Family Pictorials

We got some family pics taken in the early fall and I just now got copies so I thought i would share...

O Christmas Tree

There is something about the fake, wax-like outer frosting and creamy goodness in the center that gets me everytime. I LOVE these things!

Thanks Little Debbie!

Duck and Cover

So I am sitting here at the countertop while Maddix is eating breakfast when all of a sudden....
**SPLAT**

**SPLAT**.....**SPLAT, SPLAT**

.....**SPLAT**....

I am being bombed with soggy Cheerios.
(sigh)
**SPLAT**

The Christmas Spirit

My Christmas Story....

I was going about my daily tasks around the house and as always I was busy-ing around with my Christmas music blaring in the background. I got to folding some laundry (I may have been belting out songs at near the top of my lungs) and a song came on and I really didn't think to much of it at first but then for some reason my mind started to block out all the background noise (Maddix and Milo) and began to focus on the lyrics of the song. I have to say it almost literally brought me to my knees in pure humility. I stopped what I was doing and just listened for a minute until a wave of emotion completely washed over me and next thing I know I have tears flowing down my face (of course because I had just finished my make-up just before this). As I started to reflect on the words I started to make sense of the emotional overload. I believe I was struck by the Christmas Spirit.
**Side-note** Christmas spirit typically referring to happiness, a spirit of giving, being nice to strangers, etc etc.
The Spirit I am talking about is, or I should say has, a little more to do with a new understanding of the humility that goes with the Lord and his humble birth. Although I have heard the Christmas story many times, I think my mind reached a new level of maturity in understanding or comprehending this. I don't know why it is so different this time but I believe it is something I would love everyone else to experience. It may not come to you in a song or from a story in the Bible but I hope that all can recognize the Christmas Spirit when they feel it. Here are the lyrics of the song that brought me my Christmas Spirit.

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of Hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine, oh night when Christ was born

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all opression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
With all our hearts we praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord, forever, ever praise we
Noel, noel, oh night when Christ was born
Noel, noel, oh night, oh night divine

I truly believe it was a very divine night. I hope that we can all remember to praise His holy name and recognize Him in all we have been blessed with.