O Come Immanuel

I typed out several different lines tonight but it all sounds like the ramblings of a woman that stayed up too late wrapping presents last night...I think itis time for me to go dream of visions of sugar plums.
Christmas 2012 stired something new in my heart...Something that has been their all along, but went just a little deeper this year.  Quietly one winter's night He came came down to us and bc of it we have this magical time of year called Christmas.  Though he is with us every day in our hearts, we long for him to come again and take us to the life we were always meant to have.  We do so much to make this time of year special, we cling to time with family, we make everything around  us more beautiful...I think it is because in our hearts we long for a time and place that will be even more wonderful than even the most picture perfect Christmas we can create. 
Our hearts crave Immanuel and for the day he will come to restore his people in glory...
O come Immanuel.

Happy Christmas Friends...thanks for sticking with me this year.
and always...
Grace and Peace
xoxo

Christmas Present

 During this month of December  2012, my husband has been away for a portion of every week, if not the whole thing.  Stopping in only on the weekends so that we are able to catch our breath and hunker down for another week of surviving with out each other.

 This morning, when he told me that work requires him to leave us again the day after Christmas (he only got home yesterday afternoon), the Christian woman that I am went on holiday and some other woman showed up.  My tiredness, frustration, my single mommy status, my heart that truly needs him had no where else to go, so it flew right at him, two days before Christmas.

 Ten minutes after ignoring him/ranting at him, I was starring at Stella (hoping she had some comfort for me...like cookies perhaps) and the tears just started flowing.  I was so mad...wait sad, I just felt frustrated.  If ever there is a time to be home  together, it is at Christmas right?

photo credit to the Little

 I felt his hands gently touch my shoulders, and he hugged me, like all of me.  I knew exactly where my moment of Scrooge like behavior had come from.  We work better together.  This house is just a partial home when he is not here. Christmas isn't Christmas when he isn't with us (this includes but is not limited to drinking hot chocolate, looking at lights, visiting Santa, and all the rest of those magical moments I don't want him to miss.)

I wouldn't let go of that hug, just like the old days in airports.  I told him that I was sorry he had a crazy wife, it is just that I, we, love him so.  Then I hugged him every chance I got.
He is here now.
He stayed up with me wrapping presents (this is a very big deal).
I am thankful.
Christmas finally feels just right. :)
....now if we could just get some snow!

Grace and Peace friends..We are almost there 1 more day!

7 Christmas's With The Joneses

Here is a little stroll down memory lane for your viewing pleasure.

2005...Our first Christmas together.  We were planning on flying to England together but we lost my pass port and Kev had to go alone.  It was so sad.

2006...Clearly we were Floridians in this picture, we look freezing.

2007...This year Kev got a new camera and was in no family photos bc he was busy playing with his new toy...5 days after we took this picture I found out I was pregnant with Libby.

2008....This remains one of my favorite nights in history.  One of my happiest Christmas memories seeing the two people I loved most in the world cuddled together on the couch.

2009...She loved to hug that baby!  It was fun to see how much she loved opening presents this year.

2010...I call this Christmas, "the long wait for Maggie"

2011...It looks like we are in a snowy place in this picture, but actually it is Gus not cooperating for the picture

2012...Better known as, the year we couldn't get a good family photo

Cards are in the mail, you should get them delivered by Boxing Day.

Grace and Peace

xoxo

The Post That Has No Content Because I am Trying To Mail My Cards In Time

Coming soon to a mailbox near you...mostly likely a couple days after Christmas :)
And for good measure, a Christmas season photo that was hiding on my phone

Back to my card stuffing :)
Grace and Peace
xoxo

Another One Bites The Dust

Fact:  If you sleep with your baby, who is sick, and she coughs on you all night, you will catch what she has.
Fact:  If you resist the attempt to get caught up in the fast pace of the Christmas season during the month of December, you might feel panicked by December 20th about all the things you still ahve to do.
Fact:  If you leave your home for several days before you mail your Christmas cards the likely hood of you getting them out early on time is slim

Fact:  I claimed I would not be at the stores on December 23rd shopping in bewilderment...I just might be!  (Not for the majority of the list...but in all my home making and creativity I forgot to buy/make things for my own family, meaning my kids and husband don't have gifts yet.)
Fact:  Leaving your routine for a couple of days in the middle of your December blog countdown messes with my blogging mojo

I haven't mailed cards
I haven't wrapped anything
I'm not done preparing my gifts yet
and yes, now I am sick.
 'Tis the season.

Not that worried about any of those things bc I am having smashing time with my family :)  You can't buy that at the store or on Amazon.
Grace and Peace

Top 10 Reasons I'm Glad My Sister Is Home

Awe, poor Maggie.  Still not herself yet!

1.  She is really smart.  Like really smart. I don' think she has ever been wrong in her whole life.  Seriously, I'm not just saying that.

2.  She makes meal time an art, and she serves everyone else first.

3.  She gives my children chocolate chip cookies when I'm not looking.

4.  If my babies are crying she will sing to them to give me a break.  Her voice is so soothing I wish that she would sing to me when I get upset.

5.  She laughs at everything, and it is so contagious that even if you don't think that something is funny, you still laugh with her because she is laughing so hard.

6.  She loves really tasty food and never questions anything about it as long as it tastes good.

7.  She gives outstanding advice.

8.  It feels more like Christmas when she is here with us.

9.  I feel confident that at some point she will make her rasberry thumb print cookies.

10.  She understands me more than anybody else (besides Kevo).

That my friends is a wrap.
Grace and Peace
xoxo

Sick Day

A mysterious illness struck the littlest last night.  Of course it did, b/c we are not at home and this is what happens when the Bennett/White/ Joneses get together.  Someone always gets sick. 
Doctor couldn't give it a name except that is wasn't the flu, streo throat, or an ear infection.
Tis the season to pass diseases.
Aside from this illness, my children are also suffering Christmasitis.  I don't think that we are going to make to Christmas day with exploding with exctiement.  It is requiring some extra creative parenting.  Anybody out there have tips they can share to rein in some of the excitment?
Grace and Peace and Tylenol
xoxoxo