Friday, December 30, 2011

More From Christmas Week…

Our fun week with family is almost over.  There have been ups and downs this week.  Thankfully, the ups have outweighed the downs, but the downs have been painful.  It’s sad to me that this has to happen with family.  I guess it makes me more grateful for the 3 that I have right here to love on.  God has knit us together in such a way that all the extended stuff doesn’t get to me like it used to.  I’m grateful for what God has given me…

Here are some more favorite pictures from a great week so far…

No one was paying attention in this picture except Andy’s brother.  It’s a great picture of him waving at the camera!

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This is one of my favorite pictures…the four grandsons watching the Harlem Globetrotters…

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Morgan and her best friend cousin Caterina… these girlies are like sisters!

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Our family room with girls on the couch, boys on the floor for our super fun cousins sleepover…

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Another view of the fabulous sleepover…they don’t know how blessed they are.  I never got to do this with my cousins…

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The three granddaughters…

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This next one makes me cry.  It goes oldest to youngest R-L, and we’re missing one girl on the right.  How I wish she could be in this picture too.   Then we’d have four boys and four girls. :) Athena, the youngest, LOVED hanging out with the big girls.  They were so sweet to include her.

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We had Christmas today with my family, and Morgan got to hang out with her best friend cousin on my side.  They look more like sisters to me.  They planned their matched outfits this morning, and even put on a lovely musical for us at the gathering.  On my side, these girls are the youngest. :)

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We got Andy’s sister to take a picture of our family for us…

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Lastly all of the children together at my MIL’s house…

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I think we’ll see each other tomorrow, and then our dear cousins will head back to Arizona, and the others will slip back into their busy lives…as will we.  It’s been a great time together…though different.  People change, hearts change, relationships end, and we are left to deal with those changes.  God has given us great grace to do that, and has reminded us over and over this year that He WILL NEVER LEAVE US, NOR WILL HE FORSAKE US.  We carry that into 2012 with us, and pray that God will make us a light in the darkness, and allow us to be the instruments He uses to bring hope to those who are without Him.  He has been everything to us, and He is the reason that at the end of 2011 we still stand together as a family, stronger, more in love with each other than we’ve ever been, and going hard after God because HE IS FAITHFUL! 

If I’m not back with anymore pictures/reports, I wish you all a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.  Take Jesus with you into 2012…you will not regret it.  My only resolution this year is to know Him more…and as a result…love everyone that He has placed in my life BETTER.

Grace to you all in 2012! 

1 comment:

Deeds said...

Happy New Year dear Kath! And the same to your beautiful family. And a hearty AMEN to your last paragraphs too. (((HUGS)))