Christmas Part 3: Mountain Home

Christmas morning = Mountain Home, monkey bread, stockings, pictures in front of the tree, and then gifts. Next: lunch prep, family arrives, lunch and clean up. The familiarity of this routine is both comforting and comfortable. No matter who comes to the lunch, the day is well spent consuming calories and family lore. I'm thankful my mom hosts, with all her other responsibilities at work. I'm thankful to have a place to go where my kids feel loved and accepted, safe and secure. So many don't have that, have not experienced or seen it, and don't even know it is possible. "I bring you good news that shall be for ALL PEOPLE."

 

Christmas part 2: Conway

We celebrated Christmas Eve on Saturday with the Rogers gang in Conway. Richard's fabulous family gathered to partake in a wonderful meal and share gifts and laughter. Nothing is ever quiet when we're all together, but that's half the fun!

 

Christmas Part 1: Home Sweet Home

 

 

I love Christmas tree lights, pretty wrapping paper, curly ribbon and sitting on the floor with the whole family. I love reading our Christmas love notes, watching the kids as they open surprises, and Christmas music in the background. We celebrate at home whenever we're all going to be together and this year it fell on a Saturday, December 22. It was lovely outside and a perfect day for the kids to try out their new mopeds. Richard gave me a Brighton "R" charm...He KNOWS I love letters, and my name. Sheridan got a new handheld game (possibly her first game not a hand me down). My favorite gift that I gave (and received) was a personalized binder filled with our love notes, Christmas pictures and Top Ten lists from the last 10 years. We think it's so funny that Sheridan can't believe we had pictures or Christmas before 2003. It's really bothering her...Lauren says, "You weren't born!" It's been a good exercise for us to realize that if/when we adopt, those children won't have the memories we have, their own ziplock full of personal ornaments, love note binders...or even stockings that match ours. We're thinking on all that, and it made us more thankful and more grounded than ever before.  

 

 

 

Made these on Friday night...on Saturday morning, someone was missing!

1 hour 47 minutes

 

It took us just that long to put together a small desk for our new addition. The space was smaller than the desk we had and so we purchased this piece and tackled it as a family. Trey came over at about the 1 hour mark and helped us with steps 14-24. I was the reader. Sheridan collected parts. Erin organized the screws, hinges and other small parts. Lauren and Ryan...kept up with the tools and volunteered to go get pizza. It was a bonding experience with no tv and lots of laughter. It was the kind of long night that ends up with more than a nice desk for our computer but memories of family time.  

Thanksgiving 2012

We gave thanks in Mountain Home this year and enjoyed good food and lots of laughter with our family. The weather was awesome and the boys helped Grandpa put up lights and decorations outside. The girls helped Grandma pull things together parts of the meal. Aunts and uncles, cousins and their friends, extended family all gathered to eat a huge meal on Thursday and catch up with one another.  We are blessed indeed.

WEEKEND in NARNIA

Couldn't be prouder and more thankful for Erin's opportunity to be Lucy in the play this weekend. I had NO idea that she had memorized SO MANY lines! On Thursday, the Rogers came in full force to support her. On Friday, Ryan and Seth came down from the UofA and watched the play. On Saturday, the Boogaarts were able to come over from MH. SO thankful Mom could get away from work to be able to see Erin. It was a fun weekend full of family, plays and sunshine. "A great adventure indeed..."

November Rushes In!

HUGE weekend: Ryan came home, Lauren's Senior night, last soccer game for Sheridan, All Region choir for Erin, Nursery Duty, Lauren's senior pictures, and AWANA lesson...