Christmas filled with Gingerbread men and fun

No stop at the market would be complete without
posing on the Pike's Market Pig!

Seems like only days ago we were anticipating this family coming to spend Christmas with us.  At that time, I didn't sleep because I had "visions of sugar plums" and activities that we would do.  Then, the day came and they flew into to Seattle, late on Friday night (for them) and off to a motel to sleep for the night and explore Seattle on Saturday.

Gingerbread houses in Seattle

Riding the Christmas Merry-go-round

Pikes Market was on our plan and the kids saw flying fish, an amazing magician who put a sparkle into both Simon and Mazie's eyes (okay we were all pretty amazed!).  We explored the market; rode the Christmas Merry-go-round; looked at some amazing gingerbread creations; headed to Alderwood where Kelley, Mazie's new American Girl doll, had an appointment to get her hearing aids in just like her mom; we watched a drum parade in Bellevue and headed back to our house.

Simon has been posing for pictures and knows how
happy it makes his mom!  We were in the alpaca
store and Simon was buried in fur!!!

Throughout the week there were so many activities that were fun.  We loved having them here.  Here are some of the special times for me:

Our gingerbread creations:
Teams: Betsy & Mazie; Poppa & Simon; Nana & Jon

• I cried during the Christmas eve service when Mazie sang the last word to every line of the song on one side of me and Simon sang his heart out on the other side.  What an amazing gift to have them with us.
• I smiled when I was able to snuggle with each of them every night in bed.
• I loved sleeping with Mazie because you can never predict what the night will bring...she told me one night at 2:30 that she could not sleep, not one little bit and then fell back to sleep immediately.
• I loved sleeping with Simon because he cuddled and twirled my hair and then told me that I needed to grow it longer for him.  He has done this since he was a baby and it always brings flashes of his life flooding my soul.
• Nothing is better than sitting on a couch and reading books to them.  Even though both of them are very good readers, they still love to have books read to them.
• I loved our Christmas eve meal...crab, shrimp, and bacon wrapped scallops for 5 and a hot dog for one!  Miss Mazie did not want anything to do with seafood!
• We went to Whatcom Falls (which always brings memories of past visits from so many) and made new memories with our family and another family.  Watching 4 boys and 2 girls love and splash in the puddles and the surprise on their faces seeing the waterfalls.  Stopping at a store to get Mazie dry pants to continue the day because she was coated with mud and wet from the knees down. 
• I loved that our kids loved our friends and they enjoyed them.
• I have always been a fan of make believe.  Simon and Mazie had a wonderful time at Seattle Children's museum...Mazie spent a couple of hours in one room giving fake flowers to every one she could.  Simon cooked for many with a new friend.  Watching Jon and Betsy jump right into the make believe was so wonderful.

This is the 'dry' outfit that we got for Mazie.  Dry didn't stay
that way for long!  Love her as she searches for that one
perfect shell...and then cried because "Shelly" fell off of the dock.

Now 2 days away, the memories are clear but the house is quiet again, and there is an order to the house too...but it is also empty of laughter and chatter and the "quiet" patter of feet!  God gives us special times to capture in our heads and fills us with His joy. I am so thrilled that we were able to have this time with this very special family whom we love so much.

Yep, Nana and Poppa were in heaven with our little
wonders! 

Father, thank you for this family that you have given to us.  Jesus, they are back in Omaha and keep them in your hands of protection.  Let the respite that they had here follow them.  Lead them in the paths that you want them to go and give them joy.  In your precious name.  Amen

A little sad, and a little excited

Do you remember sitting down with a clean piece of paper feeling some anxiety over what to write?  At times when I was writing a paper, a blank page never intimidated me...it was always the number of words restriction for a paper that threw me over the cliff.  For some reason this screen is intimidating.  I am excited about starting a new blog...

But I am also a little sad about my old blog.  I don't know what happened with my previous blog, www.praises2him.blogspot.com, it is still there but I can't add any posts to it.  I have tried several times to update the blog and even tried to contact tech support and nothing has worked...so, I have started a new blog. 

This first post has become the disclaimer...now the first blog is posted, pressure is off,  and there will be more to come.