapping to place under the tree.

53. twinkling lights

54. forgiveness for harsh words spoken hastily

55. thankfulness for a God who was willing to come and walk with man and a season where we remember that choice and that sacrifice!

Thanks

Monday almost got away from me!  So glad I remembered to post :)

28. Christmas bunting finally finished and hung! It's also doubling as a display for our Christmas cards this year and it is so festive.  When Bo walked in and saw it this morning he exclaimed, "Wow, that new decoration is awesome! Can it go in our Christmas decoration boxes for every year?"

29. squeals of laughter coming from underneath a blanket as Sadie screams, "Where am I? Can you find me?"

30.  Laundry.  Done.

31. Jack who was begging me to scrub toilets this morning, and Sadie quickly jumped in as well with a chorus of "please, please, please." It was only after they were done that they asked how much I was going to pay them for their hard work :)

32. Ballet and a daughter who loves to dance:

33.  Babies and babies who love baby dolls...

34. Parents who love us and serve us well.  Even when a kid vomits at Chipoltle during dinner or they get stuck on poop clean up duty when they went to get a child up from a nap, they are gracious and kind and don't complain! (And seriously, the throw up at Chipoltle was gross!)

35. Packages of pictures and Christmas goodies that the mailman brings to the door so they don't end up getting wet in the rain.

36. Christmas music, and music in general.

37.  Sadie's love of all things pink, especially her new light pink dress AND her sheer delight at finding it neatly folded in her clean laundry, "My light pink dress is all cleeeeeean!"

38. Christmas cards and pictures from friends and family near and far.

39. Peppermint (and especially peppermint and dark chocolate together!).  Yum.

40. Dinner in the crock pot so I don't really have to "cook."

41. And early bed time :)

Nothings says 33 like being in a sprinter in the carpool line!

It seems nearly impossible that it's already been a week.  With a birthday last week, it is not difficult to come up with thankful things!  I did giggle on Friday morning as I prepared five children to get in the car and head to school.  Married with five kids at thirty-three may not make for the most glamorous or relaxing birthday morning, but there was much to look forward to and make me smile.  J whisked me off to Athens Friday night to enjoy dinner in our college town and reminisce about the 10+ years since we were there together.  It was a huge treat!

15. ten years with a man who keeps me on my toes!

16. A couples massage...a first for me and J

17. freshly painted fingernails

18. clean children (who are all in the bed!)

19. delicious oranges

20. a week of almost 70 degree temps!

21. parents who were willing to keep the kids entertained while we went off to Athens

22. birthday scavenger hunts planned by the kids with dollar store treats as the prizes...Bo's hunt even included several "trickery" clues to take me on the wrong path.

23. raw carrots and cucumber (a recent lunch favorite!), especially with delicious hummus

24. puppy snores

25. another appointment with the audiologist and ENT for Sadie where everything looks great!

26. a baby girl who loves to play with the puppy!

27. a new bed that is wonderfully comfortable