Could you imagine?

Merry Christmas! I hope that everyone had a wonderful day. We did... I will post some pictures and videos later.

I had a moment yesterday and just wanted to share it with you. As you all know, my Dad passed away in August and this is the first Christmas that we have had to spend without him. These last couple of weeks have been hard for me personally because I am still feeling a huge void in my life and I have been having a hard time finding the "joy" this holiday season. It seemed like every time I would think about Christmas, I would attach a negative adjective to it and I forgot the real reason that we are celebrating. If you know me at all, you know that normally I LOVE Christmas... I put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving, I put out my million gazillion decorations, and I have a smile on my face that just won't go away. This year I barely put out any decorations, and the only reason we had a tree up (we didn't get it up until last weekend) is because of my wonderful husband deciding that we needed some holiday cheer. To be honest, I was just ready to get Christmas over with so that I wouldn't have to think about my Dad not being here.

Yesterday we decided to go to our church's Christmas Eve service. As the worship team started singing Silent Night, the lights were all out and it was completely dark inside this huge room except for one candle light that was shinning. The worship leader light her candle from the one, and from there the light started to spread as the worship team and choir continued sing. Before you knew it, all the hundreds of us who were in that room held a candle whose flame was started from the one little flame. It was one of those moments that just took your breath away... to see that image... all those candle lights... and to hear the sounds of everyone singing... it just took your breath away.

Then I started thinking... if I think what I am seeing and hearing is this awesome here, just imagine what my Dad is seeing and hearing in Heaven right now. Imagine the singing there... it is more awesome than anything my ears have ever heard. Imagine the angels by candle light in Heaven... now that is something that would take my breath away. At the same time that I was experiencing something that I thought was breath taking here on Earth, my Dad was experiencing something so much more in Heaven, a million times better ... so much more that I couldn't even imagine! I think that was the first time that I have been comforted in knowing that even though my Dad is not here with me, he is in a place that is so wonderful, so perfect, so magnificent. That puts a smile on my face... the smile that I had lost during this season until now.

Merry Christmas.

Ho Ho Ho

We took the kids to see Santa for the first time this year! We stood in line for an hour and a half, and very surprisingly the babies did great! (Give them chick-fil-a nuggets and they are angels... ha!) I was worried that they were going to scream when we handed them off to Santa, but they didn't... they were really fascinated by his beard... it was really cute. I can't believe that we actually have a picture where Gavin is the one smiling and Madaleine isn't!

Christmas Pictures

We finally went to get our Christmas pictures taken... here are a few. I wasn't thrilled with how they turned out (I don't think I'm very thrilled with any picture that has me in it... ha!), but I'm glad we did it.

Snow in Houston?!?!?

Can you believe it?!?!? It actually snowed here! It is such a rare site here, that we native Houstonians get all silly and excited about it that we just have to get pictures! Len called me on his way home from work and asked if I looked outside lately, that it was coming down hard! (Yes, we call any snow at all coming down hard!) I went outside and couldn't believe it. My brother called me a little later and was all excited. A while ago we were talking and I was saying that they need to make a past tense word for snow... like snew! So now me and him always joke and say that it snew instead of it snowed... ha!






... and that my friends is real snow in Houston!

Gavin isn't far behind Madaleine!

Here are two short videos of Gavin learning how to walk! Yep... that's right, he is now taking a few steps! Before I know it they will be running faster than I can keep up with them. Also, one of the videos shows Gavin shaking his head no.... his favorite thing to do right now.

Birthday party... the good and the bad

Well, this past Saturday we had the babies first birthday party! I can't believe that it is already said and done with... where did that first year go??? The party turned out great, but poor little Gavin got sick on Friday. He started having diarrhea and he threw up dinner Friday night. To make things worse, he went poo in his diaper in the middle of the night Friday while he was sleeping, and we didn't notice it until the next morning... so needless to say, his little bottom was VERY raw! When Sat rolled around, Gavin seemed to be doing okay, so we went on with the party like we had planned. After everyone left though, Gavin started to have the bad diapers again. I made him sleep in bed with us Sat. night and Sun. night so that I could change him if he went in the middle of the night... and sure enough he did. It was miserable having him sleep with us because he HATES it. He is so used to his crib that he couldn't get comfy, so he really didn't sleep all that well (and we didn't either). He seems to be doing a little better, although he still has a raw bottom and is still going at least 4-5 times a day. Anyways, here are the birthday party pics... enjoy!






"I have my party hat on and am ready to PARTY!"


"Hey Mom, is this really necessary???"


"What is this thing?"


"Well, it's good whatever it is!"


"Oh, excuse me... I got a little on the side of my mouth... let me wipe it off."


"Can we have this for lunch everyday Mommy?"


Precious messy girl!


"I claim this present Gavin!"


Of course the wrapping paper was a bigger hit than any of the presents!


"Oh... this is what I always wanted!!!"


Look in the background of the baby biting Mommy's head... ha!


I think this is one of the only presents Gavin was interested in opening


This is what he did instead of opening presents... he went around socializing with all the guests


The morning after... playing with new toys


I love the static hair!