Merry Christmas!!

Today was a little sad, but mostly Merry:) It was my first Christmas away from home...I missed celebrating with everyone and I miss my beautiful sister Holly so much it hurts.  Today God reminded me that He is so much bigger than my heartaches... He knows every tear I cry, He knows my fears & insecurities, He knows when I will turn my back on Him and when I will fall back on my knees praising Him, He knows what brings me joy..

that's just it...HE KNOWS. Because HE IS> I AM. 

He has us in the palm of His hand ... He has a plan for us and has our days numbered.  I know that sounds semi-morbid... :) but that truth gives me a comfort words cant describe.  

So, although today was sad in a few ways for me... it is Christmas, a celebration filled with more Joy than sadness. 

I think my thankfulness for Rome multiplies more every single day! I just look at him and can't believe Josh & I have been blessed with this little boy.  You know Brad Paisleys song "It doesn't get better than this...but it did, oh it did.. it did" :) We took some pictures of him this morning to document his second Christmas:)

This is actually the morning of Christmas Eve..playing with sticks and leaves again:)

"howdy ma'am":)

Riding his 4-wheeler Christmas morning

Just being sweet and letting me take pictures:)

First glimpse of daddy coming to play..

Cant wait...

     

He loves his daddy!

 Okay, it's far past bed time for me:) so I must stop writing you...We will be up at 6:30-ish brewing a pot of coffee ... all are welcome to join us:):) Merry Christmas & good night!

 This looks more dangerous than it actually was:) Boys being boys...no matter the age:)

 Jace was teaching Rome how to use his stick to stab the big leaves...

 This is a classic picture of Rome being very proud of himself:) Jace still carefully instructing him...

 Such a handsome boy! I love this nephew of mine!

 And this handsome little man ...

 Proud of his stick again..:)

 Rome followed Jace everywhere ... Jace is focused on something and Rome is making sure he isn't missin out:)

 Focused again..

 "See Rome, just like this!! I got it!"

The boys had a very fun sleep over...I loved watching these two cousins .. Rome felt like a big boy and Jace was so proud to teach him some of his little hobbies;) 

Rome is about to wake up from his nap .. gotta go start lunch!

PS my black coffee this morning was fancied-up with delicious peppermint mocha creamer...and it was served in a Christmas mug:) I love this time of year!! (I sure do miss you all though!!) 

Until our next coffee date...

A good Sunday morning!

It has been far too long between posts! Thanksgiving has come and gone ... now looking forward to Christmas! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in New Mexico with my mom and Gary... we had lots of time to relax, tour around the sweet city where they live, enjoy lots of yummy food at Zeffiros, got spoiled with some good home cooked meals, strolled the mall numerous times (Romes favorite thing to do...simply because its a large open space that he loves to explore:))...anyway, it was a very sweet Thanksgiving!

I am still trying to get used to this weather during this holiday season...It's one thing to go without snow..but some days it's not even cold?! Every time I see the weather in Idaho I get a little jealous.. I miss those sweet, wintery, cozy nights... sitting by the fire, enjoying a cup of coffee and admiring our Christmas tree ...blinds open with the snow falling.. maybe a romantic Christmas movie on... a sleeping baby...mint M&Ms ... okay, I'll stop! I sometimes escape into those sweet memories!! :) We are making different memories here though...We had Jace sleepover last night and it was so much fun! I love watching Rome grow up before my eyes! (it's happening entirely too fast..but I love all the stages:)) Anything Jace would do, Rome would follow...He was even crying outside the bathroom door when Jace needed a little privacy:) He is definitely entering the stage of wanting to be one of the big kids and stick with the boys:). 

Rome is napping but when he wakes up I'm going to take the boys out and snap of few pictures...Tonight I will post some!

Radical. By David Platt

So when Josh and I moved down to Louisiana, we thought we had the next few years of our lives figured out.  We had what we thought to be the "perfect plan" to accomplish what WE wanted for OUR lives and for OUR family.  A few weeks into OUR plan, we got derailed! All the details we thought we had so perfectly planned....all fell out of place.  We had day-after-day feeling lost and confused...wondering what our purpose was in all this mess...wondering why the Lord allowed everything to happen the way it did.  I felt like my whole life was just ripped from underneath me... I had to leave my family, my friends, my house, my home town, Rome's first nursery.... left all of that for what I thought to be the Lords perfect plan for US....then BAM...gone.  Yes, for those first few days I threw a large pity party.  Letting my mind and heart dwell in all that I left in Idaho... all that sacrifice for nothing......... so I thought:)

During this heart stretching time in my life, the Lord has taught me a priceless lesson I'm sure I will have to learn a few more times in my lifetime;).......

"Laurie, it's not about YOU. It's not about YOUR plan, 

or what you want to accomplish for YOUR LIFE or YOUR family.  

It's about God's glory." 

I have been reading Radical, by David Platt.  This morning I read a very powerful chapter...this is a insert I wanted to share: 

"I invite you simply to let your heart be gripped, maybe for the first time,

by the biblical prospect that God has designed a radically global purpose for your life.

I invite you to throw aside gospel-less reasoning that might prevent you from accomplishing that purpose.  It sounds idealistic, I know.  Impact the world. But doesn't it also sound biblical? 

God has created us to accomplish a radically global, supremely God-exalting purpose with our lives.

I invite you to consider with me, what it would mean for all of us, pastors and church members, business men and business woman, lawyers and doctors, teachers and students, on-the-go professionals and stay at home moms...to spend all of our lives for the sake of all of Gods glory in all of the world." 

It's hard to stop quoting him:) I have seriously enjoyed this book! I am really not a great reader, but this book is easy to read and undeniably relevant to us all.  Don't get me wrong, I by no means claim to have everything figured out.  I still cry myself to sleep sometimes:) and I occasionally close my eyes and visit my fairytale life ... but underneath it all...in my heart, I know that bottom line...Jesus is enough.  I cant stop thinking about Holly;( I sure miss her and wish I could call her right now.

Well, when I sat down to write this post...I had no idea I was going to tell you all that.  I thought it was going to be another light-hearted post about Josh teaching Rome to pick his nose or point to his poopoo:)  

It's getting late...so I better get to bed.

Thanks for visiting me again:)

Lets get this thing started:)

Well I just laid Rome down for a nap...grabbed a cup of coffee with my favorite.. most delicious.. peppermint mocha creamer and thought this was the perfect time to make my first post on our new family blog:) Today is a BEAUTIFUL day here in Louisiana.. its mid 70's (yeah, this weather in November:)).. the trees are all changing colors and the air is actually breathable:).  We have a gorgeous view out here in the country .. I am thankful for that! Yesterday I decided to take Rome out into the front yard to capture the beautiful season, gorgeous view and adorable boy:).  Here are some pics...

He is getting so big and doing new things everyday! Now that he is walking, he acts as if it is a insult that I would sit him down to crawl:) ... He walks everywhere, climbs on everything, throws anything he can pick up....he loves to sweep and vacum (makin mommy proud!...and when I say he loves to sweep/vacum/dust, I mean he cries and throws a minor tantrum when I take these items away or if I turn the vacum off:))... He says Dada, Mama, RoRo (Joshs parents cat), Ba (Ball), PaulPaul (Joshs Aunt), and his newest word as of yesterday "Wow OOOO Wow OOOO Wow" repeated over and over and over:)

Well I hear him talking in his monitor now so I guess its time to get the little man up.  I hope this little update brought a smile to your face.  I have enjoyed my first post:) It kinda feels like all my loved ones joined me for a cup of coffee during his nap and we got to catch up:)

Thanks for stopping by and come back for another visit! :)
We love and miss you!