Another Year Older . . .

. . . But thankfully not deeper in debt!  ;-)  Michael asked me earlier this month what I wanted for my birthday.  My answer?  These people celebrating with me!

My beloved, our friend Arnold, our sister Allison (in the blue), & her friend Catherine (who we really like & were so happy she could join us) 

Michael had a hard time catching me with my eyes open.  Apparently, I close them when I smile or laugh.  Which I did a lot this particular evening.

 Sweet T & Angie - such precious ladies!

Lynn (you should visit her blog) & Sweet T (whom you've heard a lot about!) 

Leslie - pretty in pink (you should visit her blog, too!) 

Amber & Brett - proud new parents of a handsome baby boy!  One of Michael's favorite words to describe me is "feisty"; Amber's feisty like me!  ;-) 

Is this not the most precious couple?!  This is Jon & Sommer - Yep!  That Sommer!  One of my absolute favorite people in the whole world.  Nice to put a face with the name, huh?  She's just as pretty on the inside, too.  And her husband is absolutely as nice as he looks.  They are such a great, godly couple!

And this little fella?  Why, he's "my nephew" Josiah, Jon & Sommer's little boy.  I adore him!

Now, I thought that I was clear when I asked these precious people to come celebrate with us that I did not want presents.  They brought them anyways along with some very sweet cards.  I was grateful - & felt so loved - but really just them being there was present enough!  However, I did love my cards & gifts!

Allison got me these beautiful little bowls, even making sure to get one in my favorite color!  Sweet girl!

Our pastor & his precious family.  This past summer, they took a family photo & posted it on Facebook.  I told Michael - & later Sweet T - that I wanted to print it out & put it up in our home.  I love them that much!  So, Sweet T surprised me with this Christmas family photo!  I didn't even have to pirate it!  It's already in a frame next to our sofa.  It's a blessing to have a pastor's family that you love so much that you want to have a picture of them in your home!  (Sorry my picture of it is so blurry; to see a better version - & fully appreciate it - visit Lynn's blog.)

I fairly squealed when I opened the envelope containing this little gem!  See, one thing I haven't told you yet is that Lynn is a very accomplished photographer!  So, for her to give us this gift, is truly a treasure indeed!

Where exactly do you hang your first-ever scarf (& first-ever houndstooth piece of clothing - Roll Tide!) to photograph it?  Let me tell you, doorknobs don't work.  And I don't like pictures of myself if I can avoid them (which, in this case, I can).  So, lamp it is!  A dorky position, perhaps, but a lovely present, don't you think?

This picture & the next one have a special story.  This is Michael's gift to me, one for which I have yearned for years.  He's never had a reason to buy it before now, though.  The other day, we went to Cracker Barrel, & as he paid the bill, I strolled over to the Willow Tree display & proceeded to sob over all of the pregnant mama & baby figurines.  I wasn't vocal about it, but the tears were flowing freely!  Michael came over & said softly, "You can't stand in the middle of the store & cry!"  ;-)  So when I walked into our bedroom to find this & a homemade birthday card, you can bet the tears began again! . . .

And then, that evening, I opened up Sommer's gift to me last to find this figurine - one of the very ones that I stood in Cracker Barrel & boo-hooed over!  She had conspired with Michael to get this for me, even chatting with him through her husband's Facebook account!  I don't really have to tell you my reaction, do I?  I felt very loved that she would care enough about me to do this.  Aaannnddd, just before I opened these gifts, she asked me what Michael got me & was regaled with the above story . . . all of which she already knew, unbeknownst to me!  Sneaky girl!  ;-)

This hasn't been the easiest year of my life - dealing with Ginger's death & grieving over infertility - but it has been a year in which God has shown me His all-surpassing grace & mercy.  And He has brought great joy into our lives by giving us the precious gift of our little M&M!  He has also given us the gift of all of these wonderful people, people whom we love & are so grateful to be able to share our lives with.  All in all, another year older has meant another year of experiencing God's loving presence & another year of getting to love others & be loved by them.  If I do say so myself, we live very good lives!  Soli Deo Gloria!

I'm 33!

"Old . . . as . . . dirt!", my brother proclaimed as I answered his phone call.  After some bantering, I asked, "Have you & Michael been talking?  Because when we were in the grocery store earlier, he looked down an aisle & said 'You're getting pretty old.  Think you need those Depends?'"  Chris cracked up!  Which of course made me cackle, because he has the best laugh!  We are a very sarcastic family who loves to playfully pick on each other.  We laughed our way through the conversation.  Especially when - as we're standing on the porch, mind you - Mama & Dad's white truck cruises past our house not once, but twice.  Of course, Chris was more than happy to call her on my behalf & harass her!  ;-)

I wanted to get lots of pictures of them arriving (finally!) & our whole time together, but we were so involved in catching up & just being together that I only got a few.  And those are with the dogs!  We sat around talking for a while & then had my dad's famous steaks as my birthday dinner Monday night, followed by me opening my presents.  Even though I told him not to, Michael completely spoiled me!  It was really sweet!  Basically, when I gave him ideas for some things I'd like, he just got me all of it!

I made pancakes & sausage for breakfast Tuesday morning, which held us really well until that evening when we went to Olive Garden for supper.  I was supposed to make red beans & rice, but waited until too late to start.  Mama & I were also supposed to make Granny's Chocolate Sheath cake & fudge, but we renege on plans every time we get together because we spend practically all our time talking!

They left right before 9 this morning & are almost home now.  Tears flowed when they drove away, & we already miss them.  The time flew by far too quickly, but we promised not to let so much time go between visits again.

I wish we'd gotten more pictures, but here's a sampling of the ones we did take.

 Ginger loves her Papa!

 Jake got so much attention from Papa that he smells like Papa's cologne!

 She ate all this attention up!

 Jake was none too pleased with all of the "Ginger love", but was more gratified when he got lots of personal attention from his Mawmaw.

Inventory:  The Lord of the Rings trilogy (gorgeous hardcover illustrated books & the extended-cut movies) plus The Hobbit; both Narnia movies plus "Up", "How to Train Your Dragon", & "The Ultimate Gift"; all of Brian Crain's CDs; Bath & Body Works Cherry Blossom & Butterfly Flower shower gel, lotion, & body spray; a couple of children's books The Rag Doll & Over the Fence; Comforts from the Cross; The Hidden Life of Prayer; Through Gates of Splendor & The Shadow of the Almighty, both books about Jim Elliot.

Just as I was about to publish this post, Michael ran in with another box calling "Happy Birthday!" again.  Can we say, "overboard"?!

Light Keepers complete box sets of "Ten Girls" & "Ten Boys"; 4 books from a series new to me called Chosen Daughters:  Against the Tide, Wings like a Dove, Dr. Oma, & A Cup of Cold Water; & Living Faith

My parents coming for a visit, spending my 3rd birthday as Michael's wife, being spoiled rotten by my family (with love & gifts) - it's been a fabulous birthday!

A Blessed Life

I turned 32 today. I'm not sure how that happened...well, I am, but you know what I mean. One day I was 20, & then overnight it seems, I was able to say things like "I haven't seen so-&-so since we graduated 13 years ago." Regardless of what my brother says (who is a mere 2 years younger than I), I realize I'm not old. A fact that my sweet niece confirmed when she called today. But then I don't think you're truly old until you act like it. Sometimes, people who are in their late 80s who think & act younger aren't even old yet! So, anyways, looking back over my life, I see God's fingerprints everywhere. Of course, I see them in His choosing me before the foundation of the world as His child, to be saved from my sin & His wrath by His Son's atoning death. I see them in His blessing me with my family. I see them in His blessing me with my sweet Michael, our pets, & our home. I also see Him in the trying times:
    
     *My parents' divorce, which He used to drive me to His Word that shows me how to be a godly wife, what a godly husband will be like, & that marriage is from Him & I should rely on Him if hard times come.
     *My molestation, which He used to drive me to reliance on Him for forgiveness toward those who wounded me & gave me a righteously fierce protection over others, as well as intense empathy for others' pain. (As an aside, He also used Mark Driscoll's sermon on expiation to show me that not only did Jesus' death in my stead cleanse me of my own sin, but it cleansed me from the sins committed against me. How freeing!)
     *My infertility (although reversible), which He still uses to show me that He is enough, whether He gives me children or not.
     *The years-long rift between a loved one & me, which He used to show me that while others will fail me, He will not; that He has always been & will always be right there with me, loving me, guiding me, & sanctifying me until I reflect Christ perfectly.

That's the purpose of trials in the life of a child of God -- they are instruments lovingly used by our wise & sovereign heavenly Father to mold us into the image of Christ for His glory. Everywhere in my life, I see proof of God, proof of His love, proof of His guidance, proof that He will work out His plan for my good & His glory. He is an infinitely holy God who is infinitely worthy of all of my praise! Without Him, I am nothing. Because of Him, I've led - & continue to lead, regardless of what trials may come my way - a truly blessed life.

*My gracious Father in heaven, thank you. Thank you for my life & all of the blessings that you have bestowed upon me. Thank you for this wonderful birthday spent with my precious husband.  Thank you, most of all, for giving me You. For being my God, my Father. For saving me from my sin. You never fail me, You always love me & do what's best for me, even when it hurts. Please continue to draw me to You & sanctify me so that I reflect Your Son to the world. Glorify Yourself through my life. I love You, Lord; help me to love You supremely. In Christ's holy name, Amen.