I’ve been trying to listen to this podcast

school is going strong

I’ve started this study

and I bought this on Etsy

and Mr & I are escaping next week

Hello to the new semester & a few new subjects!

Good-bye icky wallpaper & ancient (not vintage) sconces!! Hello beginnings of a new bathroom.

Hello CS Lewis, it’s an honor to be studying another on of your books.

Good-bye vacation, good-bye to eating too much pizza & looking at too many screens. Hello to routine & limits, I’m glad to see you again.

This picture was taken at a friend’s house in the fall of 1998. We had just driven back from an appointment with a tall, lanky neonatologist in KY. He’d looked at the ultrasound then leaned back in his chair & put his hands on his head, he would lean forward again, peering closely at the screen. I could tell he was formulating his words, making careful choices.. the only ones I remember now are,
“Your first option is to abort.”
“That’s not an option.”
I answered more quickly than I thought, as in the words came out of my mouth when I hadn’t even formed them in my mind. I’m thankful.
On the drive home I looked at my husband & said that I could understand why someone would choose to abort.
He didn’t appreciate that comment.
I knew I wasn’t going to, I had said that immediately, but I also knew this baby wouldn’t live & I suddenly understood how a young mother would choose.
Our baby had a massive defect. Originally thought to be a tumor, several of her organs were outside her body. She was diagnosed with Limb-Body Wall Complex.
The next couple months were filled with doctor’s appointments, tears, sleepless nights, false hopes, prayers, anointing, cards, work, parenting, daily life. Someone asked, “What’s the hardest part right now?”
My answer, “Knowing the worst is yet to come.”.
But right now, in this moment, I would say the worst was the waiting. In that answer above was someone who didn’t know how it was all going to happen. Labor was dangerous, contractions harmful, miscarriage inevitable. No one had the slightest idea of what to expect, but the Lord. He knew so I differed to Him.
Psalm 121:1&2 came to me one night while sleep was impossible. Verses 3&4 were a comfort.

Her delivery was miraculous, her baptism a spectacular blessing, her sweet little self with diminutive curls and tiny fingers- a gift.
13 years ago today.
And I await the day we all join her in heaven with Christ. Somedays I look at our table and there seems to be an obvious empty place. Other days we’re full.
Today I am content.

There is a wonderful website that I’ve just found for families who have had babies like Jesse. This is such a blessing.

Our live tree, colorful lights & mishmash of ornaments… some handmade, some gifted, some handed down.

Our growing St. Nick collection.

Okay, so candy cane Joe-Joe’s from Trader Joe’s aren’t actually part of our Christmas collection…. but they are a huge part of our Christmas tradition!
So are:

Christmas pajamas

Snowflakes hanging on our ever-changing wall

and the nativity atop the piano.
When I looked at that blog this morning I was so inspired & pumped to plan more decorations, more collections, more, more…
Then I stopped short.
My Pastor has been talking about not spending time & money acquiring things recently. His words rang in my mind.
We don’t need more. Not to judge that beautiful home at all – seriously, I loved it! But I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I did not need to add to our little Christmas collection.
What I did think of was this.
Which led me here -

This year we are buying 2 bibles for children.
It’s a small start, but I think I’d like this collection to grow.

Hello to finishing shopping, baking, wrapping & Hello to celebrating our Savior’s birth!!