Just a Praise

I just feel so thankful that as I end this year and think about a few prayer requests of the year and all God has done:

My son's speech is still vastly lagging and huge work is to be done, but he now makes jokes verbally and he asks us how we are feeling or if we liked our dinner. I wouldn't have dreamed of this at the beginning of the year. Lukas' social skills are so improved too (though his potty humor continues to frustrate me to no ends, thinking it is funny to throw the word "poop" or "butt" into any sentence to make it funny...the problem is that sometimes....it is actually very very funny).

I feel like God is helping me to connect deeply with my daughter. For some reason Adam connected easier with Adelaine and I did with Lukas (maybe even because of who they look most alike - I don't know), but I feel so close to my little girl now. I may want to tape her mouth shut when she whines for an hour straight, but would want to snuggle her the whole time her mouth would be taped shut (and for all your hyper-sensitive folk out there - I wouldn't actually tape her mouth shut.....or would I?)

Lastly, though the picture attached is slightly cheesy, it represents one of the biggest praises to me. A few months ago, Adam and I had a conversation where I was embarrassed that he was making so much more effort than I was in our relationship. He said "It is your turn Anna...I have tried to be close to you for a year now." I had been distracted by my role as a mother and by my desires to feed and clothe the whole fricken world that I had lost a little my role as a wife. However, right now, at the end of 2008, I am just wild about my husband. I love to be around him and am so so thankful that God has done this is me and in us.

As we look into 2009 with some exciting plans of possible travel (Adam with work to Europe and me with World Vision to Africa...not sure yet though) and as we start playing with the ideas of where God wants us after Adam's PhD, I'm so thankful for this year and for the things God is teaching me (and us) right now....even the things that have humbled us. Man, God is good if He can work in this messy heart!

Hap Hap Happiest Season of All

It has been a crazy holiday season for our family for many many reasons, but the biggest bummer of distractions at this time of year is the let down that I feel when I feel like I've missed "Christmas". I'm not really sure what it is supposed to feel like midst traditions (and I LOVE traditions) and celebrations. All I know is that I want to "get it" for just one day (because I think one day of getting it would change my life) that God came so far and entered my crap to be close to me, that He can do ANYTHING in the lives of my children, and that He is doing SO MUCH that I don't even see. Maybe I can start with just "getting it" for a minute. Maybe a minute is all I get this Christmas and maybe that will be enough.

Attached are pictures of some great times midst our little family Christmas - building an igloo (one picture on the outside, one taken while reading books inside the igloo) and Adelaine opening her Christmas stocking Christmas morn.

Family Pictures Prior to Face Plant

Adelaine took a bad digger on her little face where she bite straight through her lip. We went to the ER and she got three stiches on the outside and one on the inside. It was not what we had planned for the day, but I'm so thankful for so many things that happened yesterday from friends who were involved to the actual pleasant ER experience we had. Pretty great actually - for an ER trip - even got to visit some friends in the same hospital who just had a baby boy. That's what I love - one-stop shopping!

Attached are our family Christmas pictures, which I'm now so thankful to have done prior to this incident.

Colorado Sun

Fun trip to colorado to see family and friends. LOVED seeing some sweet friends and their kids. Had really great times with family too. It was really a great trip.

Picture 1: My kids and neices at my parent's new property at Red Feather Lakes, where they are building a cabin for our extended family. Looking forward to its completion the end of next summer! Lukas LOVED his cousin Faith.

Picture 2 and 3: Lukas found some shapes and started making some awesome designs (prior to Adelaine wrecking them of course). I didn't touch or direct it at all - i swear.

Picture 4: Thanksmas (Thanksgiving/Christmas) with Anna’s college roommates/best friends. These are our offspring. SO much fun – just way too short!

Also funny note: As we were getting off the plane, I noticed my fine boy quietly putting stickers on the upper thighs of fellow passangers as the beboarded ahead of him. Nice one!