Amongst the chaos

The house is an utter mess and I couldn't be happier. Family -that's what its all about. I got what I really wanted for Christmas. It is like finding an oasis in the desert. Board games, football, babies, and pumpkin pie! Left over snow, for one last snowman, yes, God is good!

Dreaming of a white christmas?

These are not the pictures I imagined taking for Christmas today. I thought there would be happy faces of my family opening gifts. Instead, the snow continues to dump on us and no one can make it here. Mark found himself helping the neighbor girls free their car in the road, and filling the bird feeder for the birds. Isn't that what the true meaning of Christmas is anyway? Loving and serving, I'm thankful we have more to eat than the birds and were safe and warm this blessed Christmas day.

Love your neighbor....

As yourself. Our retired neighbor man decided he would stop when he got to our yard.

Looks like we have some evangelising to do :)

Evidence

There are only two people that live in our house. Neither of us can fit in a crib , or prefer strained sweet potato. We can sit up to the table with out the help of a strap, and we don't have time for many games. If you were to come to my house you might think otherwise, because there is evidence that suggests different. We have a guest that we love very much, and when she is near we want her every wish to be fulfilled. Yep, you guessed it, Baby Bean, and the guest room can be her room, and the garage can be crowded, and the flour and sugar can be moved to the side. It made me think of the evidence we have all around us everyday (like this snow storm!!) that God is all around me. He gives me friends and family that send there accommodating love just in the nick of time, when I need love. Thank you God, we need your evidence.

Party Time?

The plan was to be at work for the ornament exchange with the office gals. Six days of being snow bound I had to figure out a "finger food" to take , using what I had around here. Those of you who know me, and how I don't cook, unless I really have to ,would appreciate my idea. Take holiday cups, fill with micro-wave popcorn and peanut holiday M & M's, wrap with a sandwich bag, tape on a gift tag and ribbon, compliments of the dollar store... Wha... La! 30 little snacks for about 5 dollars! Now I have to assume Mark can chain up the truck in the snow and get me to work before the office closes at 5pm!

Baby Bean?

This was the first picture I saw of my grand daughter. When I saw it , it reminded me of a bean, hence I called her baby bean. It still fills my heart with wonder, to see how awesome God is as the Creator. Truly amazing! (She made her entrance into the world March 21st this year and she is still just as photogenic, just a little more smiley )

The Best Gift Ever.....

My Sisters. Two people that "get me" and make me laugh so hard my face and side hurt. Separated by ocean, land, and fear of flying, we are still closer then we have ever been. Thanks mom and dad! you did good.
P.S. Don't underestimate the treasure of sister-in-laws. I have 6! Truly "my cup runneth over" I am so blessed.
P.S.S. The baby in this picture now has a baby of his own, having her first Christmas this month.

The Weather Outside is frightful

Snowzilla has arrived! I think my house is cleaner then it has ever been, because the only alternative is to go outside. No sir! The veiw's are the front of the house and down the street.

One thing I have noticed is the silence. The only sounds are the little birds and they are fantastic to watch. How often do I take time to notice these precious little red and yellow and grey birds?

Record snowfall, the most we've seen around here in 40 years, and I am blessed to be warm and finished with all my christmas shopping. Look out when it all melts! Yikes!

These are a few of my favorite things.....

I wanted to have a picture of my sisters on this post, but my computer is not cooperating.
Part of being snow bound for the 5th day in a row, is the urge to organize EVERYTHING!
I was tackling the basket of receipts, bills and other papers, when I came to a list that I have saved for several years. It was a written by my sister after a I had commented to her that I can do several things, but I'm not really good at anything. She wrote :
Kris is Good at:
cross-stitching,painting,gardening,crocheting, cleaning sewing,mothering , guitar, piano flute,quilting,teaching,volunteering,designing,drawing, following through,sending packages,cooking,listening,encouraging,exercising,wife,being loyal, babysitting, dependability.

Then she told me to keep it and remember this list when I felt I wasn't good enough.
I still have it....

This reminded me of God and how his word is the place I go to , so that when I am tempted to forget just what He thinks of me I can be reminded again that...
We are :
Loved, created by the one who made the amazing snow, written on the palm of Gods hand,
valued above the heavenly hosts, forgiven, blessed, and belong to a family.. we matter!

Welcome!

This is where i live now, in the middle of winter wonder land! It was so strange to fill my info into this blog and write Longview for the town i live in. I live in Longview, but am from Florence, Or.

Now i understand how people would feel when they would move to Florence , but tell me where they grew up. I always wondered why that mattered, now i know. I have that same twinkle in my eye when i describe my "home town". Then it came to me, that is what it is like for Christians, we are all just living here on earth, ,but get us talking about our future home, the real world , heaven, and that twinkle in our eye comes back. God placed a longing inside that no matter where we live, or what we are doing, its a constant reminder that this is all temporary and one day we will feel completely, wonderfully at home!