Purposeful

Oh how life has changed.  I guess it's called growing up, becoming mature, or having small children...a combo of that and probably some more.

 Yes, it is New Year's Eve 2011 and I am sitting in a quiet, dimly lit house.  All other members are soundly sleeping.  My children do not realize a new year will be starting in 45 minutes.  My husband does, but is too exhausted to really care.  Maybe New Year's Eve will again one day hold excitement, but for now I am enjoying the peace and quiet of a late evening.

Even though New Year's Eve does not quite hold the excitement and festivity it once did,  it still brings a sense of anticipation.  We seem to think on the things of the past year...good or bad...and even allow our minds to drift and dream of what the next year will bring.
This past year has been one filled with some serious trials and heartache for several close to my heart.  I have watched how they and their families have handled them with strength and grace.  They have allowed the Lord to carry them.  Their trust and reliance upon Him has been so encouraging.  It has also been so awesome to see the hands and feet of Jesus at work as Christians have met the needs of these hurting ones.

This year has held some awesome joys for others close to my heart!  I welcomed a new niece and nephew this spring.  Then just tonight my 2nd nephew was born...a New Year's Eve baby!  I am so excited to meet Masen Alexander Morris!  New babies are such amazing miracles!  They never cease to amaze me!

As for our family, we have seen our share of ups and downs this past year.  It has been a year of adjustment that I do not feel I have handled all that well.  I have done a lot of reflecting the past couple of weeks...actually the past couple of months.

The Lord has really been teaching Nate & I a lot of things these past few months.  He has been digging deep in our hearts and changing them.  He has been showing us things in a whole new light and taking things right under our nose and kind of just shoving them up our nose.  Let's face it...sometimes we don't see what's right under our nose until it causes us to sneeze!

I do not just want to exist on this earth for myself or even my family.
I don't want to just have a "good enough" marriage.
I don't want to make decisions because it's the most popular choice.
I don't want to just "raise" my kids.

I want to live so that others will know Jesus.
I want to live so that I can see others' needs around me.
I want to have a marriage that is all that God wants it to be.
I want to make decisions that point my family and others to the gospel.
I want to be purposeful in the things I do.

Purposeful in my marriage...
Purposeful in my parenting...
Purposeful in relationships...
Purposeful in making a difference for Jesus...
I don't want this year to pass by in a blur where I am just trying to make it from one day to the next.
I want to be purposeful!
I know this post has no pictures and it's not even really about the kids (although it will effect them).
So why am I rambling on?

Since this blog is a scrapbook for my children, I want them to know that we are always a work in progress.  That even me, their mother who has eyes in the back of her head and knows all, is continually being molded by the Lord, taught by the Lord, and grown as a child of God, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend (and now an aunt once again)!

So my beloved children, however old you are when you read this and whatever life circumstance you are in....know that you also are a beautiful (or handsome) work in progress.  Whether you have blown it a million times or have managed to make a plethora of good choices (more than likely some of both), God is continually molding you into someone that has a purpose that will bring glory to His name.  Hang on to the promise that He is NOT done with you yet!  He will carry it out to completion!  The same is true for you my dear friends and family!  We will all live for something this year...for some it might be yourself, a spouse, a job, an addiction, a child.  I challenge you to not let any of those things mold you, but to allow God to fill your life with His purpose!   If you think of it down the road of this year...ask me if I am remembering to be purposeful in the things I do!  If God is molding me or my own selfish ambitions are running the show!?!  I'm sure I could use the friendly reminder!

Enough for now...It is officially 2012.

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Much Love,
Betsy (or Mommy...or probably Mom by now)

Christmas with the Slaters

Earlier in the month we went over to the Slaters one evening to just hang out and let the kids play.

We took Mackies pizza and the kids decorated sugar cookies...a tradition for this crew!

 Kade was the cookie thief!!!  He was putting them on his tray and in the trash!

HK and Kellen are getting pretty good at their decorating skills!

These two BUSYBODIES got stuck under the same chair!  

This cracks me up!  I made Nolan take his shirt off so it wasn't covered in green icing.  

He was showing us his "big" muscles...lol!  

Buddy, I'm sure one day they will get there!  

But I bet they won't be as cute as these!

Karsten was trying to show him how to make muscles.  It was rather humorous!

It once again was a fun and crazy evening with the Slater/Oldham combo.  

It is so nice having them just in Carterville this year!

Then the Thursday before Christmas the parents of this motley crew went out without the children!

Thanks to Nana & Grampy for being so brave to come over and stay with all 6 kiddos.

It was a very nice evening to eat and chat...in a relaxed atmosphere with no kiddo worries!

Hopefully we can do it again!

Christmas Day is Near

Our advent candle...

My siblings and I had one of these candles every Christmas season bought for us by my Granny & Grampy.  You burn each day down and the 25th has a manger scene.  We always had to take turns blowing it out each night.  This year my children had their first advent candle...

Bought for them by their Nana & Grampy.  They love burning it while we eat dinner.  We forgot yesterday and did one at lunch and another at dinner today.  Of course they both want to blow it out.  So today at lunch it was Nolan's turn to blow out the candle.   

HK looks like she is getting ready to blow too!  

Nine more days until Christmas day!

Also noted by our calendar.

HK is really excited because it turns out that she gets to do the 25th which is Baby Jesus!

 Last evening was the Christmas program at ECCS...HK's school.  

They sang several songs.

She and Joey recited Romans 10:9 and a poem called What Can I Give Him by Christina Rossetti...

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd I would give Him a lamb.

If I were a wise man I would do my part.
What can I give Him?  Give Him my heart!

 Last Sunday evening was the children's program at church.

HK was Mary and began the program by telling everyone John 3:16.

Ughhh....Christmas performances are a lot more complicated with this one!

At church it was a disaster.  Dad had to take him out.  I had no tricks in my bag....very unprepared that night for some reason.  Last night at the school program I came prepared, but still 30 minutes is about max of sitting quietly.  He was funny...eating his goldfish, clapping with everyone, laughing when everyone else laughed, and flirting with the people behind him.  

This is a song that they sang at HK's program.  

We have been singing it a lot around our house lately.  

We love to sing and dance to it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UTcgqsnjys

Everybody likes to take a holiday

Everybody likes to take a rest
Spending time together with the family
Sharing lots of love and happiness.

Come on, ring those bells,
Light the Christmas tree,
Jesus is the king
Born for you and me.
Come on, ring those bells,
Every-body say,
Jesus, we remember
This your birthday.

Celebrations come because of something good.
Celebrations we love to recall
Mary had a baby boy in Bethleham
The greatest celebration of all.

Come on, ring those bells,
Light the Christmas tree,
Jesus is the King
Born for you and me.
Come on, ring those bells,
Every-body say,
Jesus, we remember
This your birthday.

Christmas in Louisville

We celebrated the actual day of Nolan's birthday while we were in Louisville for Christmas with Uncle Kent, Aunt Melissa, and Baby Boy.  

 We had pancakes, bacon, and fruit for birthday breakfast!

My boys LOVE pancakes!

(Check out the sweet snuggles of Grampy and Liam)

There's another crazy dinosaur!

After breakfast Nolan opened some birthday presents.

Yes, it's a dinosaur on a stick that roars!

(thank you Nana & Grampy per the Dollar General)

This dino was pretty exciting too!

He has five of the Dinosaur Train interacting friends.

They are pretty cute.

Who needs toys or gifts when there is a box!

After the breakfast celebration, Dad and Kent went out and got a real Christmas tree for the living room.

We had cupcakes and ice cream for lunch!

Then we had a Christmas decorating party in the afternoon!

Uncle Kent, Aunt Melissa, and Baby Boy

Liam and Baby Boy both chillin' 

Greatie brought Uncle Kent's stocking and Uncle Kent and Aunt Melissa had sweet stockings for the kids filled with goodies.  

HK helped Grampy pass out presents by reading the names! 

She was quite pleased that she could help do this!

Again...just give him a box!

HK loving her new Belle doll!

I think we were pretty tired by this point in the evening...lol!

We missed you Ang!

How stinkin' cute are these scrubs for Baby Boy!?!

They say Dr. Morris!

This pictures is one for the books!

Here is Gran sweeping Kent's front porch!
You had to see it to believe it!
It was definitely an act of love!

Sunday morning we "showered" Baby Boy (Daddy and Mommy too).

Liam sharing some of those sweet snuggles with Uncle Kent.

Can't be with Uncle Kent without some crazy action too!

Liam loves it just as much as the older two!

I think this picture is sooo sweet!

HK was checking out her Baby Cousin!

These pictures crack me up because HK is unhappy, Nolan happy...

 HK VERY unhappy, Nolan cracking up...

HK moves to where she wanted to be and SUPER happy...Nolan so mad he cries!

Can't we all just smile at once for once!

We had a very fun weekend celebrating all kinds of things...three year old boy, Christmas, baby boy!

We missed Aunt Ang and Uncle Kenny (but looking forward to seeing them in a few weeks).

We also look forward to meeting Baby Boy soon!

By the way...Nana and Grampy were with us too...even though I don't think they were in any of the pictures (probably because Nana took them all)!