Merry Christmas

So this is what our living room looked like when we went to bed on Christmas Eve night. I got the idea of putting each child's presents on a couch from Caroline. I can't remember her reasons, but I did it last year and so we did it again this year.

Teagan's 'couch'.

Here is Perryn's 'couch'.
Our Christmas tree, it's small this year....we had no room, but that will be different next year as we are in our new apartment in Round Rock!!!!


Here the children are opening presents this year!!! They really like everything they got, and we worked really hard to remember that it's not about presents, but Jesus' birthday. I think next year we will make him a cake or something. This year for the first time, we are going to have to exchange stuff too. Perryn's princess Ariel doll is already breaking and so is Teagan's tool box. I also realized this morning that Perryn's new sparkley pink shoes are too small, but we have already thrown away the tags. oops. Grammy sent us some really COOL gifts, but forgot the batteries, so we have to go get some of those as well. What an eventful and unforgettable day!!!

Christmas with Great Grandparents

My grandparents, who live in Fort Worth, came over on Sunday to celebrate Christmas with us. Memere and Pepere (pronounced Memay and Pepay) brought great toys along with lunch, an easy no mess, no fuss lunch!

Perryn playing with the new dollhouse furniture.

Teagan playing with his new road that Memere made for him.

The 'girls'

The Little Village Ministry at church took me to lunch yesterday to say thanks and 'farewell'. We had such a good time with fellowship and community. I am really going to miss your great smiles and loving attitudes when we leave. Thank you for my lunch and my gift card. Thank you for all that you have meant in my life as well as my children's lives. You guys ROCK!!

hmmm...some thoughts

In all the stress of getting things together for our move, I realize that I am more overwhelmed than normal and having a hard time containing my frustrations. I often wonder why I feel like I am failing as a parent and if there is any way to remedy the feelings. I look at my aunt and admire her so much with her four children that are so well behaved and knowledgeable. I long to be a mom like she is, and yet I find myself so far away. I look forward to utilizing her knowledge more when we get settled in in Round Rock.

While surfing all the blogs, I came across this mommy's version of 'The Night Before Christmas', and now I have been thinking a lot. I have to maintain my composure and be the best mom that God has intended me to be. I need to show my children what a Godly mother and wife look like. I must admit, I am failing horribly at it. I tend to forget the 'strategies' that work with parenting my two precious treasures that make my life NOT so stressful and overwhelming. I am constantly a work in progress. I love the saying in recovery, "It's progress, not perfection." This is so true and if I can make progress with my parenting, then I am already doing better than before.


On a side note: We have finally found a place to live!! Thank you, Lord for being faithful to us! We are still working out the details, but it should be taken care of by Friday morning.

Peace and Prayers

Wow, the countdown has begun for our move. I find myself on an emotional roller coaster right now. We are hitting some snags with finding a place to live, that is within our budget. It looks like I may need to go to work temporarily which I am really struggling with.

I found myself realizing that I was angry with God for a period of a few hours today. Why would God provide a great opportunity for us to move back closer to family and then allow things to happen where I would have to go back to work? I am still struggling to find these answers, but as the day has gone on, I have been finding a bit more peace about it.

I come to you and ask for your prayers. We need clarity and strength during this time. We need focus and discipline. I find myself remembering Matt 6:34

Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

And Philipians 4:6-7 as well,

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving in your heart let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

What I want right now is to be able to move into a new place, get unpacked, and find things for the children and I to do. To be their mother, but now I must come to an acceptance that I may need to help support my family and even though my life is not working out the way I envisioned it, that's ok, because it's God's plan and vision for my life that I need to accept not mine. So, please pray for me and my arrogance. That I can come to peace with the fact that I may need to work and that God will provide the perfect job for me, the perfect childcare situation that we need, and most of all that me working is just a temporary thing to help us get more acclimated to living in Round Rock.

Perryn enjoying the Christmas lights.

So this year we put some Christmas lights on our porch....You can kind of see them in the back.. Perryn thinks they are the best thing ever. The first night that we turned them on, she stood at the sliding door and just started belting out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". The video is dark, but that's ok, I don't think she is wearing much. However, please turn up your volume, and have a great laugh. I hope this puts a smile on your face....it does mine each time I listen to it.

Our visit to Santa

Today we went to see Santa, and even though he won't make a stop at our house, we still like to get our pictures taken with him....That is Perryn likes to get her picture taken. Please notice her Ariel tiara and her purple clip-on flower earrings that belong in her dress-up jewelry collection. Teagan on the other hand is making it a tradition of crying in Santa's arms. ....

Our annual ornament decorating

Each year for the past 3 years we have made our own ornaments and sent them out as gifts. This year Perryn chose her own ornaments at Michaels. She really got into painting them on the porch.Perryn's ornaments...please noticed the array. Also, please do not be concerned that some of the animals have multiple eyes in multiple spots on their bodies, and some animals have no eyes.

Teagan painting his ornaments. I did help, I should have gotten a picture of all the paint that was on the table when he was finished.Teagan's ornaments for this year. Yes, I picked them out. Next year, he gets to pick them out.

We are on THE MOVE!!

Well, it is official. Gabe has been offered a position performing both CT scans and MRIs at Scott and White Hospital UMC in Round Rock, Texas. We have prayed and have accepted that offer. Gabe's first day of work in January 7th, so we need to be down there by the 6th. For those of you who are still trying to take a grasp of this ....that is in just 3 SHORT WEEKS!!!!

Engelhardt Elves

Go here to see the Engelhardt Elves dance a Christmas jig for you.

Teagan

Oh, how I love my Teagan. He is in the new phase of kissing. He gives the greatest 'smack' kisses where there is the kissing 'sound'. He can't just kiss me on one cheek or on one side of my hand he has to kiss me on both cheeks or both the top of my hand and my palm. Most of the time, he gives me kisses without me asking, but sometimes he won't give the kiss either. When I ask him for hug after my kisses, he opens his arms up real wide and tries to wrap them all the way around me.

Cars...he is so into cars. He really started enjoying them a couple of weeks ago. He is so funny with them. He goes off and plays with them by himself for 30 min-an hour, he will play with Perryn or Gabe, or he will grab my hand and pull me to play with him as well. He will make all things into his 'road'..tables, chairs, floors, arms, legs, heads, bodies, etc. He will line them up all facing the same direction like a train or he will park them all facing the same way..the right way. Sometimes, he will put a pile of cars in Perryn's baby stroller and take them for a walk around the apartment, in circles around the kitchen or shows them the different rooms. IF you even come close to touching his cars while he is in the 'zone' he will throw the biggest tantrum I have ever seen.

Love, there is such a special place in my heart for Teagan. I know it sound strange, but it seems like I almost have a different love for him than I do for Perryn. I love BOTH of my children equally, but he has captured something different in me. He even likes me to play 'rough' with him when Gabe is working. But don't misunderstand...Daddy rocks when daddy is at home!!! He also is always saying 'bye-bye daddy' whenever we leave, but I don't get a 'bye-bye mommy' yet.

I felt it was only fitting to let you into a glimpse of my love for Teagan since I told you how much I love and missed Perryn over the Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy some fun pictures of Teagan!!

More Zoo pictures

Fort Worth Zoo

So we went to the Fort Worth Zoo yesterday morning and had a blast. We fed the birds, we saw as many animals as we could, we walked and enjoyed ourselves and the nice weather. We met my grandmother there and then my grandfather met all of us at Chili's for lunch afterwards.
*On a side note, I am trying to post pictures via Picasa, but for some reason it won't let me post more than 4 at a time going through them. Since I need to be getting us packed for a small weekend trip, I will have to figure it out when I get back, but for now here are the best four pictures I found.

Waiting anxiously to get loaded and in the gate to see the other animals.

My grandmother and Perryn feeding the birds together.

Teagan and me feeding the birds together. Both children REALLY enjoyed doing this.

My grandfather helping Teagan with his milk at Chili's.

IBC Tubes

We went to Irving Bible Church on Tuesday and played in their elaborate Tubes playscape. Just so you know, it is like playing in a HUGE version of the tubes at Chick Fil-A. Our friends Caroline and her daughter Brooke went with us. We had a blast!! Perryn really enjoyed going down the huge spiral slide. That sucker was fast. I took Teagan and Brooke down.

Teagan bummed he can't climb up that direction!!

Perryn coming down the roller coaster like slide!! Brooke trying to figure something out.

Caroline and Brooke.

Uncle Paul & the Hide and Seek

We still had our new 'Hide and Seek Combo' up that Grammy sent home with Gabe on Saturday when Uncle Paul and Aunt CC stopped by. Uncle Paul was so excited to see this new toy, that he decided to see if his 6ft4in frame would fit inside. Here are some remarkable pictures of his attempt!! Thanks for the laughs!!

Perryn

I miss Perryn. She is such a light in my day. She is spending the week with my sister in Austin and I have talked to her on the phone and the webcam, but I still miss her terribly. I think that it is good that she went to spend some time in Austin, it gives me a chance to realize how much I lover her, to take a breath when she challenges me, and to also remember what a great creation God has made in her. I miss her jokes, her singing, her great belly laughs, the odd things that she says, her quick wit, her hugs, her kisses, her smile, her enthusiasm for life, her energy, and the list could go on. I can't wait to go get her on Friday. I know that she is being well cared for and she is having a ton of fun, but I still miss her terribly. I know that Teagan and Gabe miss her too. We can't wait to see her!!Here we are enjoying her tea set that she got last Christmas!! Oh the memories!!

Memories

Go here if you want to have an '80s flashback!!

Thanks Grammy!!!

Gabe went to Austin yesterday for an interview with the Seton Hospital Systems. It went very well and we should hear something before Christmas. He stopped by his mom's on the way back home to visit for a moment and came home with a "Hide and Seek Combo". It is MASSIVE...I had to rearrange the furniture (the love seat is not blocking the fireplace and the chair is up against the wall.), but they sure are having fun!! Thanks Grammy for such fun and cool gift.