Just Reminiscing while I cook! Thanks Ju for helping me find this oldie but goodie for my New Years' Eve playlist

What's on your holiday playlist?

Ezra's Christmas Concert! We are so proud of him.

This is my favorite Christmas Video today!

What time I am afraid, I will trust in the Lord!

Yesterday, I had a complete delightful time with my little ones. We danced and frolicked, etc. We took a trip to the Discovery-Place! It is just the best.

I simply couldn't have designed a better place for a bunch of 2 year olds! We walked in and I said, this is the place for me. All of the children looked at me and knew that I was just about to do my "holy dance" or "pitch forward" as we "Boddens" affectionately call it.

I was taught in my spiritual disciplines class that God is exalted when we praise Him through the darkest nights. I danced to this song, when my heart was in pieces on the floor. I imagined yesterday, dancing with the little children and I really didn't believe that I could get up from there. And there I was dancing with the little ones. Thank you Sandy Patti and everybody that prayed for me in my darkest hours, that I could get up! Thanks to my "pitch forward" class and the grace of God.

Psalm 139

Happy Birthday to me.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it...

is to prepare a little fellow for the best and most challenging mission of his life. The mission of becoming a big brother was Braxton's promotion, yesterday.

I met baby Braxton at 3 months old and it was my pleasure to watch him become the delightful and cantankerous{sometimes} toddler that he has become. I took it for granted in my prayer time, yesterday, that a real milestone was coming for my dear little friend{and he has become a friend}.

He walked in the door at 6:10am and I felt led to say God is good to him, first thing. He responded, without a breath "How good?" I wasn't expecting his response at all. I was just throwing this little cliche' into his hearing with the hopes that he would catch it someday, by and by. I said "...too good to make a mistake." He seemed a bit out of sorts and we tried to get to the potty, as we were directed by his Dad to do. This became a delightful catch me if you can game which we laughed about. Nobody else would have been laughing at such a couple of laps around the daycare. I was. I was laughing that I couldn't catch him and still I would continue to try. I became a big sister so many times in my life that I cannot even count anymore. Real baby sisters and spiritual baby sisters are a wonderful blessing to me and so I should have noticed that the moment was coming for my Braxton and that this was my mission of the day. It still took me by suprise. He acted tired, once I caught him, so I put him on my lap, like a baby and began telling him how special it is to be a big brother. He wet 2 minutes after I had put him on the potty, which is not unlike him. I had a thick blankie under him, but the puddle was on the floor and not on me, Thank God.

We had an ordinary day. He regressed a bit and was weeping and crying, from the time that he heard the baby was born until naptime. I was sensitive to his pain, but firm that we had to keep to the schedule. I kept telling him that mommy was alright and this seemed to help him.

It reminded me of the day Daddy and Ju and I had to pull over in the car, because Ju had a fit that mommy wasn't coming back home. She thought the song on the radio meant that mommy wasn't coming back. Dad had to pull over, for her screaming. I remember thinking, why do they keep comforting her about this. They would've spanked me for such a performance? I love my baby sisters and I do enjoy somewhat the impossible mission of preparing big brothers for their role in a youngerling's life!

I am struck afresh at the magnitude of Christ's presence in my life. Eternally grateful to HIM!