Lovin' December!

December = anticipation, activity and appreciation

Anticipating the coming of Jesus...

Activity with people you hold dear...

Appreciating the blessings all around....

Busy to me doesn't necessarily equal stress.  At least, not in December. (Okay, sometimes I get in over my head and need to take a pause to collect myself mentally)    It's that good kind of busy when you are wrapped up in all that is good about life.  With all the activity we have been doing, will be doing and is hovering on my calendar, I don't want to forget the depth of the meaning behind it all.  Without Christ, it is all for nothing.   He certainly brings it all into perspective.  Who cares about painting ornaments to put on a tree like we did this morning at co-op, if there isn't something great like the coming of Christ to celebrate?  And, why go iceskating with a bunch of friends unless a certain little boy is turning 10 this month and you want to celebrate another year of life given to him with an activity of his choice?  Activity means nothing unless connected with the WHO that everything ought to be centered around.  If your calendar looks anything like mine,  stop often and ponder that Christ came to rescue you out of your sin and pursue you with his relentless love by coming as a baby!

A milestone....

I did it!  I enrolled Howard in his last 3 seminary classes today.  December 1st is Spring Registration for that final home stretch towards graduation.  Last night, Howard finished is 4500 word Philosophy paper that has been hanging over his head all semester.  He worked for 6 straight hours to get it done.  Next week is finals!  Though the paper is completed, he will now focus all his energies toward the upcoming exams.  We will all be celebrating that day, December 14th, when he takes his 4th and final exam of the fall semester.  Good for him that he didn't have a final in every one of his 6 classes.   We are very thankful for today's milestone.  It gives us great hope that he will indeed finish this 10-year long journey!  In the meantime, we are on a countdown on many fronts in our household.

9 days till Steve's 15th bday....
23 days till Sam's 10th bday.....
25 days till Christmas, Jesus's bday....
28 days till our 18th anniversary....

So much to be thankful for, so many more incredible milestones to come... Lord willing!

He is Coming!

I am finally getting to use the advent candles and wreath I purchased after last Christmas on clearance because yesterday was ALREADY the first Sunday of Advent.   We're trying to bring more meaning to the Christmas season for our kids now that they are in the final phase of family life.  Our hope is that they will grow more in understanding the importance of Christ's coming as a baby for sinful man. This is our first year doing this new tradition.   The first candle of the advent wreath focuses on the vigilant waiting "hope" for the birth of Christ.

Haircuts

I captured my three sons and their new hair dues on camera!  Just a little shorter and layers.... Saying goodbye to Kelly for now... But, good news.  She's coming back for New Year's. YAY!

Whirl of a Weekend!

With most RICH things in life,  they come and they go way too quickly even while you are savoring them as they happen.  As is the case of this reunion of sorts with Tammy and Kelly; two wonderful young women whose heart's desire is to know Christ and make Him known to all those they encounter.  We're so glad they were able to converge upon our home and create memories and include them in some of our family traditions of the season; first fire being one of them.  Yesterday we had a girls day out which of course meant Black Friday shopping,  finding the good deals and ending the day with a sweet movie, Julie and Julia(loved it!).  The boys had a great day home together, watching movies, surprising me by fixing some necessary odds and ends, and getting haircuts.  This is Sam and Chris's first time at the haircutting place as it is usually my task to cut their hair, the home-grown way.  But, since they have been on a hair-growing kick, I was not about to tackle the layering of long hair thing.  They are all still sporting longer hair dues than the usual buzz cuts but now have somewhat of a style to show for.  But, I'm not even going try to take their pics.  Just not worth the battle there.  Soon enough, I'm sure, I will get them in some upcoming family shots!

They're back........

Our two adopted older daughters home at the same time!  They have both come to visit seperately these past 3 years since we've been to NC, but never concurrently.  It just so happens that Tammy (Germany is her home) is doing her M.A. at Wheaton and Kelly, a youth leader in Tennessee, managed to sync their schedules and converge at our home this Thanksgiving.

Below:  The Coleclan9 back together again.  It's been about 5 years since all 9 of us were in the same room.  (Coleclan9 stands for the 2 babies we miscarried before Taryn, and Tammy and Kelly are our spiritual daughters that symbolize the 2 waiting for us in heaven!)

Let the celebrating begin......  HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!!!

What a difference a tutor makes....

As they say, the third times a charm!  But, since we don't put any faith in luck but in God's providence, we will credit Taryn's better score to God's timely intervention.  She took her first practice test the fall of her 10th grade year, took the real thing again the Spring of her 10th & 11th grade year.  We thought she did great as she had already surpassed her parent's scores.  But, looking at the possible colleges she may want to attend, we thought it wise if she could somehow improve her score just a tad bit to put her in the running for more scholarship opportunities.   Therefore, she took the test a 3rd time about 3 weeks ago but we knew she needed more help than we could possibly give her.  We just happen to know a lady who finds these reasoning exams fun and challenging so in exchange for babysitting, she agreed to tutor Taryn to help her bring up the math section of her SAT.   With hard work and six one-on-one sessions, Tar was able to bring her math section up 90 whole points; above and beyond the 20 points we were aiming for and a reach goal of 50.  You should have heard her scream when she found out!   A big thanks to her tutor for taking her time and energy and funneling it towards Taryn's success.