Christmas Recap...in Pictures

Here are some of the highlights from our holiday season. Long overdue, I know. But, the onslaught of pictures here should help make up for the tardiness of this post.

Christmas Tea at Deb's House

Toad didn't enjoy meeting Santa

My hubby and me at his work party

White Elephant Gift Exchange with our Young Marrieds' group (yes, those are maltballs in a diaper)

My eye rolling was brought on by my hubby's goosing me just before this picture was taken.

Me, Kacy, and Deb...I'm blessed to call them friends.

Reading time with daddy

Sometimes you are just too tired to care that your pacifier is on your head

And, sometimes you need your "security ball" to fall asleep

Toad got to hang out with his buddy

Our little family on a hayride, out to see the Christmas lights

Raisin' the roof at church on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, in front of the tree

"Guh", Toad, and me

Me, Toad and "Pa"

Very determined to get his Curious George band-aids out of the box

Uncle T and Auntie A on Christmas morning...such a treat!

My hubby was the recipient of the infamous "weedbag"

"Hmm, I'm not sure if that's gonna fit me, Daddy"

The whole family, together, in AZ

Family Picture

This melts my heart: Great Gram reading Toad the same book she used to read me as a child

Then, the painting began

Auntie S and Toad on New Year's Eve

My 6th grade teacher...at my house, with my MILToad and Guh, after bathtime

Sweet Little Buddy, rockin' in front of the fireplace

What a wonderful, surprise-filled, blessed holiday season we had.

Thoughts

I was encouraged and inspired by reading Liza's recent post. I love that she reminded me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I, so often, focus on what I don't feel is "wonderfully made" about myself. But, today, I wanted to focus on what God sees. What He believes about me. What He wants from me.
Yesterday, I was asked to consider and pray about the possibility of being a discussion group leader for my Thursday morning Bible study. This wasn't something that I had really ever considered, so when it was mentioned to me, I didn't quite know how to respond. I was a bit hesitant because I am not one to say "hey, everyone, look at me". Being in the limelight isn't my comfort zone. I realize that this group facilitation role wouldn't require me to be the one "teaching" or necessarily "in the limelight", but it would most certainly prevent me from "just blending in" as much as I have been able to in the past. I've never really loved having people focus their attention on me. In my mind, facilitating a group=people will be looking at me more than usual. While discussing why I've never really pictured myself in such a role, my friend challenged me to think about why I don't seem to see myself with "leadership potential", why I only see myself as a "behind the scenes" kinda person.
At least, partially, I already know why this is. Confidence. I lack it. I guess I've always kinda thought you needed to be confident to be a "leader", that you needed to have a big, outgoing personality that everyone is drawn to, that you needed to be more "qualified" than I am. And, I don't really have that kind of confidence, personality or qualification. Plus, I didn't enjoy being a jr. high leader, several years ago. And, I wasn't particularly adept at keeping 8 jr. high girls on topic.
Yet, I've been thinking. And wondering. And praying. And reading. And, I've been trying to determine whether God is wanting to stretch me. Whether He is asking me to step out of my comfort zone of "blending in" and let Him lead the discussions, using me as His vessel. I'm wondering if this is something God is calling me to do. I don't, by any means, feel "qualified", but I'm wondering if maybe I'm "call-ified".
As I have been mulling this all over, I've come across these encouragements:
(from Beth Moore's devotional Believing God: Day by Day and from God's Word)

• "I am who God says I am.... More than any other faith challenge I face, believing that I am who God says I am necessitates choosing what God says over what I feel. I want so much to be a woman of faith. In fact, I'd give just about anything to be a woman God would characterize by her faith, since nothing pleases Him more (Heb 11:6). But, if I'm really serious about believing God, I also have to believe what God says about me. No small challenge. How about you?"
• "God will give you every place you step your feet for the glory of His name if you let Him."
• "See, God says His Word is alive and powerful, and I believe Him. He also says His Word is powerful when it's in me. Yes, me--a bundle of faults, fears and insecurities. Just think! My weakness is not strong enough to wound God's Word. Neither is yours. God does His job. He speaks to accomplish. We don't have to make Him. We just need to let Him."
• "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties." Ps 139:23
• "...For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You." Ps 143:8

So, I am debating between my two opposing thoughts: Leadership isn't my gift and His strength is made perfect in my weakness. Feel free to pray for me as I try to hear what God wants from me.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner...?

So, New Year's Eve was a little different this year. Well, it was a lot different this year, actually. We intended to have a low-key, casual "party" with my parents, my hubby's parents, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. So, as my mom and I were preparing the lasagna, the doorbell rang. I went to answer the door and it was my MIL and FIL. Okay, so nothing odd about that. I was obviously expecting them. However, what I wasn't expecting was for the doorbell to ring AGAIN literally seconds after the door was closed. I assumed it was my BIL and SIL, but didn't understand why the door would have been closed in their faces. So, I opened the door again. It was not my BIL and SIL. I was almost speechless and was most certainly dumbfounded at who I found standing on my doorstep. My 6th grade teacher, who happens to live in CA, was standing there with her husband. How random is that?!!
Well, my MIL was friends with my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. C., when she lived in CA. They have stayed in touch over the years. So, while visiting some of her husband's family, Mrs. C. realized she was only about an hour away from my MIL. Thus, she called my MIL up and asked if they could come by and say hello. Since my MIL and FIL already had planned to be at our house for New Year's Eve, they just decided to surprise us and bring Mrs. C and her husband to our NYE party.
I must say, for quite a while, I was just shocked that my 6th grade teacher was sitting at my kitchen counter, eating chips and dip. I found it odd that I made her play a funny game with us. It was such a weird feeling to be standing in my house, as an adult, discussing life, as her peer, rather than as her student. The last time I saw her, Mrs. C. was at my wedding. But, I didn't get time to actually chat with her then. So, really, the last time I saw her, she was my authority figure. But, now, she was just "one of us", showing me pictures of her grandbaby and predicting the gender of all my future children.
How random, yet, kinda cool, too.

Surprise, Surprise

A fantastic surprise. That was my most treasured Christmas gift this year.

Here's the scene: December 23rd, 2008. My hubby's cousin and her twin daughters were visiting for Christmas. We spent most of the evening at my in-laws' house, hanging out with them. When we arrived home that night, my hubby was taking out the garbage (and subsequently bringing it back in...but that's another story). Moments after he came back into the house, the doorbell rang. Since Little Buddy and I were in the back of the house, I assumed my hubby had been the one to ring the doorbell. Little Buddy was crying because I took a pen away from him, so I just figured my hubby was trying to distract Little Buddy by ringing the doorbell (he loves to hear the doorbell ring). However, when my hubby walked back to where I was and looked at me as if to ask "who is at our door?", I just thought he was messing around. Calling his bluff, I told him that he was the one who rang the doorbell. He laughed and said he wasn't. So, when he said, "Come on, Buddy, let's see who it is", I thought maybe he had arranged for someone to show up on our doorstep dressed as Santa or something. Although, I thought it was a bit odd that he'd have someone come at 9 PM, when Little Buddy should have been in bed.

So, I amused my hubby and followed him and Little Buddy to the door. I saw a slight smirk on my hubby's face, so I knew something was up. I just had no clue what it was.
After glancing out the peephole, my hubby opened the door. There stood my brother and sister-in-law--the same brother and SIL who were supposed to be in New Mexico for Christmas. I was dumbfounded and shocked. I didn't know whether they were here to stay for a few days or if they were just passing through on their way to New Mexico. As I found words to express my confusion and sheer delight, I asked what was going on. Due to some last minute changes, they weren't going to New Mexico after all. So, they had contacted my hubby and asked if they could surprise me and spend Christmas with us! Not only did they surprise me, but they also surprised my parents and Gram who were due to arrive at our house on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, Uncle T and Auntie A even helped Little Buddy make a gingerbread house. They had quite a good time.

I truly can't think of a better Christmas gift. All of my immediate family was here, spending Christmas together. What a treat! I felt so blessed. Plus, we all spent the afternoon and evening with my hubby's family, eating and playing games. I really think this was the best, most memorable Christmas yet.

Paint...Finally!

Yes, folks. We did it. We finally painted our front rooms/kitchen. We still would like to lighten the color of our bedroom, but that will be a project for another time.
As for now, I'm happy to report that Jana's home makeover post was inspirational enough to get me to actually follow through with my desire to paint our front rooms. Yay! So, here is the color scheme. I like what I call "old world colors" because they feel sorta European to me. I wanted a splash of red somewhere, but didn't want an entire room painted red. So, the wall with our "European picture" was painted red. The other three walls in that room were painted a mocha-ish color (maple sugar).

Tibetan Red and Maple Sugar went on the walls in the front room. Before:

After: (The Maple Sugar color looks different in various lighting situations.)

Before: (Just ignore the Christmas mess.)

After:Before:

For a punch of color in the kitchen, we chose Wildfire (a burnt orange color) and Firefly (a deep golden yellow). The walls that connect to the living room were done in the Maple Sugar color, too. I am a little disappointed with the quality of the pictures. It is a bit difficult to see the true color of the paint in these pictures. But, I didn't use my hubby's fancy camera to take them. So, this is the best I can offer right now. :)

Before: (Living room/kitchen wall)Before:

During: The picture sitting on the couch was somewhat of an inspiration for the kitchen/living room colors. My hubby says the kitchen has a "tuscan" feel. (And, no, I didn't misspell Tucson. I mean "tuscan"--as in Tuscany, Italy.) After:

Before: (breakfast nook area)

After: Before: (Living Room)

After:

Before:After: