A Wonderful End to 2012

We had a wonderful end to 2012.  It has literally been the best month of my life ;)  I am writing this with tears in my eyes because a heart full of THANKSGIVING.  Stephen’s workload for the month of December was really light.  He had met his yearly goals for office visits and didn’t have to have many for December.  Honestly I was a bit worried, a month is quite along time of him having extra time on his hands.  I prayed for this month to be really good for our family and for Stephen to have a productive, peaceful, relaxing break from work.  Oh how God answered.  Nothing really amazing happened…but all the little wonderful moments have just added up to make it a great memory.  We went to Fayetteville one night and we got to visit with Sarah Chance and I got to meet her sweet baby girl, Madeline, for the first time.  Seth and carter had a good time playing together.  Then the next day, we took the boys to Dallas because Matt and Scotty wanted to get together for Christmas.  We spent the night on the way down to break up the trip.  Both hotels we stayed in had heated pools…so Carter thought it was awesome to swim December…and one was outside so that was even cooler!  We were just there two nights but went and saw Christmas lights at some of the rich neighborhoods. Carter enjoyed and so did I.  We are really bad at traveling…so we are so thankful that we live close to family…or we would never see them!  That was all the traveling we did. 

Then as shown below in all the pictures we had such great Christmas fun!

Now I have to brag on my husband.  He made dinner several nights: Brisket BBQ, Chili, Spaghetti (both with Elk meat from the Ramsey’s), and several more times.  I mean what a treat!!  The boys love it when he cooks. I am advocating that he becomes the main cook of the house!  Stephen also cleaned a lot… he vacuumed and picked up a ton.  He had his To Do list and was a bit of a handy man. Most importantly he played with two little boys a lot…lots of wrestling, lots of bed time stories, and lots of love was given. 

To end it, Billie and Ron watch the boys for a night and the next day.  We went to dinner and then to Les Mis the movie.  The next morning I got the house good and clean to start us back off on our regular routine, we went to lunch and then some errands and shopping. 

I know this world is full of darkness and hardship, but this period of my life is as bright as the sun.  My little boys are so full of life and goodness and I am trying to soak it all up.  I want to cherish these days because I know they are limited.  While I have each one, I want to thank God with my whole heart and when days come that aren’t so bright, I want to ALWAYS know that God is GOOD and FAITHFUL and that this earth is passing away and that heaven will be forever.  I feel that my boys (all three of them) give me a taste of heaven.  My heart is overflowing…and it is only because of God’s grace he lavishes on me.

Tomorrow the break ends and all goes back to the routine of school, work and juggling the household chores and squeezing in quality time with the boys and trying my hardest to get in time with God each day.  I will cherish this time of my life.  Thank you Lord for it all!

As I look back on 2012, I have started to jog once more.  The reason that I have been able to keep up this habit is that it has become my sacred time…my prayer time: My praise, my thanksgiving, my intercession and my confession to our Lord and Savior.  It has become by time of renewing and of focus for each day.  And at times at the first of the year it was a time of memorizing a portion of Scripture.  I need to do that again this year.  Father God, I pray that I will continue to be dedicated in my prayer jogs in 2013.  Thank you for your rich blessings in 2012.