Christmas

Peace Power Christmas

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A Peek Into Our Thanksgiving

After two days in the car, I was determined to get some exercise. Unfortunately, Addi couldn't move in all her winter gear. She is a Texas baby and not too fond of this cold weather.

"Mom! I can't see"

Thanksgiving dinner. My grandparents from Montana made the
long trek this year.

"Luke, look at the camera"

Daddy is so funny.

No wine for little babies

Peek!

I was so excited to eat that I didn't think to take a picture of it until it was halfway gone

My Grandpa brought a wild turkey that he had shot. It was yummy!

Auntie Em Visits (and other random pictures)

I LOVE my sister! She just makes my world a little bit happier.....ok A LOT happier! I am lucky enough to call my sister my best friend... she gets me in a way that nobody else does or ever will. It has been fun watching her become an aunt. She loves my baby girl and that baby girl loves her auntie. Em's goal was to teach Addi something before she went back home. So everyday Em would say "UH OH" whenever Addi would drop something... and by the end of her trip, Addi was saying "OHHHH".
The great thing about Houston is that there is so many ways to entertain guests. It's not like Kearney where you have to be really creative or just have good timing in order to find something half way interesting to do.  We decided to get tickets to Cirque Du Soleil to watch "Allegria". It was incredible (like I knew it would be). I was in high school the last time that I went and Andy had never been. I think everybody should see it... just once. However, the whole reason she came was to go to the Nutcracker Market. BEST SHOPPING EVER. Vendors from all over the world come to set up shop and every item is unique. You just can't beat it. Of course neither one of these places would let me take in my camera so I can't even give you a taste of what it was like... I know.. I am really sorry.

The rest of our time was just spent hanging out, but those are so often the best moments. I had been DYING for her to play the other part of a song on the piano.... everybody knows how to play this song, but I can not remember the name. I promise if you have ever played the piano you know the song (even if you don't know what I am talking about at the moment). Anyway, that was one of the first orders of business. The funny thing is she can never keep time to my part. When we were little I would always get so frustrated at her for not keeping the right beat. I think she just gets impatient and doesn't actually stop to listen, but the fact that some things never change makes it so worth while.

.....and now for a couple random pictures. If I don't put them up now, they will never see the light of day.

All Things Cute

Don't you just love leggings and boots? I do!

Family Pictures

We didn't get family pictures taken last year... I was nine months pregnant and not really interested in having my belly as the focal point of a family picture. This year we had a friend back home take our pictures while we were home for Thanksgiving. She did such an amazing job! Poor Addi had such a rude awakening. After we purposely drove her around for 45min so she could nap, she was awaken by being pulled from a warm car into 22 degree weather. No smiles from that baby. She was so cold, she was literally shaking. What type of parents do that to their child???..... oh wait.. we do. I still think her pictures are ADORABLE. Oh my, she totally has my heart! (If anybody in Kearney wants some great pictures, I would totally recommend Breann Hershberger... she could totally start a business).

A Heart of Thankfulness!

My heart overflows with thankfulness.  A year of tremendous heartache has only brought me closer to God and for that I am extremely thankful. For years, my journal pages were filled with desperate pleas for God to stir inside of me. I desperately wanted to feel his presence, to feel him moving...stirring.  I wanted growth. I kept saying "whatever it takes, I am willing". Even then, I knew that prayer was dangerous, but it was worth the risk. I never expected my growth to come in the way that it did, but when I faced with the opportunity I grasped it tightly. I was not (still not) going to let my first real trial in life bring me down. I was going to take it by the hand and grow as much as possible from it. It will be a long journey and everyday is a choice. A choice to be defeated or a choice to face it and let God do his work. It has been such an amazing experience. God is so good. Learning to trust God with everything has been the theme of my year. I still have so far to go, but he continually amazes me with his incredible faithfulness. I hate what happened, but I would never want to go back to the deadness I once felt. I was a dry dessert, but the flood gates have opened and I am thirsty. I am drinking from the well and I am SATISFIED. I can't wait to see where the journey will take me.

My daughter has been such a beautiful gift. She alone has caused such growth inside of me. The love I feel for that child is like none other. I have unending well of love for her inside of me that overflows daily. I named this blog "A selfless love" because that is the love that Christ gives us, a love that I strive to give my daughter. I love being her mommy. What a joy and an honor. 
Of course, I can't leave out my hubby. Talk about a selfless love... he is really one of the most selfless people I know. Is he perfect?... of course not, but he is such an example of the way a parent should be. He is so patient and loving. He is Addi's best playmate, my best friend, and the leader of our home. I love him with all my heart. Again, GOD IS SO GOOD. I am THANKFUL!        

A New Perspective = A New Challenge

First, I know it has been a long time since I last posted. The dog chewed through the computer power cord on our computer which = no power. Thankfully I kept my old computer from college, but the dino won't let me download pics from my camera. Don't you think blogs are boring without pictures? I do! I think pictures help tell the story, but I am a visual learner so maybe that has something to do with it. So anyway, it's not that I don't have anything to write about because I have plenty to say... I have just been sparing you from boredom. I can't take it any longer, I needed my blog fix. So despite having no pictures for you, I am posting anyway. Sorry to all you visual people out there... I understand.

So, do you like the Christmas music?? I love it! It just brings something alive inside of me. I know some people are really strict about when Christmas music should be played (you know the Grinchs' and Scrooges among us). I don't live within those restraints. I mean come on, the Christmas season is SO short and I have to get my fill as much as I possibly can.Waiting a week before Thanksgiving is actually good for me, I know one year I was playing it in October... sooo yah. If you are one of those people, you can just turn your volume down because I am already in way too deep to turn back now. I need to update the header, but again.... can't download pics:(

Ok, I am going to try something new here. While blankly starring at my closet this morning, wishing I could just go out and buy new clothes, I had an idea. What if I turned my rather boring and predictable closet into a fun and exciting challenge?? Here is what is going to happen: Everyday I have to come up with a new outfit to wear ....JUST with what I have in my closet. I will post it to my blog as a daily diary and you can tell me what you think. I'm hoping that you will help me out here. Maybe after you have seen some of my basic pieces you can get creative with me. I have no idea who or how many people read this. I could just have one person giving me suggestions.... hey, I will take what I can get. I figure if I have people waiting to see what I wear, it will give me some motivation to think out side of the box. I'm not going to lie, it will be challenging  considering that 50% of my closet is tank tops, 30% is cardigans, and the rest is a random assortment of other clothing articles.

I guess the point is, I decided a long time ago that I would NOT become a stay at home mom that just lets herself go. I see these moms at the grocery store in gray sweatpants and no make-up on. It's sad. Who says that just because you don't get up and get dressed for a job means that no effort at all needs to be made. I have done pretty well. I do have days where sweatpants are the first thing I pull out of the closet, but by no means does it need to be the norm. Right now, I can't afford to buy new clothes so I am going to do something about it. I may go buy some new jewelry and belts though b/c I got to step it up somehow right? So, once the power cord arrives in the mail.... it's game on! If you feel up to participating in my little experiment, I would LOVE it! My creativity only reaches so far and let's face it... I have been starring at these clothes for a long time. I fresh perspective would be AMAZING!

 Cool weather decided to make its grand appearance with the arrival of November. You have no idea how excited I was to see  60's and 70's line the screen when I watched the weather forecast. I am so tired of wearing the same tank tops and capri's when I have a perfectly good fall wardrobe just begging to be set free.
I could hardly wait for Andy to get home so that he could get a roaring fire going for me. I had plans of snuggling up in my pj's next to a warm fire and drinking hot apple cider. Do things ever go as planned? No. A little family of wasps decided to build their little home in our fireplace. So as I am getting Addi all cozy and warm in her jammies, Andy comes in to tell me that a wasp nest has fallen into our hearth. He THOUGHT there was only one wasp, but as you can imagine.... more were soon to follow.

This is how the first 30 min of our fire  was spent... Andy getting wasps out of our house with a broom. I think we had seven total... and they were HUGE! Thankfully nobody was stung. I wish I had more pictures, but I was hiding in the dark corner with Addi where they couldn't see us. Good thing I have a brave husband.

Ready to get our firewood

 Chill time. I was in my pjs and slippers in a flash, ready to enjoy my first moments of fall the right way.

Apple cider anyone? It's delish!

This is how life is supposed to be. Spending evenings cozied up with the ones you love.
It is meant to be slow and simple, savoring the good things in life.
These are the moments we cherish and remember for the rest of our life.
Nights filled with soft hues and glowing embers as a chill threatens to sneak in.
The moments when nothing else is needed or wanted.