Royal Birth

     We tend to blame the fact that people overlook the true meaning of Christmas because it has become so commercialized. Stores put out decorations right after Halloween, Black Friday sales start on Thanksgiving, and It's A Wonderful Life can be seen non-stop. Somewhere within all of the hustle and bustle, the birth of Jesus gets lost.
     It wasn't always like that. 2000 years ago there weren't mega malls, television, and 24 hour news cycles. Life was much more simple. We know that Christ our King was born in a manger, in a stable, in Bethlehem. We know that shepherds came and the Wise men followed a star. But what about everybody else? What about the inn keeper? Did he know? Did life go on as usual in Bethlehem the day after Jesus was born? I have a feeling it did.
   
     Meanwhile, Will and Kate will soon give birth to a royal baby who will be tweeted about, photographed, and celebrated. The whole world will know within minutes.


This is what I've been thinking about every time I hear this song.

Do you hear what I hear?

     I look forward each year to the day Christmas music starts playing on the radio and listen to it pretty much non-stop throughout the season. As much as I love it,  I do get tired of hearing the same songs over and over. This year, we have really been trying to simplify Christmas and focus more on the true meaning of the day. One of the ways I have chosen to do this, is to scale back on the Christmas music that usually plays 24/7 in our house. Instead of listening to music that talks about Santa and presents, I have only been listening to the songs that focus on the birth of Christ and what that means.
     It has really made me stop and think. This story, about the birth of Jesus? The story that I have heard at least 200 times in my life, never gets old. It is amazing, and wonderful every time I hear it. And as I have grown, I have found different parts of the story meaningful.
     Last year, my first Christmas as a Mother, this song really touched me. I know there are plenty of songs about Mary, but I had never really stopped to think about how Joseph felt. Being a new parent is such a scary thing. Imagine being a parent to Jesus.



     Over the next few days, I will be sharing some of the songs that has helped to make this Christmas more Christ focused. I hope you take the time to listen to each one and reflect on what God has done for you.

21 months

Right now...

• You will not keep your clothes on! You wear pajamas to bed, but as soon as you get up, you take them off. As you walk through the house stripping, you say, "hot, hot". It drives your dad crazy.

• You are wearing panties all day- even during nap! You go through about 15 pair a day. Not because you have accidents, but because you changed your mind about which character you want to wear. You are so independent that you will go in your room, open your drawer, pull out a new pair, and change before I even realize what you are doing. (You have also decided that you don't need me to help you go potty. Whenever you go in the bathroom, you put your hand up to stop me from coming in, and you close the door. You are doing great with this concept. I, however, am not ready for you not to need me.)

• You call Santa Claus "San Tee."

• Your favorite bedtime snack is ice cream. Any time someone walks towards the refrigerator, you run into the kitchen yelling, "ahs-keem!"

• You still love to jump on the mini-trampoline. We are keeping it in the corner in the kitchen and you jump on it at least 20 times a day.

• You would watch Barney all day if I would let you, but I don't.

• You can't wait for your dad to get home each day. It's like you know when it is 4:30 and every time you hear a car door, you run to the front door looking for him and yelling his name. You love him so much and he is equally enamored with you.

• You wake up every morning at 7:30, nap from 1:30-3:30, and go to bed at 8:30. 

• Your hair is getting longer and thicker everyday, although you still won't keep anything in it. 

• You know your colors, a few letters, and can count to two. You are an expert at puzzles and love to draw with markers. You really want to cut, but don't quite have the strength to get the scissors to do what you want.

• I love your smile and your giggle and I feel so blessed to be your mom.

Invisible Friends

Tried a little Christmas photo shoot. Really wanted her to wear red tights but she wouldn't keep them on.  

      So yesterday I wrote about how I love to read blogs. I started reading blogs about six or seven years ago. I was at the bookstore looking at a book about scrapbooking. Towards the end, there was a list of resources and it included more than a few blogs. I had heard the term, but that was as far as my knowledge went. Being as I didn't have the money to spend on the book, I went home and looked up the blog resources. OH. MY. GOODNESS. I was immediately hooked. I found so many ideas and things I wanted to try. From there, I discovered photography blogs, and craft blogs, and so many others. The more I read, the more I got involved in the lives of the women who were behind the words on my screen. I found myself referring to them in conversation, "Oh, I have a friend who lives in Canada and she...." or "I know someone who did this really great Christmas activity with her kids." Every once in a while, I would clarify it by saying, "Well, on this blog I read..." but that just makes me sound goofy. (I'm sounding goofy anyway, I know.)
     Another thing I noticed, was that many of these invisible friends of mine know each other. That blew my mind! No, they don't get together and go out for coffee, but they have formed friendships, real friendships, through commenting and emailing. How cool is that?
     I thought maybe I would leave you a list of a few of the blogs I read. These are the ones that I read the most often. There are many more that I read occasionally, mostly because they only post occasionally.

Ann Voskamp Just started following her last year, after I read her book, One Thousand Gifts. If you haven't read it, go get it now. It will change your life!

Whatever (think Philippians 4:8- love that!)I love her compassion and her colorful blog.
Under the Sycamore I've been following her family's journey through the adoption process. I love this family!
Ali Edwards She shares scrapbooking ideas and digital products. Her endeavor to tell the stories of her life in a simple, yet beautiful way is awe-inspiring. Been following her through many life changes and she has handled it all with grace and dignity.
Karen Russell Not really sure how to categorize her (and why do I need to categorize?). She used to design her own line of scrapbook products but isn't really involved with scrapbooking anymore. I started reading her blog for her gorgeous photos and now I read it for her honest portrayal of the ups and downs of life.
 One more, [i] LoveLife. I love her art (I have a print in my living room) and her girls, but mostly I just love the way she has with words. She is an artist who thinks her medium is paint, but I think it is also the written language.

I hope you enjoy visiting their blogs as much as I do!

The Inconsistent Blogger

I have been blogging for the past three years. Oh, you haven't been following me? You mean you haven't been reading the many posts about my life? You haven't fallen in love with my family through the tons of photos? You didn't laugh right along with me as I wrote about my first experience of flying alone with a seven month old? You didn't sob tears of grief  when I told you of my stepson's fatal accident? In the past three years, we have moved, added a family member, and lost a family member, and many, many things in between. I've had lots to write about. I just haven't. I've wanted to, but haven't. 

     See, my problem is, I read blogs. I read everything, really. I am the person who reads the back of the cereal box at breakfast (over and over) just to have something to read. I still read the newspaper. I am usually in the middle of at least one good book, sometimes two or three, and I hate to be in between books. That's why I like blogs, they allow me to have something to read all the time and I love reading about other people's lives. Especially everyday, ordinary people.

     Unfortunately, reading blogs, has created an unreal expectation in my head of what my blog should be. First of all, my favorite blogs to read are the ones who post every day. In my mind, I have to post everyday. Now, I know that is a habit that only the best of bloggers can accomplish (and most get paid to blog) but I feel the pressure, nonetheless. 

     Then I feel like I should have something that is pleasing to look at. Of course, being an aspiring photographer ensures my blog will always have plenty of photos, but the graphic design part of my blog bugs me. I have to remind myself, "It's not about the design, it's about the stories." 

     I also have a romantic idea of me getting up early and blogging before anyone else wakes up. Just me, my computer, NPR's Morning Edition or JOY FM on the radio,and a cup of coffee. Well, let's see. I don't get to bed before 11 most nights, and I have a 20 month old daughter who likes to get up early...

     Well, I've decided to not be confined by my idea of what my blog should be and "just do it." That's really the only way. So, ignore my lack of design, and I can't promise I will post everyday. Most days, I will probably not post until the afternoon, when the house is nap time quiet. I still hope you join me whenever possible. I invite you to get to know me and my family and leave me a comment so I can get to know you.

Pull up a chair, I have some good stories to tell.

Maybe I shouldn't have let her lick the spoon. Every morning, we have breakfast together. She has oatmeal or pancakes most days while I just have a cup of coffee, heavy on the hazelnut cream. After I stir in the cream, I hand her the spoon and let her lick off the little puddle of coffee that is left behind. So, this morning when I asked her what she wanted to drink, she said "Coffee!" I handed her my spoon but she wasn't satisfied and leaned over to drink out of my mug. Now, before you freak out, I did not give her my coffee. Instead, I made her a nice little mug of hot chocolate (heavy on the milk, light on the chocolate) and gave her her own mug. Oh, and I called it coffee. Success! Really, I think she just wanted to drink out of the mug. She would have been happy with water.

Changing our focus

Not a good idea to let the 20 mo. old carry the snow globe!

In years past, we have focused more on the parts of Christmas that are commercialized and Santa related than we have on celebrating the birth of Christ. Although I was raised in church and consider myself a Christian, my husband was not and it had not been a priority in our home for many reasons and none of them are good.



This year is different.
This year is different because we have finally found a church to call ours. We started going last January and although we haven't been as regular as we like, we do feel like we have a place to go.
This year is different because I want to make sure Baylee is brought up in a Christian home that remembers the most important gift of all- Jesus.
This year is different because earlier this year, our family suffered an unimaginable tragedy that made us realize just how fleeting and precious life is. We lost our 15 year old son (my stepson) earlier this year to a terrible accident.  Christmas will never be the same. Our lives will never be the same.

If it was up to my husband and I, we probably wouldn't even put up a tree this year. It's a fine line we are walking between keeping ourselves from feeling overwhelmed with loss and letting Baylee discover how magnificent Christmas can be for a 20 month old.

This year our focus has changed.
So, we have made a decision to keep it simple. This means saying no to parties and obligations. This means we are not turning all of the house red and green with decorations. We have made a list of activities that are important for us to share with Baylee and will do our best to make them happen. If they don't? That's okay. Our focus this year is on the promise of peace that arrived in a stable in Bethelehem many years ago.