Warm and Cozy

Tonight, while we were at mass, there was a soft snow falling. It was so warm and cozy just knowing what waited for us outside the door. But please, let us miss no more school!

Our ice skating adventure

Bella Ruth and Mama taking a break.

The peeps with a beautiful ice sculpture.

Will Henry loved watching all of action. Next year he can ice skate with us.

Making the loop with "little" Will as my kiddos call him.

Kelly and Bella Ruth.

Clark and Will making their way around the rink.

We went ice skating in OKC over our break and had a fun, fun time. Lucky for me we met one of my best friends and her son Will. My peeps LOVE Will! And Kelly was a life saver with Bella Ruth. I took the boys and she took Bella Ruth around the rink a million times. At least it felt like a million times. After we skated an artist was making ice sculptures. It was a blast, we can't wait to go back next year.

A Blessing

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him"

1 Samuel 1:27

My dear, sweet friend and her husband were given a baby girl last night. This is such a special couple that has been through such trials to build their family. After years of infertility they were blessed with twins, Laura and Anna, who were born sleeping in April 2005. I still remember the phone call with this news. I was in San Diego with my sweet hubby and I had to sneak in the bathroom since it was only 6am Cali time. Oh the tears, prayers and questions. After this I tried my best to help her "find" a baby. I even enlisted my sweet friend (Hi Tracey) in my quest. Valerie listened to Tracey, took her advice, and applied to every agency possible. But during this time my dear friend Kelly and I found a baby for her in the Fall of 2007, but the birth grandmother intervened and so those dreams ended after a month of correspondence and legal paperwork. Then last Thursday they met with a birth mother. On Sunday she started finding her prayer warriors at church. Tuesday sweet baby Elizabeth "Beth" Marie was born; 2 beautiful pictures were "texted" of the baby and the baby with Valerie. And then this morning I got a phone call so different than before, "It's official. The birth mother signed the papers this morning." Oh the tears that flowed. The happy tears. And they still seem to flow tonight.

Charlotte English Boutique

If you haven't had a chance yet, you must visit this delightful store. I have already made one order and I'm thinking about a second one!

www.charlotteenglishboutique.com

Cora Paige

One of the things that I have loved the most about my blog is finding an AWESOME network of Christain mothers. Each time I see a prayer request on a blog I feel that we need to spread the word and find as many prayer warriors as possible. Please join me in praying for this sweet family as their baby daughter just joined our Jesus yesterday morning. You can visit their family blog at http://www.themcclenahans.blogspot.com/

Hugs,

Chesnye

More Holiday ReCap

I found these pictures on my computer this evening. I still have more holiday photographs to download from another camera. More on that later.

These were the best pictures I have from Christmas Eve. It's not easy to get 5 excited children to pose for a picture.

And Clark kept closing his eyes. That silly boy!!

This is Christmas Day with the well-loved scooters from Jojo and Papa or Poppy as Bella Ruth calls my Dad.

That's my girl playing football with all of the men!!! My Mom has a picture of my on my 4th Christmas playing football with my cousins. I had a football helmet on, where as she has a football.

My nephew Hugh loved his big wheel as much as his Daddy loved his many years ago.

Scooter riding some more. And more closed eyes!

Will Henry playing Peek-a-boo in my parents bedroom door. He had such a great time.

Ice Storm

Last Tuesday our town lost ALL power. We were fortunate that my in-laws have a very large generator to run their home in a time of power outages. There were 8 adults and 6 children living in one home until Sunday morning when we finally had power again. Many people in town still do not have power. Yes, Amy is one of those unfortunate few but she does have a generator. And yes, her husband is in charge of the emergency department for our county. So she is busy with 3 boys, 2 dogs and living on a generator. I will post more when I have time.

Hugs,

Chesnye