TisTheSeason...

Tis the season to be jolly.... well at least that's what the song suggests. Jiggle bells, my nerves are frayed, I gotta have that dish! I'm being sarcastic of course but the mood at the stores has been pretty intense. Especially since all the news reports that everyone is broke and destitute. We all know that isn't entirely true. Yes for some it is, but alot of us are really being blessed.

Actually I'm sort of glad things have come apart at the seams. I don't wish hard times on anyone, but we all go through them. The good news is that Jesus said He would never leave or forsake us and that yes, we would surely have tribulation but to rejoice because He has overcome the darkness. So my suggestion is get closer to the Lord and stay close. Now is the time to really pay attention to the Lord and what He has to say and obey!

Another point I need to make is... be kind one to another. Love thy neighbor. I have alot of neighbors especially when I go out to WalMart or HEB. I have noticed some people would rather look away from me and avoid eye contact while there are others who respond with a smile. I like to watch people, what they do, how they walk and act when they think no one is looking.

I was in WalMart waiting for my husband and I was observing the people. I would look at their faces and wonder-"Lord does he/she know You?" Some I knew for sure did but others it was obvious something wasn't right.

And we are just a dot in this world sort of like the story of Horton Hears A Who. How in the world are we going to reach the whole world, every person with the Good News?

Christmas 2008

I love Christmas. I sometimes struggle with it, but I love it. My struggle this year was not having the where-with-all to buy Christmas gifts for the family, which bugged me a great deal. After all that is what Christmas is all about, right? How else will our kids know just how much they are loved by their parents? I mean surely a Barbie has to exude love for sure.

Well this year the best gift of all of having all of our kiddos home with us. A few gifts were handed out. Handmade, home made gifts. Things that didn't move or have sound, weren't digital but were a hundred times better.

How bout a giant pinata in shape of a star? Filled with candy. That was Tiera's gift from her cousins. No batteries needed just a length of rope, a step ladder, something long to whack it with, a blindfold and uncle Aaron standing on the stepladder providing the swing action. Poppy and Lorren on hand recording it all on video while the girls and Nanny provided the whacking, even Mona displayed her ninja/nacho libre skillz. It was a sight to behold. In the cheering section was Tobie and Carlos and "LilLos" providing the cheering action. We laughed.... alot. Which is really good for the soul.

Or how bout the beautiful gifts Tiera picked out for each and every one of her family members. She really has great taste.

Or the amazing handmade journal Lorren made for me. Each page hand painted and included old cards from the past. Can't forget the awesome gift cards. They are always a blessing. Thank you Tobie and Carlos. We loved using our Cracker Barrel gift card.

Food played a huge part in our celebrating starting with a Christmas Eve get together at Tobie and Carlos' house. We started this tradition several years ago and it has become very special to all of us. We made three kinds of chicken wings, potato salad, tomato/corn salad, fruit salad, spinach dip and chips.

For Christmas day we had ham, green beans casserole, sweet potatoes/ marshmallow topping and Galore salad. Lorren later made chili. Yum Yum Yum. Mandy stopped by that evening, Mona and the girls made S'mores, which was a event. Later Mona pulled out a board game and the rest of the evening was spent comparing Apples to Apples. Well most of us, Ron, Tobie and I watched TV in Ben's room.

I even recieved phone calls from my brothers whom I haven't heard from in years and one of them stop by the house with his wife and visited for awhile.

On Sunday Ron and I drove down to where my mom lives and spent some time with her.
This was a really nice Christmas. Thank you Jesus.

In the wise words of Timy Tim... "God bless us all" or something like that.

This Darn Thing & The Bumpis Dogs

Remember the movies "Back To The Future" and "The Christmas Story" ? We do. Those two movies along with the aforementioned "Clue" and "Bells Are Ringing" helped mold us into what we are today.

My sweet hubby could play the character Doc perfectly. My oldest daughters favorite phrases in that movie is " Doc, Doc" and "Do you know what this means? This darn thing doesn't work!" She even sent her dad a birthday card with that written on it. There is a picture of a little girl trying to fix her bicycle and the phrase " Do You know what this means? This darn thing doesn't work" at the top. We like that movie a bunch. The sequels aren't so cool but that first movie is a hit.

"The Christmas Story" is another hit in our family. We discovered it while stationed in Germany the second time. To me Ralphie's family was how I pictured my hubby's family to be. One of our favorite phrases is "Those *&%$" Bumpis dogs. Of course we refrain saying "&%$" , that isn't cool.

Bah Humbug!

That's what my sweet hubby says each time the holidays come around. For some reason he doesn't appreciate the joy and wonders of putting up the Christmas decorations, tree and house lights the day after Thanksgiving. And heaven help us when the stores start putting out Christmas merchandise in October.

His favorite phrase is "years ago". "Years ago, when I was growing up we didn't decorate until two weeks before Christmas. " "Years ago" can even mean last week or yesterday. Just kidding sweetie. But let me tell you, once he finally gets into the mood, the outside of our house glows, flashes and shines. I just know that Jesus and all the angels in heaven can see our house. Uhm, by the way, this isn't our house.

In Between

In between the two overseas tours we were stationed in El Paso, Texas at Ft. Bliss. We stayed with my parents for awhile, then found a house to rent on the "economy" and then moved into quarters on post.

While we lived in the rental house Tobie and Lorren attended a private Christian school at Jesus Chapel for a year and then we moved to quarters and they moved to a public school.That was not a positive experience. In 1982 Ron went to Korea for 13 months during which time, Ben was born. Shortly after Ron returned from Korea we returned to Germany.

That year Ron was in Korea was a challenge for us. My parents lived in El Paso so that was a huge help.

School, Sled Hill, Volksmarching

The Department of Defense school system-DODS- was a new expericance for us. This was during the second tour. I think what made our time so special was the sense of community. Everyone was pretty much in the same boat.

In music class Lorren and Mona had a German speaking teacher who taught the classes songs in German. I don't think the girls remember any of the songs but it was wonderful to listen to them sing.

Ben was in Pre-K and in his class they had a really cute custom. Each child had a pair of house shoes they kept in the classroom and when they came in from the cold they would take off their outside shoes and put on their house shoes to wear in class.

Tobie had to ride the bus to another air base to go to school. I think that was hard for her. And now that I think about it, I don't think we ever visited her school.

The one and only we have been sledding was at Spangdahlem Air Base. There was a snow covered hill and the Air Force set up lights so that the families could sled at night. It was cold and wonderful.

We did some Volksmarching also. Not during the winter but in the spring and summer. There was Volksmarching groups and for a fee you could go on walks- 5K-10K-20K through the orests. Afterwards we would recieve a plaque. One time we decided to take the 20K hike and walked a long long ways. We sure learned our lesson.

St. Nick

You haven't celebrated Christmas until you spend some time in Germany. The snow is beautiful and of course very cold. I'm not sure what the date is but one night during the first week of December, the children will put their shoes outside the door so that St. Nick can put candy and small items in them. Our kids put their shoes outside the door, we lived in the attic so there was a stairwell and the next morning their shoes were full of chocolates. We were all surprised, I don't know who put the candy in. This was during our second tour in Germany.

Then there's the Christmas parade downtown. St. Nick rides by on his sled with a little imp character with him. I don't recall his name but he is mischievous. Of course St. Nick is beautiful, not like our Santa Claus but wearing a robe and carrying a staff. When they pass by they tossed out candy.

On our first tour Saint Nick came to our apartment and Lorren sat in his lap. She was only 2 I think at the time. I wish I could say she loved him but... well... she was so scared she peed on him. Poor baby. Saint Nick was really good natured about that and just laughed it off.

We dressed up for Christmas dinner, I used my Christmas plates and we all enjoyed the meal and company.