Favorite memories from Christmas 2007

Every year there is the same mad rush to get all the Christmas chores done and before you know it, it is over. For me, the end of Christmas is always a bittersweet time. While it is good to get back to a more "sane" (ha) routine, there are some aspects of Christmas I wish would and could linger a bit longer--maybe even forever.

Below are just a few pictures of some of my favorite Christmas memories for 2007...

Watching Lindy with her great grandparents. I have fond memories of my sweet great grandparents and loved seeing Lindy with my dear grandma and grandpa.

Seeing Lindy experience snow for the first time. It was almost like I was experiencing it again for the first time.

Seeing my mom and dad read to and love on their grandkids. I loved this. Seeing my parents as grandparents gives me just a glimpse as to how they must've loved me as a child.

Watching the cousins play together. Sure there was some fighting, some tears, and some meltdowns but what an answer to prayer to see the next generation.


Hearing Don play Christmas carols on the piano and hearing Lindy sing along. Just like her momma, Lindy loves Christmas songs. I was moved to tears several times hearing our little girl sing various songs completely unprompted. She would proudly exclaim, "This is my favorite one!" or "That's my mommy (daddy, grandma, grandpa) singing."

Watching Lindy open her presents and show great interest in everyone else's presents. Many times I'd hear her say, "What is it?" and ooh and aahh with great delight.


Eating yummy meals together and for a few days not worrying about calories, fat, and where the frosting on a sugar cookie will land on my thighs.


Being with family and being a family.

Being with friends.

Sometimes I get frustrated because I know so many moments go uncaptured on camera or on tape. These are the moments I just need to resolve to remember as long as I am able.

I pray your Christmas was filled with joy and that your treasured memories will remain with you all throughout the new year.

Thankful Thursday

Is it Thursday? I think so...I'm still in a bit of a fog after not getting to bed until about 2:15 this morning. Here are some things for which I am thankful for today--this last Thankful Thursday of 2007...

I am thankful for safe travel to and from California. ExpressJet wasn't so express this time on either end but I am trying not to let things like that bother me as much as in the past. It's really all out of my control. I can CHOOSE to let it get to me or let it go. This time I chose to let it go, even though I was traveling with a two year old.

I am so very thankful I got to spend some time with my Grandma and Grandpa before Christmas. I am thankful they were healthy enough to make the drive from southern California to my brother's home. It is truly a blessing to be 39 years old and still have grandparents who are a special part of my life. I am thankful Grandma brought along some of her fabulous homemade peanut brittle. YUMMO! It was also such a joy to see my grandparents as great grandparents.

I am thankful we got to see our friends the Barons, Moores, and that I got to meet Pam & Mani's beautiful new son, Garrett.

I am so very thankful for getting to spend Christmas with my precious family--Don, Lindy, my parents, and Jeff, Danielle, Bryce, & Brendan. That was my best present.

Last but not least, I am so thankful for my brother and sister-in-law's incredible hospitality. They made things so easy for us. We didn't have to rent a car, bring a car seat, bring a crib, booster seat, or anything. We were basically on auto pilot. It is hard work and stressful having a house filled with guests and I am really so thankful for every grocery store run, every trip to the airport, every fabulous meal, every dish washed, every load of laundry done--just to name a few things.

I must get back to all the things I am not so thankful for--unpacking, reorganizing, laundry, etc. However, I just wanted to get this posted.

What are you thankful for today?

Merry Christmas

The Meaning of Christmas

Far away in Bethlehem, a Baby Boy was born;

Born with neither riches nor with fame,

Yet Wise Men came from all around to bring to Him their gifts,

And peace was felt by all who heard His name.

Angels watched Him as He slept, and gently rocked His bed;

Their voices singing softly in His ear;

His Mother and His Father both gave thanks to God above

For the greatest gift of all, their Son, so dear

They knew His life upon this earth would not be filled with wealth,

They also knew He would encounter strife;

But most of all, they knew that He would be a loving Child,

And teach the love of God throughout His life.

At Christmas, as we celebrate this Birth of Jesus Christ,

Let's keep in mind the truth of Christmas Day;

For it's not the Christmas wrappings, nor the gifts that lie within,

But our gift of love to others in every way...

--Poet unknown

Today we're off for California for our Christmas celebration.

May the true meaning of Christmas live in your heart all year long!

Warmest wishes for a happy and healthy Christmas.

Love,

Don, Lisa, & Lindy

Thankful Thursday

Here are some of the things for which I am thankful:

My mom and dad are safe in Kansas City. I was worried about the ice storm and how it would impact them but thankfully they aren't having it as bad as other places. Please pray for those who are suffering as a result of this devastating storm.

Our dossier was officially logged in on November 7th. Check out Lindy's mei mei's blog for more information.

I got my teeth cleaned yesterday and an A+ on my dental exam. Yea!!!

Christmas cards that come in daily from friends and family. It is great fun for me to see updated pictures and read about the events of the past year.

All my Christmas packages have been shipped and most of my shopping is complete.

Lindy is thoroughly enjoying the Christmas season and delights in so many things. I love hearing her expressions of wonder, excitement, and glee.

We've had a couple days of "cooler" weather. When it is foggy and cool, Lindy likes to put on her coat and hat (which shocks me) and she even thinks the mist in the air is snow. Sorry dollface. Keep dreaming!!!

I got to meet Jennifer and her son last week and they were DTC for Karleigh Mei on 12/7/07.

What are you thankful for today???

Menu Plan Monday

I've fallen off the wagon a bit and haven't been as diligent about planning my menus, so I'm going to try to get back on the wagon...

Monday, December 3rd-Chicken marsala, rice, asparagus (Lest you think I'm fancy, I must admit I am cheating. The chicken is a pre-made dinner that I bought from Sam's. Trying to clear the freezer!)

Tuesday, December 4th-Giada's Parmesan-crusted pork chops, broccoli, green salad

Wednesday, December 5th-Out

Thursday, December 6th-Minestrone with Italian sausage, garlic bread

Friday, December 7th-Leftovers

Check out this link for other menus. What's for dinner at your place this week?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Well, today is the end of 30 Days of Thankfulness but definitely isn't the end of me being thankful. I have enjoyed having some time to reflect on my blessings--big and small during this past month. As Charles Dickens said, "Reflect on your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some."

There may be days where you are grasping at straws to think about what to be thankful for but trust me, there is something and you may even feel better if you acknowledge it.

On a personal note, I am thankful my grandpa was released from the hospital after a brief stay and my dad's medical tests this week went well. I am also thankful for Emily who is celebrating a birthday today.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful that God created me with feelings and emotions.

I LOVE the Christmas season. However, as happy as it makes me, I am reminded of so many sad things in this life, too. So, I cry a bit more during the holidays...Probably NOT shocking to those of you who know me well. :o)

The other day as I was in my car pulling into a parking space to go shopping, I heard Josh Groban's version of "I'll be Home for Christmas" for the first time. While it isn't my favorite rendition of the song (I love the Carpenter's version), what he did was very special and it absolutely reduced me to tears within moments. I was a MESS, crying the UGLY cry and if you've been around me when I cry, you know it truly is UGLY. I think Lindy was a bit concerned about me...

This song has special meaning to me because it reminds me of the first year Don and I were married. Don was deployed and we were separated for Christmas. I remember being so sad and missing him terribly. I still cry when I hear it because I think of people separated from their loved ones and dreaming of being together. It has a lot more meaning during these times of war.
I found this video set to Josh's version of the song. I hope you enjoy it and that it will touch your heart like it did mine.

What are you thankful for today???

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for creature comforts like comfort food, pajamas, slippers, and cozy blankets just to name a few...

I didn't post my menu again this week because I didn't do one. Honestly, I am feeling lost and disorganized when I don't. So, last night on the fly I made scrambled eggs (with cheese), bacon, hot chocolate, and grapefruit. I think I could eat breakfast every night because it is great comfort food for me.

When it gets dark early and is cool, I love changing into my pjs and getting all warm and snuggly for the evening. I still try to get stuff done but if you're going to work, you might as well be comfortable, right?

I know this is a goofy thing to be thankful for but it reminds me how fortunate I am to have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food in my belly.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for a very encouraging Mentoring Moms session last night. One night a month, some of the "empty nest" ladies in our church host a meal for mothers of babies-fifth grade. We share a meal and then spend time in discussion and prayer. It is not a new concept for older women to teach younger women. In Titus 2: 3-5 it says:

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. "

I have a great mom who is a wonderful example to me. I have learned volumes from her and have so much to learn from her. Not everyone is as fortunate. I am thankful these ladies who are such lovely examples willingly taking the time to encourage younger women as wives, mothers, and Christians. I am also thankful for Tamra who coordinates and oversees this ministry.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful that Pam & Mani met Garrett, their new son. Anytime a new child comes into a family, whether through birth or adoption, there are new challenges, lots of emotions, and a bit of chaos! I pray their transition with Garrett will be smooth and that it won't be long until he recognizes Pam & Mani as his parents.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

"Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever." Psalm 136:26

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for making a lot of progress on my Christmas list. 'Nuff said???

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful that I got to curl up on the sofa tonight and watch White Christmas with Don. It's his favorite holiday movie. Watching the movie and the chilly weather outside really helped me feel ready and excited for the holiday season. Here are a couple of my favorite songs from the movie.

It was also a treat to watch Lindy dance to "Sisters." She cracks us up!!! Watching her dance made me dream of a day when she will have a sister. I hope they will always have lots of fun together.

Here are a couple of my favorite clips from the movie.

Enjoy!!!

30 Days of Thankfulness

~Happy Thanksgiving 2007~

For Everything Give Thanks-- H.I. Tupper

For all that God in mercy sends;

For health and children, home and friends,

For comfort in the time of need,

For every kindly word and deed,

For happy thoughts and holy talk,

For guidance in our daily walk,

FOR EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS!

For beauty in this world of ours,

For verdant grass and lovely flowers,

For song of birds, for hum of bees,

For refreshing summer breeze,

For hill and plain, for streams and wood,

For the great ocean's mighty flood,

FOR EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS!

For sweet sleep which comes with night,

For the returning morning's light,

For the bright sun that shines on high,

For the stars glittering in the sky,

For these and everything we see,

O Lord, our hearts we lift to thee.

FOR EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS!

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for laughter and humor...

What are you thankful for???

30 Days of Thankfulness

I have another thing to be thankful about that I'm too excited to wait for tomorrow to post. Today I am so thankful that my friends Pamela & Mani are on their way to meet their son, Garrett. I just found out they are in San Francisco waiting to travel to Korea to bring him home.

Pamela and I have been friends since 1988 and was my maid of honor. We have a lot of history together. I am thrilled we will share this bond of the gift of adoption, too!

What a wonderful Thanksgiving they will have this year!

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for the privilege of freedom of religion and worship. I am a pretty simple person. I am not very political and can't tell you every detail of the history of why we have that freedom. I know through the ages people have suffered and died (and continue to) because of their beliefs. At Thanksgiving time, I can't help but be thankful for the men and women in England who desperately wanted religious freedom and came to this country searching for it. Many gave up everything, including life, for this freedom. I am thankful I don't have to hide, worry about being thrown in prison, or wonder if I am going to be killed when I go to church.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

On Monday mornings I often plan out my menu for the week. I am not going to post my menu this week but it did make me think about what I'm thankful for today.

I am thankful for food. It is truly something I take for granted. We have so much available and all we have to do is run to the grocery store, drive to a restaurant, or pick up a phone and voila it is there--more than we need. Sometimes it isn't even enjoyable. Eating is just a ritual. I honestly can't imagine what it would be like not knowing when or if I am going to get to eat again. I bet I'd enjoy things a lot more. I also can't imagine having to hunt, gather, plant, and store away for the future.

God has blessed me by giving me several conveniences at my disposal. I just need to remember to thank him for that.

What are you thankful for today???

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for nature--especially all the little things I too often take for granted.

Having Lindy has helped remind me of what a wonderful world God created. There are so many simple pleasures that await us each day if we just take the time to STOP and take a look around us. Ralph Waldo Emerson captures some similar thoughts in this beautiful saying, "For flowers that bloom about our feet;For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;For song of bird, and hum of bee;For all things fair we hear or see,Father in heaven, we thank Thee!"

I pray I will take more time to appreciate all the beautiful things in this world.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for Beck. Beck is three years old today. I was at the hospital the night Beck was born and it was one of the most exciting nights of my life. I am thankful that Jaime allowed me to be in the room during the last several hours of her long labor, as well as right after Beck was taken by c-section. It's the only time I've had that experience. Not having given birth to a child, it was such a special gift and honor to see Beck coming into this world.

Beck is a fun little boy and it has been a joy to watch him grow.

Happy Birthday, Beck!!!

30 Days of Thankfulness

Anyone recognize this little cutie???
Don't let the leopard print drapes distract you and

look closely...
It's Don and he's pictured here celebrating his first birthday.

That was 39 years ago because this little cutie is 40 today.

In honor of Don's 40th birthday, I've listed 40 things I love about him in no particular order...

1. He has beautiful long eyelashes

2. He is patient

3. He still opens the car door for me

4. He is financially responsible

5. He has a generous heart

6. He is a great daddy

7. He is a great husband

8. He takes care of Lindy's nighttime routine even though he's had a long day at work

9. He is smart

10. He is a good driver (He'd be surprised I said that)

11. He shares my passion for chocolate

12. He rarely gets mad at me

13. He is good-natured

14. He handles all the finances

15. He is predictable. Some might consider this boring and I won't deny that it can be but there is a great comfort in knowing what to expect.

16. He is not chauvinistic

17. His long, slender perfect for the piano fingers

18. He is a good singer

19. He is good with directions

20. He knows a little about a lot of different things

21. He is a man of integrity

22. He is confident but not arrogant

23. He has a great smile

24. He is athletic

25. He is strong but sensitive

26. He does the lawn and yardwork

27. He likes to cook and bake

28. He strings the lights on our Christmas tree (and will until we get a prelit one)

29. He is kind

30. He doesn't always tell me what I want to hear

31. He is calm

32. He can sew a button back onto his clothes

33. I usually can whine my way into him pumping my gas (if he hasn't already done it)

34. He rarely complains

35. He puts up with me

36. He tells me I'm beautiful and means it

37. He usually has a very positive attitude

38. He is a hard worker

39. He proposed to me on his birthday 16 years ago

40. He does not dread turning 40. His favorite age is whatever age he is!

Happy 40th birthday, Donny!!! I love you and wish you at least 40 more birthdays!!!

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for Christmas music. I know, I know, it is only mid-November but I love Christmas music because it makes me so happy. I definitely could listen to it all year long!

This weekend when we were in Dallas we found a station playing Christmas music 24/7. Sure it was a ridiculous 85 degrees outside and Don was in shorts but inside our car it was a winter wonderland. It got me in the mood for the holidays and even motivated me to start Christmas shopping.

Some of my favorites are:

But really, I CAN'T pick just one favorite...

What do you like to listen to at Christmas and what are you thankful for today???

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful that Kate, Doug, and Noah are home from China. Kate was my secret pal during the wait for Lindy. I remember how exciting it was when she brought Sophie and Avery home in March 2006 and now I rejoice that they are a family of five, with the addition of Noah.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for Kim! It is her birthday today--a special one or scary one depending on how you look at it. :o) Kim is always doing nice things for others, offering words of encouragement, and is someone who exudes true warmth.

I am thankful to have her as a friend.

Happy Birthday, Kim!!!

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for charitable, generous, and giving people.

I woke up this morning and found to my surprise that my blogs had been madeover during the night. There still may be a few changes in the works but I'm super excited about their new look!!!

A few weeks ago I entered a blog makeover contest hosted by Danielle. I don't win many things but I was one of the winners of her contest. All she asked for in return for her time and effort was a small donation to Half the Sky, an organization which helps provide care for Chinese orphans. Of course, I didn't think twice about donating to such a great organization! Come to find out, Danielle takes a portion of what she makes from any blog design and donates it to charitable causes.

What impressed me is that here's a young lady getting started in this world and trying to become financially independent who has a heart for giving. She could keep all the money and use it for herself, but she doesn't. Sometimes it seems like people can be so self-absorbed that they forget about helping others. I am always thankful when I hear of someone who gives on any level and am blessed to be surrounded by MANY generous, thoughtful, big-hearted people.

I hope I can learn from their example and the following words: "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today is Veterans Day, so it is only fitting that I thank ALL the men and women who have served in the military past and present. Veterans Day isn't really about honoring the men and women who have lost their lives in the military (that's Memorial Day). It is about honoring those who are living and those who continue to serve. Being in the military is a 24/7 job. It is a really hard task for so many reasons and on so many levels.

I am very proud of the fact that five of the men in my family are Navy veterans: My grandpa, dad, husband, Uncle Steve, and Uncle Lester. I have included a few OLD pictures of Don when he was in the Navy.

No matter what your political position, I hope you will join me in being thankful for our service men and women and pray for peace.

30 Days of Thankfulness

Today I am thankful for a quick weekend away with Don to Dallas. Granted, it was to see a college football game but it ended up being a really fun one to see--Navy defeated University of North Texas 74-62!!! That was coming off their triple OT win against Notre Dame last week...

This was the first time we had both been away from Lindy at the same time in the 19 months she's been home. It was REALLY weird at first. It is hard to let go of the constant feeling of responsibility. However, a couple of hours into the trip I could feel myself beginning to relax and feel a bit of peace.

Becoming parents after nearly 14 years of marriage changed a lot of things for the two of us. Of course, we wouldn't change a thing. However, I am thankful for the time we got to be alone together to reconnect.

We also got to spend time with our friends, Shayne & Shannon, on this trip. Shannon is a UNT alum. She really didn't seem to mind watching her alma mater go down to Navy and I think I heard her and Shayne singing "Anchors Aweigh..."

Here's Shannon during the singing of her school song.