Direction???????????

I'm not sure where these two are headed but it looks pretty serious.

I think Clara Beth may be getting instructions over the phone. What do you think?

Even though there are times when I seem to be "lost" and without a clear purpose or direction I am thankful to know who is leading me. Lord help me to take stock each and every day of the direction You are leading me in.

Until next time......................

The steps of the Godly are directed by the Lord.

He delights in every detail of their lives.

Though they stumble, they will not fall,

for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Psalm 37:23-24

Robin

Happy Chinese New Year!!!!!!!!!!!

Guess Where We Went......................

We took our seats..........

Had a little popcorn...........

Maybe a LOT of popcorn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Handfuls at a time!!!!!!!!!!

and watched this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Both of my little ones were in absolute awe as they watched wide eyed while Elmo and his friends sang and danced away. My heart was full and I too found myself carried away with them. Too often we busy ourselves with “things” so we are unable to enjoy fully the wonder that lies around us. This happens with our walk with God too. My prayer for this year is to recapture those feelings of wonder for our Heavenly Father and not to lose sight of His grandeur in our daily lives.

Until next time………

O give thanks to the Lord of Lords,
for His steadfast love endures forever;
who alone does great wonders,
for His steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 136:3-4

Robin

Tea Anyone.........

We hope you enjoy our tea party.

Until next time..........................

May your cup be filled with good things.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Part of Psalm 23:5

Robin

Little Virtuosos???

Emanuiel came to us not to long after we were home from China pretending to play a violin with two tinker toys. We were amazed at how he did it. We had never talked to him about a violin so we don't know if he saw someone in China play a similar instrument or an actual violin but he knew exactly what to do with it. Surprise......he got one for Christmas and it didn't take long for Clara Beth to catch on too!!! Do I see performers in our future.....we just don't know what kinds of talents and gifts they hold, how exciting it will be to watch them grow and develop them.

Until next time.......... make the most of your talents and gifts what ever they might be!

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;
if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Romans 12:6-8

Robin

"Movin" and "Groovin" into the New Year

As we move and groove and ring in the new year let us continue to stay focused in the right direction.



This year it is my prayer that my family and I can stay attuned to what God wants us to do. Let us turn up the volume and Pay attention to His voice.


Until next time.....................
Lord open our ears to the sounds around us so that we all can listen.
O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
listen, He sends out His voice, His mighty voice.
Psalm 68:33

Robin

Christmas Eve Morning Cooking

This year was definitely one of the best ever!! The little elves and the big ones helped to make it all very special. We did LOTS of cooking together. Here is one of my little helpers licking the bowl after we mixed up banana bread for a special visitor we were expecting. Around here you just about have to stand in line to be the bowl licker!!

Here's the bread all warm and yummy from the oven courtesy of my Paula Deen Christmas cookbook!!!

Wrapped and ready to give away!!

Christmas Eve morning Daddy elf made us delicious pancakes straight from the North Pole(by way of Williams -Sonoma)

The little elves could hardly wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh we can't wait to gobble these up can we.....................

What could be better after a huge breakfast of pancakes than baking Christmas cookies!!!!! Oh what messy fun we had. There were red sprinkles decorating everything in the kitchen including us!!

Most were round, but we did have a few Christmas trees and Santas mixed in.

I think I'll have one or......................

maybe two!!!! I hope your Christmas was as delicious as ours was!!! More to come of Christmas morning treasures.

Until next time.........

But this precious treasure-this light and power that now shine within us- is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.

2 Corinthians

4:7

Remember that He is our greatest treasure.

Robin

Our Greatest Gift

Can you believe that this little fellow, just five short months ago, probably wondered who in the world I was and what I was going to do with him???? Here we had only known each other for about an hour.

From wondering to wonderful excitement!!!!!

My sweet little girl who is always filled with song.

Three of my precious ones.

After our sweet Anna Kayla was born we were unable to have anymore children. So after many years of prayer we turned to adoption (I was adopted so it seemed like the most natural thing for us to do) that’s when we were blessed with Land. Even though our family seemed complete my heart yearned for more. How could I possibly ask God for more when I had already been given so much. But I did…………..on more than one occasion, and He blessed us with two more special gifts. For all of them I am forever grateful.


I remember the year that Land was born our church wanted him to be the baby Jesus in our Christmas Cantata. He was only six weeks old and I was concerned about him being in the arms of a stranger for even a short length of time. I had waited so long to hold this precious son of mine and it was hard for me to let him go for even a little while. Knowing this, I can not even imagine how God must have felt when He sent us the greatest gift of all, His son.




It is my prayer that this Christmas season, and after, that we offer more of ourselves through our praise, worship and obedience than ever before to the One who has given us so much…………..the greatest gift of all, the gift of salvation.


From our family to yours……………………Until next time.........


With each new day may Jesus be born afresh in your heart:
“Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David”
Luke2:11

Merry Christmas!!

Robin

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful...........

and not because there is snow.......for the past few days the temperature has been hoovering around 70 degrees!! We do live in the south, but even this is unseasonably warm for us. So to help us stay in that Christmas spirit we cranked up the air conditioner(yes, it's true) put on some Christmas carols and baked some snowman cookies. Here are the little ones waiting(not so patiently) for them to come out of the oven. Every few minutes there were squeals of are they done yet!!!

Ahhhhhh......... finally they are out of the oven(gotta love those break and bake cookies when you are in a hurry for a snowman flurry)

Yummy, yummy in our tummy....................

Land even got a Christmas chill with a strawberry milkshake!!!

Then Emanuiel had to go outside just to check and make sure the snowmen on our front porch weren't melting!!!

No matter what the weather, I'm just glad we are all together!!!!

Until next time.....................

He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.

Job 37:6

What ever weather your having right now..............winter's frosty air or balmy breezes; remember the One who has all the forces of nature in His control and rest in His care.

Robin

Four Word Wednesday!!!

If this...........................

then this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

***Update***

Before anyone panics, I was only in the kitchen baking when this happened!!!! My darling husband would NEVER sleep on the job if he was in charge!!

Mommy's Little Helper!!!

If your house is like my house the laundry basket is NEVER empty!! It seems to take on a life of its own in my closet and mysteriously fills itself to overflowing daily. So much of my time is spent in this room here. Now I have a little helper who LOVES laundry time!!! Yes, it's true, he loves to help me sort, put the clothes in the washer and especially take them out of the dryer!!!

For some reason he is the only other person in the house that takes pleasure in this task. Recently while we were busy in the laundry room...............this is what Clara Beth was doing!!

Aha!!! Caught watching "Frosty the Snowman"!!!

and Land was enjoying yet another game on his Xbox!!!!

While down the hall my little helper and I were busy folding away, only to realize that tomorrow there would be even more laundry to do!!! I can already see the excitement in my little helper's eyes. Now if he could just pass that on to the others we would be on to something!!!!

Until next time.....................

During this busy time of year (when there's even more to do than usual) call on the One that is our true helper in all times.

Remember this verse when you seem to be juggling an impossible number of tasks:

All those who know Your mercy, Lord,
will count on You for help.
For You have never forsaken those who trust in You.
Psalm 9:10

Have a marvelous Monday!!!!!

Robin

Making A Gingerbread House..........And Memories!!

We had a great time making a Gingerbread House (yes, it was one of those kits) but we wouldn't have had any more fun if we had baked it ourselves. While Paul and the little ones were busy getting everything assembled I did bake some gingerbread in the oven. The yummy smell filled our home and gave us something else to look forward to when our house was finished.

What good and patient helpers he had. Of course they had to sample a gumdrop here and there!!

Clara Beth very carefully placing the candy on the roof.

Emanuiel had to find just the right spot for each of his pieces.

Even Land and I got into the fun(we look rather serious about it don't we) Notice Clara Beth having yet another gumdrop!

Ta Da!!! Our finished house!! Afterwards we enjoyed some warm gingerbread right out of the oven covered with whipped cream!! Our little house is now proudly displayed along with all of our other treasured Christmas decorations!

Until next time..............,

This little gingerbread house reminded me of how very much I love to be at home. Home is such a haven from the everyday stresses of the world for me. Even among the chaos and clutter it is still a place where I find peace. It's where my family comes together. Where we live, laugh, cry and love, but most importantly, it is a place where we honor God. May He always be the center of our home.

Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life,

and I will live forever in your house, Lord.

Psalm 23:6

Robin