planning for planning.

So, at the beginning of this year, I'm going to grab a few hours to get away & do some life planning. I'm a big planner - I feel better going into the day with an idea of what needs to happen, so of course, the year feels much less daunting with an outline.



There are GREAT life planning resources on the website and I am noooo expert at this, but since I'm spending lots of time pre-planning and planning for the sake of my sanity, I might as well share it with some of you ladies. If it's helpful, please feel free to use it, edit it, completely change it.

In conjunction, there is a certain passage of scripture that I'm praying to be true in my life this year. You can find it in Isaiah 32:15-18. Overall, I'm praying that the Lord would grow righteousness in me so that I could be a place of peace, quietness, and trust for my family. So, if you see those key words quite a lot, that's why!



So, my plan of attack is to address these things, pray through them, plan, consult with the husband and then implement with TONS of grace. I don't want having a plan to make me crazy if I can't accomplish it and above all things, I want to listen to the Lord - so yeah -

that is the plan for the plan of the plan.

And, yes, I know how crazy that sounds.

Without any further nuttiness....

(2010 planning session)

Major areas to address:

1. personal growth

2. family

3. service/ministry

4. community

Personal Growth

- determine plan for personal Bible reading

- determine who are the people speaking into me/mentoring

- personal health goals

Family

A. Marriage

- outline ways to continue pursuit of being a righteous wife

- determine how to be a place of peace in our marriage

- pray through ways to practice quietness in our marriage

- evaluate how to continue growing into a trustworthy wife

B. Kids

- what are big prayers for each of the kids this year?

- what are my "learning" goals for them (semi-educational)

- plan monthly overview of themes for January - December what I'd like to be teaching them.

(example: doing a fruit of the spirit Febuary-October, thankfulness for November, advent in December)

- health goals for kids (example: E's first dentist appointment, vaccination plans)

Service

- Short term, who are the people I'd like to be serving and how?

- Long term, who are the people I'd like to be serving and how?

- How can I be serving with the kids?

- How can I spur Nick on in his servce for others?

Community/Friends

- Who are the women that God has placed in my life for my righteousness?

How am I cultivating those relationships.

- Are my friendships promoting peace?

How can I help my friends lives to be more peaceful?

- What are some steps to take towards being a more trustworthy friend?

........................

Ok friends, I hope that is slightly helpful for someone! If not - I now have a handy place to find it if I lose my notebook. Getting super excited about 2010.

How about you?

Too busy.

I'm too busy doing all of this to blog. Sorry.

Also, we had a jam-packed two days in Charlotte with other family & friends but no picures because adding a kid to this trip meant leaving behind our camera.

Anyone want to share?

Some quick Christmas videos for ya'll!

And, we're off!

Since we had Christmas a day early, our presents are unwrapped and our bags are now packed!

We take off for the East Coast earllllly tomorrow!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

online christmas letter, part 1

The great thing about doing your Christmas letter online is that you can make it as long as you like. Mwahahaha. I'll start with the kiddos. You also have the liberty to not take yourself so seriously & share some of the ugly with the pretty.

Hi Friends!

We hope this Christmas season is bringing you joy and gladness over the birth of our Savior. I feel incredibly blessed to be celebrating this holiday as a Connolly - a part of our small, sweet little family - but even more blessed to be celebrating it as a part of God's family. Now on to our long list of accolades you should know about. Well, not really.

Elias Powell Connolly started out this year with a bang, turning two! It feels like a million years ago that we had his "Cars" party and I'm pretty sure we've watched Cars together during naptime about a million times since then. This year was big for Elias in the area of locomotives - cars, trains, anything that has wheels. I would estimate the he spends about 37% of his day tinkering on his little cars and trains, breaking them and putting them back together and setting aside the ones he would like Daddy to "fiss" for him. He actually thinks his dad is the greatest guy in the whole world and he thinks our garage only exists for Nick to "fiss" everything from booboos to snow to Glory's arm.

It's hard to even imagine him and Glory at the beginning of this year, just beginning to play and cuddle together. As the year went on, their relationship has grown so strong and beautiful. Elias is an amazing brother to her and loves her with a fierce and protective love already. He also like to trick her a lot too, and he convinces her to "swish" toys a lot - leaving her with the poopy ones. But - most of the time, he really loves her and it is amazing to watch them together.

Somewhere in the middle of the summer, Elias' talking just started doubling! We had been waiting and waiting to hear what was going on in that head and it is so sweet now to hear all he has to say and we can't wait for more! Except for when he is begging/nagging me for food and then sometimes I wish he didn't have so many words. Or when he repeats some phrase I say that is annoying like, "ummmmmmm" or "ARE YOU SERIOUS?".

He loves to read and to be read to. His favorites are The Jesus Storybook Bible, Goodnight Moon, DinoTrain, and my actual Bible. My heart feels really warm when I finish reading a chapter to him during lunch and he says, "again! again!".

He loves tv, his truck pajamas, his big boy bed, Christmas, trains, cars, picking his nose, diapers instead of potty training, cuddling, Glory, his "frens", balloons, & holding Benjamin.

And we love him - to pieces. Elias is such a piece of hope in our lives because each day is really exciting with him - hearing him say new things and learn so much. I can't wait to see what THREE, (AGH, 3?!) will hold for him.

So, Miss Gloriana Eloise.

What a difference a year makes.

At the beginning of 2009, we had a feisty little baby who who knew had some super strong baby strength, but now we have this insanely amazing little girl - with a personality the size of a small universe and more beauty than her Daddy is comfortable with.

I'll tell you one thing for reference, she's changed very little physically! I put her in the same tights she wore last Christmas the other day, and they weren't even too small. She is just a little thing that shouldn't be able to do all she can with her tiny little limbs, but if you doubt her for a second - you'll regret it.

As predicted, Glory started walking when we were in the hospital as Benjamin was being born. From there on, it was the the whole goal of her year was to show her independence. Her most favorite phrase is "I DO IT." and we pray over her constantly that the Lord would use her self-suffiency for His glory, but that He'd teach her heart that it's ok to rely on Him and on others in her life. Then Nick usually prays that over me, since she is learning from the worst!

In all seriousness, she is a joy. She can't go a few hours without dancing, laughing, making us laugh, or making her Dad shed a tear over her beautiful little self.

She loves babies - specifically Benja, princesses, the color pink - which she calls "purple", making Elias laugh, walking up to me and saying "Mommy - holds you!", giving hugs, her lovey, her penguin Happy, her puppup, corndogs, shrieking, flowers, the occasional bite, having her hair done, not sitting still, and dancing.

and now, our little prince,

Benjamin Haddon.

In so many ways, our family didn't feel complete until he was born. After what felt like an incredibly long wait, he was born on May 27th and really became the greatest new toy our kids could ever ask for. Glory spent about three days unsure of him, and then he just won all of our hearts.

I believe the pc word for his condition is HUSKY. He's a big boy. Lately, as Elias grows out of something, we just shift it right to Benjamin's because if he doesn't fit in it yet, he will soon! From the get-go, he has actually been the sweetest, happiest baby I could ever imagine. He also has the stinkiest poops I could ever imagine, but he is so sweet - I usually don't mind.

It seemed like he had a pretty long extended infant-season and just wanted to be our baby, and be held for a looooong time but now he is waking up to the idea of being a baby. At seven months, he's just starting to roll over and say some sounds and play with toys. We were content to keep him as a baby forever - but if he insists on growing up we will concede.

He likes um... everything! He likes people, food, giving mammoth kisses, and cuddling. He loves Glory and Elias and his Daddy. He is a just a big, chubby ball of joy and we feel really loved by God to have such a great addition to our family.

Shepherding our kid's hearts this year has been an honor and a challenge all at once. I can't believe how much they've grown and I can't wait to spend another year with them.

Thanks Jesus.

And, some of my favorite pictures from the year.

the boyz

my sweet, messy lady

Glor after her surgery

beach bod

one of many Bellevue playdates with 'frens'

big boy

playing in Puyallup

snow day

baby gurl

the wild things

who is this little thing?

with a fistful of cars and short hair

all three babes on easter

Benja in the NICU

frazzled

I guess it started when Glory broke her arm.
I started doing a little, quick gasp if I heard something crash or someone cry.
(which happens a lot)
Then, the other day at the grocery store, they called my name over the loud speaker - my actual name, "Jessi Connolly - please come to customer service".
I literally dropped the items I was holding and started crying immediately and ran to the front of the store, sure that something had happened to Nick and the kids, who were on their way to pick me up. Imagine the poor guy who had to explain to me that I had just dropped my debit card.
That night, I broke two casserole dishes trying to make dinner.
The next morning, my heart stopped for a few minutes when I found my son coloring our (rented houses') kitchen cabinets with a big, black permanent marker.
(fyi: toothpaste gets out permanent marker)
And then today, we lost Elias at church for about five minutes. He had been playing with friends and just slipped away, and wasn't in any of his usual spots. In about thirty seconds, I went to pieces. JUST went NUTS.
(sorry for anyone I encountered during those minutes)

So, I suppose you could say I'm a bit frazzled.
Sadly that's the last way I want to feel tonight. With doctor's appointments, a party to host, a million bags to pack, about twenty presents to wrap, kids to get across the country, & a massive trip to organize - I truly wish that I could be the picture of peace - instead of the one standing at the sink - breathing slowly in and out, with trembling hands.

Well, here is my gameplan.

The scripture I'm praying for 2010 is found in Isaiah 32 and I'm going to start a little early with verse 17.

And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.

So, my prayer for Christmas is no longer to get through it while still being "the lady of the house". My prayer is that in the midst of the crazy next few weeks, He would continue to grow fruit. Righteousness that produces peace, quietness, & trust. I don't want to just get by and collapse on the couch at night - I want to be what my family needs & one that my Lord can use.

How about you? Are you frazzled? Frenzied? Exhausted?
I don't have any organization tips.
My friend Lauren (who is a WONDERFUL mother) says that her mom says,
"If you want to be a good mom, just love Jesus".
So I'm going to walk in that.

This week - if you want to be a good host, guest, daughter, worker, wife, sister, mama...
Just love Jesus. He will handle the rest.

Crimmass, part 2.

Before reading one word further, please go to Kelly's latest blog about this.

(That Kelly is so great.)

Decorations

We obviously get a tree, and we've kind of envisioned in future years always cutting our tree down. I had great memories of this growing up, and it's something Nick is super excited to do - especially when we eventually make it to the northeast.

Nick's conceded to let me have mostly handmade decorations. I think even when things are better financially, I'd like to do this. At least while our kids are young. I love how unassuming a paper stocking namecard looks and you obviously know how I feel about paper chains. For a house with young kids, it just seems to fit better than lots of silver and gold.

Also, all the kids get one ornament each every year.

(oops, write that on the to-do list)

Advent

Growing up in the Methodist church, I heard a lot about advent but Nick had never even heard of the word. We're using this year to feel out how we want to celebrate the season leading up to Christ's birth. We started with a chocolate advent calendar that we open at Bible time each night and we're kind of slowly seeing that may not be a part of our tradition in the years to come. The calendar will be, but Elias is getting kind of obsessed with his new "Bible treat". Yikes. I've heard of The Jesse Tree and doing fun family activities for each night of Advent, so we may venture into something like that next year.

Every Sunday, we are doing something pretty big. Either a big intentional dinner with family, or a big family type event. We also got four advent candles, and one Jesus candle for our table as well. This seems like such a tangible way to say - as the light gets brighter each week, we get closer to the Light being born!

Presents

This is our first year doing three presents each for the kids, which actually seems like the perfect cap, right? Sidebar: When I told Nick we should do this since Jesus was given three gifts, he gave me a silly face and said, "Why don't we just say we're doing it since it's practical?". I love him.

Christmas Morning

We think we'd really love to have some sort of Christmas morning at our house, with our kids, each year. This year it will be Christmas Eve since we fly out Christmas day to head to the East Coast and we're super excited.

Food

oh, come on now - sometimes food is the greatest tradition, Amen?

I'll start with my mom's sausage egg casserole. The only amendment I make is that I use cornbread instead of normal bread. I made it this morning for a little playdate party & I'll make it for the kids on Christmas morning.

Homemade donuts. Last year I made some homemade donut balls and so, yeah, one taste of those and we decided they'd be a tradition. I don't think we'll make them till we get to Nonny's this year because I want plenty of people to be able to eat them so I don't!

Also, last year, I was pregnant and craving fried fish and so we made fried fish on Christmas Eve and we said we'd make that a tradition. Well, um, since it's my first Christmas non-pregnant since 2005 and I'm craving salad more than hydrogenated butt fat, I think we'll go ahead and break that tradition:).

..................................................

That's all we do for now.

With such young kids, it's sweet to hold our traditions in a loose fist as we figure out what works for us, what is truly purposeful, and what is just downright fun.

I have to say, this year it has really begun to overwhelm me for the first time that I'm the mother. I think we've done our holiday about as simply as possible (sort of - I guess we could not go see family, but even that trip is going to be extremely low maintenance), and I'm still finding myself fighting anxiety a little.

It's the Friday before Christmas and I have around 1/3 of the presents bought for our immediate family, NO extended family gifts, packing is undone, and my upcoming party is far from planned. But I'm excited still because when I feel a little nutty about things and surrender, I experience peace from Christ in a whole new way - which is what this season is about.

Now - on December 26th if you happen to see me in Charlotte and I look haggard and I'm stressed out because our kids are freaking out from flying and seeing about six extended families in twenty-four hours, remind me then that I wrote this:).

Hope you guys have an awesome weekend before Christmas!

sneak peek

With her permission, I'm blogging my sister's Christmas Card that we made together!

I say we made it together because the design was ALL her idea, I just threw it together for her.

It is my favorite Christmas card I've ever seen.

It makes you think, it talks about the real reason for Christmas,

and it isn't showy in the slightest.

I love it.

But I REALLY love her.

oh, there she is.

I predict this will be a very long blog.

No apologies though, because I'm really excited to write it.

The past twenty or so months have been the hardest months of my life.

I don't know why or how it started and I can't mark it with a ton of stuff, but it's been very definitely really hard and really um, hard. That's the only word I have.

At first I thought I had postpartum depression then I got pregnant again and told Nick I thought I had prepartum depression, then I thought New Beginnings was just too hard, then I blamed it on a million other things. I still don't have anything to call it other than a yucky season.

It felt like looking in a mirror too long, taking long miserable walks with purpose, being an old dusty hammock that is overlooked, and anything other metaphor I've used to describe it when trying to write about my heart.

I rarely doubted in all of it, if there was growth because I could feel the growing pains just stretching me day after day - but it still didn't seem purposeful. It wasn't a 1+1=2 equation of "I'm going through this hard time to learn this". Instead my heart felt unfettered and wild and at the end of the night, I would just lay in bed and ask myself what was wrong with me. Why didn't I have joy? Why couldn't I pull my act together? Why wasn't I excited to live? My head knew all the knowledge of these answers and my heart refused to connect.

A month or so ago, I began to get even more worried. As I talked with friends, I realized that in my life, I'd measured happiness by happy events and having things to look forward to that pleased me. This concerned me for two reasons - #1)Being a stay-at-home-mother of three children under three in a tough economy will kind of slap you around in the way of pleasure. There are very few parts of my week, or month, that are dedicated to my enjoyment. and #2) I was just frustrated that I had operated in this way before and scared to walk in truth in the future.

Because, at some point, to "take up your cross" means being willing to commit to never looking for your own pleasure again. Ever again. It doesn't mean that Jesus doesn't want happiness for us, but that we should probably be willing to sacrifice it, right?

So I got worried and burdened.

Would I ever know happiness again?

But moreover, Did it matter if I did?

Wasn't Christ enough for me?

All of a sudden, last Thursday - there a weirdo little switch in me.

I ate two cookies for breakfast (which never happens) and I expected to wallow in shame and feel horrible and instead, I felt light. All day.

It wasn't a perfect day, but it wasn't hard and heavy and filled with despair or worry.

Then, all weekend - it felt like that.

I suspected the Lord was healing me through the prayers of people who love me. Last week felt like rock bottom in a lot of ways and maybe the Lord used that desperation in me to cause other to pray for me. Whatever it was, my circumstances weren't changing so much but my heart was. Despair felt a million miles away, but I was still a little wary to rejoice.

On Sunday night, I talked to Nick about this - which is always helpful.

I told him this run-on sentence, "I'm just so excited about life - which hasn't happened for so long? You know? Tonight will be fun, and tomorrow and the next day. And I used to look at the fridge and think, 'THAT FRIDGE IS DISGUSTING and I'll never have time to clean it because I don't even have time to shower!' and now I look at the fridge and think 'ooooh, maybe I'll have time to clean it this week and if not, maybe next week!'. But I'm scared, Nick, because maybe I'm just happy about circumstances because we have so much fun coming up. But I hope that's not it - I hope that these are evidences of grace in my life.... little gifts the Lord is giving me to say this season is coming to end." (and of course he gave me so much wisdom)

He said that it was ok to look forward.

He reminded me that loving Christ is all about looking back and looking forward.

Looking back to the cross and being reminded of sin and looking forward to His return for our joy. And as I told him about all the things that I was excited about, he confirmed - it wasn't my pleasure that I was looking forward to, but Christ being glorified in our lives. Seeing the joy on my kids faces as we talk about Christmas, seeing family and growing with them, starting a new bible study, and things of the sort.

And I felt so much hope. So much confidence in Christ causing me to look forward.

So I sat on that for a day. Feeling quietly hopeful in my heart and still a bit unsure of where to take it. Then today, I was looking at this picture on our mantle of Nick and I dancing at our wedding. It's one of those pictures that makes me really uncomfortable when people mention it because I feel so separate from the girl in it. She looks actually giddy with happiness and like someone I want to be. But TODAY, I was looking at it and I didn't feel jealous of old-me. I just recognized a younger version of myself.

But when I turned around to go grab a crying baby, I looked down at myself and audibly said, "Oh! There she is!". I think Glory wanted to have me committed, talking to myself and all.

But I just saw myself (present day) as hopeful and joyful for the first time in so long.

Now, that is a long and very personal story.

But if you feel a little hopeless, even while desperately trying to have hope in Christ -

hold fast. It might take 2 days or 20 months or 20 years, but growth will happen and joy will come in the morning. Because it's a fruit of the spirit, you know? Keep planting and watering and sitting in the sun and even if your circumstances don't change, He will grow some fruit.

Isn't He so good?

the polar bear

(I am not lying - I'm sitting in Starbucks laughing by myself as I prepare to write this.)

So, I'll get back to Christmas Tradition blogging sometime later this week, but this blog is dedicated to a new Christmas memory we made & hopefully will not make again.

Nick and I are sometimes a little uptight when it comes to our kids schedules - well, maybe I'm just uptight. Either way, I'm pretty wary of doing things past seven o'clock because my kids turn into crazy monsters - or at least I think they will, they really would probably would be fine.

So since we're doing up Advent big on Sundays, we decided to make a big fun trip out of this past Sunday night and keep the kids up late for this event in downtown Bellevue called Snowflake Lane. I've heard awesome things about it and it's basically just a beautiful Christmas parade with fake snow falling, live drums, dancing, and princesses! Yay!

So we stay up late, meet The Sings for a chichen/fry dinner (what my kids call McDonalds) and bundle up to head outside for the parade. About thirty seconds in, I'm in heaven. The kids are in heaven. They don't care that it's past their bedtime, they don't care that they're in their pj's - they are literally on CLOUD NINE.

I told Nick I can't imagine being happier because Glory is as happy as she possibly can be, dancing to this incredibly loud music and Elias is over the moon with the falling snow that he's been just dying to see. Even Benja loved the drums.

And then it happens.

This guy comes up and tries to dance with my Glor.

But she sees this.

And, well to be honest - I think she took a swing at him.

But then she is

HYSTERICAL. SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER. FREAKING OUT.

(literally screaming louder than when she broke her arm and trying to physically hurt the polar bear because he scared her so much)

Elias feels defensive for her, so the snow is no longer making him happy, he wants to actually take that polar bear out.

We finally get Glory calm enough to go see the beautiful snow princess and as Annie and I watch on, I see the unthinkable happen! The deadly polar bear follows after the princess and then she sees him again! Hysterics Times Two! Now, we have to go.

So, I wasn't laughing when this happened, I just felt terrible. The greatest few minutes of their lives had turned into sheer terror, so yeah, I felt bad.

But that night, as I was falling asleep & cuddling with my husband, he whispered,

"Do you think we should get Glory a polar bear for Christmas?".

And I haven't stopped laughing yet.

another blog about food.

So, an amazing homemaker I am not.

What I am, is an excited-at-times-frustrated-homemaker-training.

One thing that has been super exciting to lately is cooking!

I really genuinely love it.

Planning it, buying the groceries, organizing my pantry and fridge (only to be unorganized in a mad dash for the kids milk in the morning), and getting in there and doing it.

Even when it's stressful, I like the puzzling puzzle of figuring when to put it in the crockpot if I won't have TIME set aside to cook and if my wonderful husband does give me time (aka - play "I get you" with the babes before dinner), I'm even more thrilled.

So in having this conversation with friends, the consensus was - more blogs should be written like this. Will you write one? Say what you're making this week and what ingredients you normally buy and we'll all glean inspiration from one another!

So here's whats on the menu this week:

(mon) Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

the sweet potatoes in this recipe have Nick eager with anticipation!

(tues) Cranberry Pork in the crock pot & sweet potatoes

Inspired by this meal that I'd make if I had tons o time.

(also, we don't always eat this fancy - that is a special at home christmas date night!)

(wed) Pad Thai in the crockpot

(noticing a trend?)

(thurs) Sandwhiches. Sorry, we have a fun family event planned:)

(fri) Duggars Three Bean Chili

(saturday & sunday) Leftovers and Frozen Soup!

So, a note on these recipes.

I don't buy silly ingredients (or ingredients that seem silly to me).

Liquid Amino?

So, if you can't buy it at Trader Joe's - I usually don't use it.

Also, once I use a recipe once I almost never look at it again. Not because I'm some sort of memory genius, but because my husband has a super helpful palette and if I make a recipe from online - I'll ask him how he thinks it could be better, make the changes and write down our new recipe.

So, here is also my grocery list.

Things for recipes:

cranberries

small serving of pork

sweet potatoes

rice noodles

soy sauce

coconut milk

ginger

red, orange, & yellow peppers

mushrooms

bean sprouts

broccolli

onions

pinto beans

northern beans

kidney beans

1 can tomatoes

frozen chicken breasts

things I almost always buy:

quick oats

string cheese

apple juice

orange juice

black tea

eggs

"just chicken" from TJ

spinach leaves

israeli couscous (I put it in everything, sorry Nick)

graham crackers

2 bunches bananas

animal crackers

shredded light mozzarella

avocados

2 loaves bread

2 nonfat plain yogurts

agave

rice milk

TJ's cheerios

pumpkin granola

2 milks

frozen soy corn dogs for kids

frozen mini pizzas for kids

2 bags veggie chips

hummus

granola bars

apples

2 bags of frozen berries

And that is like PERFECT for 8 days or so. I go shopping every Sunday so we start to build up a little reserve and then after about three weeks, I know I won't need to go grocery shopping for a whole week - we can just eat through everything and eat whatever I've frozen.

One more thing.

I'm trying to get us closer and closer to a mostly all natural, whole foods only, diet so if you have good old recipes like that - send them my way, please.

Happy Monday Everyone!

crimmas traditions, edition #1

I'm sorry it's way more fun to call it crimmas, since that's what Elias calls it.

He's so ghetto southern in all his words, I love it.

This week I've read a lot of good tradition blogs & and blogs addressing different Santa theories for families. I thought I'd chime our two cents in. I say "our" because my husband directs a lot of our tradition and I really appreciate that. Even things he doesn't totally understand, he'll research and then point us in the right direction for us.

1. So, to begin with. The big question.

To Santa or not to Santa.

I started saying a few years ago that we wouldn't do Santa, and I don't think I had many good reasons. Now, we've firmed up our decision with that and I think I can better explain why.

a. stewardship. We've just gotten to the place where our kids are constantly saying, "mine!". In response, we tell them in quick teaching moments and in long ones, that nothing is ours and that everything is the Lord's given to us to care for. This is how we encourage them to share and how we encourage them to take care of their things, since they are given to us straight from the Lord.

So no toy is only Elias' or only Glory's. We strongly encourage that only Glory play with the princess shoes, but that is another story in itself. Anyhow, it feels too hard with Christmas gifts to say - for this one day, these toys and gifts magically appear and they are all YOURS. I didn't get them for you, the Lord didn't provide them, SANTA DID! For me, I just don't have a good explanation for them when it comes time to share those or steward them well like God's gifts.

b. trust. I've gotten in the habit of asking the kids to trust me when I'm making a decision for them or asking them to obey. Nick and I try to explain that not all people are trust-worthy, but the Lord has given them to us to shepherd and so they can trust us. To even further this, when we sin against them - we usually apologize. I don't want them to think we are sinless or claim to be and I want them to know that when I do something wrong, I will try to make it right if I can. I want them to trust me.

So, again - I just don't have a good answer for how to explain to them after five or so odd years of lying to them that they can still trust me. And ya'll, lying used to be a struggle of mine. I could make up some good stories. I could really go nuts with the whole Santa/cookies/fireplace thing. How do I do that willfully for a few years and then say sorry? And encourage them to do it to their younger siblings?

c. St. Nick

We explain the vast amount of Santas everywhere by talking about St. Nicholas.

But he did anonymous good deeds, so we try to do those as a family too - all year round and especially at Christmas! Lately, most of ours have included baking because I really like to bake, but hate having sugar goods in the house.

d. magic

One argument I hear for Santa a lot is that it makes Christmas magical.

And that kind of makes me frown.

I really think our Christmas is going to be magical this year.

Talking about Jesus, cookies, flying to see family, fires, paper chains, the tree!, lights.

It's totally beautiful as is.

And also, come on - the birth of Christ! If we teach that as an actual historical event isn't that MUCH more magical than a fat, hairy man who wants us to sit on his lap?! Ya'll - there was a star in the sky to mark the birth of our Savior! And He lived a perfect life and we have books and books that recorded what he taught us! And He died for us!

AND HE LIVES IN US.

Forget magical, that is life changing.

Ok. Off my soap box.

Apparently, I get a little excited about the magical bit.

And now this has been too long to do other traditions so we'll make those next!

Also, a disclaimer. I think whatever works for your family is great. I was raised on some good old Santa, and I think I'm ok. This plan just happens to line up with our parenting and our new little developing traditions! So, what does your family do?

I can't stop myself.

Maybe this will be our final Christmas card!

Still want one? Hurry up!

Email me at jessi@naptimediaries.com

Thankful Thursday

It's Wednesday night, but I think I can skip ahead. There is no reason to leave such a depressing blog up for too long.

Here's what I'm thankful for.

• My sweet friend Kim coming over to help me clean & decorate for Silas' party tomorrow!
• Oh, and Silas' party here tomorrow night! So honored to get to celebrate it at my house! (and come on, I think there are like 22 kids RSVPed yes! What fun!)
• Quickdry nail polish.
• Paper chains to decorate with the kids.
  
  
  
• That Glor will be getting her permanent cast on Friday. I'm thinking it will be easier to clean - let's just hope it's still pink.
• Elias & Glory's new game, "I GET YOU!"
• For Nativity Sets. The toddlers have been playing those things like trading cards. After breakfast, Elias will bribe Glory to "swish merrrrry", meaning give him the mother of Jesus figure. She's the hot commodity. Her and the donkeys that they call horseys.
• That I will most likely, hopefully, get a shower tomorrow. (and to all the sweet friends who offered, our bathroom pipes aren't frozen - just the kitchen ones. my lack of showering was sadly due to too-much-to-do-syndrome)
• Coffee. What a great creation.
• The Bible. Mine is waiting on me to go to bed and wake up for our early date tomorrow. Which makes me smile.

So, friendlies - what are you thankful for?

update

My best friend moved.
Our pipes are frozen.
I need a shower.
I could also use a long quiet time.

But God is good.
Also, if this blog sounds much too depressing - don't worry.

Because, we're heading back to the East Coast soon for vacation!
Christmas with kids is fantastic!
And I really love our community here.

But I just don't feel like blogging:)

your high need child

When Gloriana was about three months old, I found a book in the library by the awesome Dr. Sears called, "The High Need Child". I took it home, read it cover to cover during a sleepless night and told Nick all about it the next day. It was such a great book to me because it acknowledged that some kids take a lot of special care, but reiterated that this wasn't something to see as negative - just something to take note of and pay attention to.

Let me back up. When I was twenty weeks pregnant with Glory, my doctor told us she had Trisomy 18 - a fatal genetic disorder (she didn't). When I was around thirty weeks pregnant, they told us she had hydrocephalus (she didn't). She's had MRSA twice and surgery once. When she was born, she had colic, a dairy allergy, a soy allergy, pretty intense reflux, and a cry that would actually frighten a grown man.

And then around six weeks, she started smiling and goodness gracious - the whole world changed! Who knew that someone could be equally terrifying with their infant rage and dazzling with their beautiful joy?

So I loved that book because I could see so clearly that Glory was different and special and would need a lot from us and I was more than happy to step up to the challenge because that girl is such a massive blessing to the world. Can you imagine what a smile like that will do for the Kingdom? What such a loving and generous heart will accomplish for the Glory of God?

So today, she fell. Just like normal toddlers fall - all the time. Just tumbled out of her chair, but this was different. She screamed a new scream and instead of toughing it out like normal - she kept on screaming. Eventually I realized she was holding her arm and thankfully, I was with friends who could watch the boys while I ran her to urgent care. By the time we got there, she was calm and sweet. Playing with my earrings and drinking her milk and both arms seemed fine. I thought we might be overkilling it, but since we were already there - we got some xrays just to check. She loved getting stickers and picked out one especially for Elias. As we waited for the doctor, she was using her bum arm to feed her sweet puppup and when our doctor walked in - all three of us were shocked. Broken arm?!

Glory kept saying, "I broke it?! I broke it!?"
He showed me the x-ray and the clean break right on her forearm and we all just kind of shook our heads at our tough little girl still using her very broken arm.

My high need child is really one of the greatest things in the whole world.
She takes so much energy and so much prayer and gives back quadruple what she takes in joy, love, and blessings.
I am so thankful for her, especially today, and thankful the Lord protected her with nothing more than a broken arm.

Thanks Lord for Glory.

where you'll find me.

My sweet husband invested in me in the form of books, God love him.
So now I'll be spending my weekend buried in these two places.



That Jillian book seems very "diet booky" but I promise it's not.
If you have ever talked about metabolism, eating clean, or how hormones affect us - read this! Especially women who have thyroid problems.

Next, this book by Noel Piper. I'm all about holidays and traditions and all about things that have to do with Jesus. So it's time to start combining those things for reals. Also, I'm hoping it will help me be a little more smooth in the talking when it comes to doing our advent calendar at night.

You should get those books, ok?
And we can talk about them!

fantasy christmas list

So this is what I would buy for all my loved ones, if I had millions of dollars.
Enjoy.
Look for your name, I did about three hundred:).

Lauren Hogan, LOOK AT THIS upcycled tshirt scarf! Can we youtube how to make one?

Lexi, this cheesy gravy boat is for you. Maybe if you put that delicious gravy in something not so pretty looking, I wouldn't be so tempted to ask you to tell me how to make it.

East Coast friends - Merry, Erin, LauraT, & Steph - how about we meet in
Charleston and cuddle under a blanket like this?

Lauren S. A beautiful journal to take sermon notes in together so we don't talk in the nursing mom's room.

For Kelly Cowan, because you're a great homemaker and a great photographer and being at your house, makes me want to just cuddle up with some coffee.

For Kimmy B - who is painfully stylish.
Painful for me, cause I'd like to be her.

For Nonny, wouldn't this wall decal be AMAZING in your kitchen?

For my firstborn, who is obsessed with trains & dinosaurs. There is actually a show called "Dinosaur Train" on pbs, but I'm worried it has evolutionist undertones.

For Marilee & Annie, new mommies to second sons - praying you get more sleep than imaginable.

Wait, one more for Elias. What does he love more than dinosaurs & trains?!
TRUCKS AND CHRISTMAS!

For Nick, because he tolerates my OCD planning, but doesn't LOVE the aesthetic of the dry-erase calendar in our kitchen.

For Benja, the original ninja baby.

Kalle, enough said.

And for Gloriana, so we could cook together.

And lastly, for real I might buy this for my sister. She loves a good accessory and this would just pop in her hair!

Thanks for indulging me, that was fun:)

christmas card goodness

Making Christmas cards for people is really fun until you want to blog about them! And then you feel like, "Welllll...... It is there christmas card! They may not want people to see it yet!"
....Or their baby announcement, or their etsy shop logo, or.... go on and on.
So while I've been working on lots of fun stuff, I'll just give you this one for today - it may or may not be my Christmas card. I haven't decided!

It's not too late for a custom or premade Christmas card, email me at jessi@naptimediaries.com!

Happy Tuesday!