Current Chandler-isms

At almost 23 months, Chandler has started saying lots of new words lately. Some of them crack me up, and some of them are just precious. He's growing so fast, and I can't believe it! He has a vocabulary of about 30 recognizable words in addition to all his baby gibberish that sometimes sounds like words.


bol= ball

fuhbol= football

wam are = Walmart

bac = back

badh = bath

ann er = Chandler

noh = no

Santa Came!

At 22 months, Chandler isn't quite old enough to really look forward to celebrations and presents, but he sure enjoys them when they are happening! Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year, but seeing my own son so excited about all the goings on this year have been heartwarming.

He enjoyed all his presents, but he seems to especially enjoy the Home Depot work bench that Santa brought him. He played with it well over two hours on Christmas morning before church, and he has played with it every chance he's had since then. I am so thankful that we have had the opportunity to spend this special time together, and I am so thankful for my precious little boy!

Christmas Eve Hike

Hiking is an activity that I have always enjoyed with the McKays, and we usually try to squeeze in at least one hike while everyone is together. Since Christmas Eve was Saturday and the rain had moved out, we decided it was the perfect time to explore Desoto Falls. It's a short trail that's mostly flat, so Chandler decided it was time for him to try hiking on his own for the first time, and he did quite well. He actually made it all the way to the falls, and he was so cute to watch. On the wasy down, Chandler hitched a ride first from Uncle Brian, and then from Daddy. It was a lot of fun, and perhaps we can go hiking another time soon!

Horsing Around With Uncle Brian

Uncle Brian and Aunt Lisa are here from Texas, and Chandler is taking advantage of all the attention!

What Christmas is All About

Yesterday morning, our Pastor focused on some of the traditions of Christmas. While the traditions themselves are not bad, he really helped me reflect upon the reasons for these traditions in the first place. If our heart is in the right place, there is definitely nothing wrong with giving gifts, having a beautiful tree, or even playing Santa. However, if we leave Jesus out of Christmas, it's really just another day off from work.

Then, last night I had the privilege of attending a Christmas production at our church. It wasn't your typical church Christmas play at all, but it really tugged at my heart- strings as well. You see, the play was about how so many of us, even those of us who claim to be Christians, have in so many ways forgotten what Christmas is truly about. Thus, again I was reminded of all the traditions we have during this time of year. How important are they really?

We get so "wrapped up" in running from store to store to buy the perfect gifts, decorating the house inside and out, and cooking for one event or another. We often have an unrealistic vision of what Christmas should be like in our heads, and when real life fails to resemble those perfect visions, we often give up and are left disappointed.

So, how do we solve this problem? We must get back to the real meaning of Christmas, because in fact, without Christ, there would be no Christmas at all. Just as I saw on a sign the other day, we must remember that Mary wrapped the first Christmas gift, and if we choose to do so, we have the honor of carrying that gift around with us everywhere we go.

I Am So Thankful

Unfortunately, for many people, today is the only day they will stop and reflect upon all the blessings in their lives. Many people believe that all the pleasures they enjoy are given to them by pure luck, but this is not so. Every single thing we have is a gift from God. It's so easy to get wrapped up in this busy world of ours and forget it, but we shouldn't.

Jesus loves each and every one of us so much that he still would have died even if there were only one of us to die for. Think about this today as you celebrate Thanksgiving with your family. Here are some things I am thankful for. Does this cover everything? No way, but it is a start...

* My salvation- I don't deserve it, but I'm so grateful I have it
* My wonderful husband and sweet little boy- they both have my heart
* A Mama and Daddy who brought me up in church and love me no matter what
* My in-laws who love me just as much as my parents do
* My family- every last one of them, even if some of them are a little quirky
* My church family
* My students
* My coworkers
* My friends near and far
* My home
* The food on my table and clothes on my back
* Those who serve our country in the military- they sacrifice so much
* Our leaders- we need to pray for them regularly
* Our Nation- God can still turn this place around

Christmas Gifts

I've never been a Black Friday or last minute Christmas shopper. The traffic and crowds drive me nuts, and I'd rather spend a few extra dollars in the long run rather than put up with either of these things. Instead, I prefer to begin buying things in September or so. This helps my wallet, too, because the spending is spread over several months rather than a couple of days. So for me, it's win-win!

This is the second year in a row that I have been completely finished with my shopping before Thanksgiving. This time I even have everything wrapped, too. Now I can just sit back and really enjoy this wonderful holiday season with my family. I love it!