Drum Roll Please....................

Make way, Make way.....the twin's reveal is on it's way.

Older brother David is helping!!

Guest arrived wearing the colors for their team...wanting boys, girls or one of both.

Nicole couldn't believe that her Dad was dressed like her husband.

Her comment..."well you hear you marry someone like your Dad."

So guys...."What are we going to have?  Will I have little brothers, or little sisters or one of both?"

Twin Identical Boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The count is now....five grandsons!

 Yes, that means...six under age 4 and five of those under age 2!

What a way to start grandparenting.

This pregnancy is not over yet, so we are still praying.  She is a high energy person and will be a great mom to these three boys.  She did her own reveal party...decorating and everything.  She is a can do girl!  Her mother is very proud of her!!!!  My daughter with tenacity!

Things Come in Threes!

I still haven't picked out a word for this year.  I still haven't changed my header, or summed up last year or...............................  Yet, 2015 is coming in like a roaring lion and this lion is shouting

God is Good

God is in Control

God's Got This

While I was driving around, looking through my sun roof, still pinching myself to see if I was in a dream, something else just sent it all over the top.

(see the title of the book...his mommy loves books)

This time my precious daughter-in-law called to share.

This time I wasn't in the church nursery when I looked down at a phone to see the announcement.

This time I didn't yell and dance in front of strangers.

This time I started yelling and giggling..while riding in my joy car!!!

That is what it needs to be named...joy car.

YES!!  things come in three.

2013 - recap - two got married and three grandsons were added to our family.

2015 - THREE NEW GRANDCHILDREN!!!

Twins are due in June to our daughter - we will find out the sexes on Sunday

Then in September, our first born and his wife - the couple you prayed for as they walked through their journey of infertility - will welcome their third child in September.

Now more reason to sing with the sun roof open..yeah for Texas warm winters!

Bravo, Bravo - Standing and Cheering

In the past I have written blog post that I refer to as those "Bravo" times.  The time or event that just takes your breath away.  Life is full of them.  They keep us breathing, while pointing us to the One who orchestras those moments.  It can manifest through a work of art, music, nature, or even a child's voice.

This week my Bravo moment literally left me trying to grasp for words....which if you knew me, is usually a hard thing to accomplish.

Backing up first.  Our church has set the first three weeks of January as a time to fast and seek God's face.  The focus this year is Awaken.   Now I haven't found my word this year, mainly because it is a couple of words which tie together.  Awakening the Heart is part of our teaching, which happens to also be the words I hear the Lord speaking to me.  The first week of the fast I mainly focused on time with the Lord, and not as much on an actually struggling to fast.

With each time I allotted to go before the Lord He spoke. It was very loud and clear.  Very convicting, as He showed the sin He wanted to deal with during this season.  My journal started to fill as I wrote, listened and read the Word, while the stirring in my heart continued.  The heaviness of my sin was felt physically and emotionally.  God was working. He wanted to renew, restore, and awaken my heart.

God even used songs to bring me to His throne.  He also wrapped His loving arms around me in patience. He gave me hope.

The scripture  says His kindness leads us to repentance, it became my battle cry, as He gentle uncovered the sin.

This isn't always a  fun process, as He reminds us in scripture, but it is a process that is needed for Him to reveal Himself through us.  If we are a child of the King, then discipline will come and we never out grow His disciple.

As I allowed the potter to spin the wheel, place the pressure, while molding me, I saw yielding to His process brought peace and healing to my heart.

Then the unscheduled visit came.   A delivery to me that I could never have dreamed.  The vessel delivering the gift was a hand of God.  One who was being obedient.  I stood without words.

All I could think was "you are not worthy", "you haven't done anything to desire this"
 " your heart has been wicked and bitter and harsh" and "why would anyone think to do this for me?"

Receiving isn't always easy.   I want to be the giver, not the receiver, and yet here I stood being handed a gift.  Something I had dreamed about having one day.  Something that was above and beyond the need.

I will not share the giver of the gift because he is a silent man with waters that are deep.  He is never obedient for show or applause.  His treasures are in heaven, where rust and moth can't get to them. He is married to a God loving wife, who follows his lead. Their generosity is an united obedience.

This next week I will ride around in a "new to me car".  A lady's car.  Not a huge SUV, which can hold half the neighborhood, like was needed for decades.   Not a car that is in need of multiple repairs, yet has served me very well, for years and 200K plus miles.  Instead it will be a car that is beyond just a fulfilled need.

Our Father delights in giving His children good gifts.  These gifts come in many forms. I believe most of those gifts aren't material gifts, this week just happened to be a material gift.

So if you pass a woman in a Silver Lincoln, with her sun roof open, revealing the skies above, and from that vehicle you hear a "joyful noise".  You will know it is me............and I found my words.  Words of Praise and Worship to the God who does above all we could think or imagine.

BRAVO!!!

Alike, Yet Different

Our style, our learning curve, our personality,  and our perspective were all uncovered when we decided to paint a Christmas picture.

One of the fastest growing franchises in our area are painting venues.  Each has a different name, but the same idea.  You pick a picture you want to paint and come for a painting party.  They promise no experience needed.  My gift to my two new mothers was for the three of us to have a mother's night out.  They chose the manger picture to challenge  our creative side.

We were seated toward the back.  Rolls of fellow painter filled the room.  We had our own roll, our own blank canvases,  our own painting aprons, our own brushes, paint and easel.

 (even the selection of aprons shows off their personalities..you see the one in the messiest apron, well that is her.)

 If you were a fly on the wall you would see each of our personalities unfolded though this painting mother's night out.   My view point was different from my daughter and daughter-in-law's, and that seemed to be appropriate.  They both had a full view of the instructing artist for the evening, I, however, couldn't see the canvas or the instructor's hands at work, I could only hear her voice.  They followed through the visual, I followed through the verbal.  The instructor would direct  how to use our brush, what paint to apply and then would show through her own painting.  All you had to do was follow instructions!!

My daughter, in her style, would laugh and just go for it, applying layers of paint.  My daughter-in-law would concentrate, apply paint with reserve and would stand back and look at her strokes.  I would work more from past experience and the verbal instruction and then check myself by seeing the example of the artist finished work.  My daughter joked verbally through the whole process, while my daughter-in-law and I were very quiet.

There were times we weren't sure our paintings would look good.  You could even see how our strokes varied, if you applied with a light hand or a heavy hand.  As the painting continued each person in the rooms paintings began to look different and yet alike.  Their personalities were coming out through their paint brushes.

I saw I had to wear my glasses....life!!

As we finished our individual paintings I thought, look at all the lessons here tonight.  We all are equipped with our own brushes, paints and instructions for painting our journey called LIFE.  We each chose how we will learn, how we will listen, how we will apply instructions and the amount of pressure we apply to our journey of life.  Some of our stokes can be seen as they are heavily applied, while other strokes are blended together with varies colors of life.

The three of our Baby Jesus in a manger pictures were displayed in each of our homes through the holiday season.  

Alike, Yet Different

That is LIFE!

 May you enjoy the differences in everyone around you, as they paint their own picture of LIFE!

May you also allow the Lord to use His brushes on your own canvas.

For me, I believe 2015 is going to be a time in which God blends some of the heavy strokes I have applied on my canvas of life, and in their places, He will gently blend them, in order to bring Him glory.  As long as I allow the true artist to join me on this journey, then my canvas will reflect Him.

It is A New YEAR?!

I must have just slept straight through it, because I am sure the calendar didn't flip to 2015 without me knowing, and yet, that seems to be how I feel.

I  got caught up in the end of the year holidays and the beginning of the year birthdays, while everyone else seemed to realize the New Year had started.  I feel like Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh, as I run around trying to get things in order.........................I am late!!!  Christmas still hasn't been put away, but school didn't wait for me as it rang it's opening bell.  There are calendar days to fill in, clothes to be sorted, and new ones bought (someone seems to be growing taller).  All this running behind should come with the advantage of losing weight as I run to catch up. Those lost pounds are really letting me know they have returned.

Before I totally close out 2014 I have to post some of my Instagram memories.  I have enjoyed Instagram, which has caught the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015 in an instant.  That INSTA thing seems to work for me these days.  Here I go giving you a glimpse of the last month, while try to find out where I am headed in 2015.

My little, growing, cherry-on-top son turned 9 this week.  How time flies!!!

My only brown-eyed, curly-headed son tuned 19 on Saturday.  He graduates in May and then off to college next year.  He is the tallest of our five sons.

I reluctantly packed up our Christmas.  This year was the 50th Anniversary of Rudolph and so I had to add Rudolph ornament to our tree...three for my grandsons and two stuffed ones for my youngest sons.  My china served a smaller group at Christmas lunch, but was also used for a dinner for friends. I enjoy this set that my husband bought decades ago and all the memories they have helped to make at our table.

Christmas break meant some time with my grandsons.  Benjamin, Joshua and I had the joy of going to Geppetto's Marionette show in Dallas.  To watch the wonder in children's eyes is so worth it.

 Reindeer food I sent to Joshua and his precious mother got pictures for me...oh the joy of being a Grandmommy!

Christmas Eve service with part of the family.  Yes, We Can Rejoice.

More time with grandsons.  This one will be a big brother to two siblings in June!

His mother is going to be busy!!!

Benjamin's violin and choir concert.

Family Christmas celebrated early.   Our son and his wife hosted a Christmas PJ party.

Grandson deciding if he wants his new shoes from Grand Mommy.

Well as I posted it all I see why I just slept into the year without realizing it....I was trying to run to keep up with this growing family.

I have to shout out Thank you Lord for you faithfulness.  He is faithful even when we are not.

Next week I might get back into the groove...or just bury my head in the sand.