The Middle of Everything!

While doing school with my babies on Monday, we looked at a book all about our home state, Missouri. It was super cool. Awesome pics of the Arch ~I have such happy memories of being there with my MO sisters and Christina and babies~ And seeing the names of so many cities and places that I love around our side of the state, even just seeing interstate 70 and thinking of all the crazy time I’ve already spent driving up and down that road—8 months, dude!

The book we were looking at called Missouri the middle of everything~ Not northern, southern, eastern, or western. Not just country, not just city. Not just anything, but a little of everything. I love it here. This place is my home. The middle of everything, a little of everything. It’s got everything~ It’s perfect. 

I have a thing for the middle~ Livin' in the middle of everything, cuddling in the middle of the group of cuties, being the middle child in my family in GA, and my family in MO... walking in the middle of my babies, one on each side. The middle's an awesome place to be!!

Things that fill my days and make them feel FANTASTIC (btw, I have a cutie 3-year-old who loves that word and asks me if it’s fantastic that he can say that word… and it’s suuuuper cute!):

~Hugs and kisses from my babies, watching them grow and learn every day

~Walking/running with dear friends who help me notice all the little things that God made for us to enjoy

~Singing, dancing, and laughing in the sunshine and rain of each new day

~Phone calls, Facebook posts, Skyping, and letters from my darling friends and family all over the world

~Knitting, scrapbooking, watchin’ movies, and reading with friends, or just a funny puppy…

~Having plans every single day, prayers at night with my family, hold hands with my best friend

 ~Knowing that everything, always, will be okay if we continue to live for HIM, putting HIM first in all things.

There is so much junk in life. So many things that are discouraging, sad, and horrible. It’s SIN. It’s the devil’s plan to keep us from being happy, to stop us from standing up for what’s right. But, let’s not give-in to what he wants. STAND for the right, make the good choices, and BE HAPPY!

The constant fellowship and encouragement that I’m given here and world-wide is overwhelming. It makes me glad to be alive every day. My good-health, the healthiness of my babies, the good jobs our dads have to help take care of us, the beauty in each day. I couldn’t ask for anything better. LIFE IS GOOD because GOD IS GREAT!

Here I am, having lived 20 amazing years, learning to look forward not only to the future, but to hold each moment truly special and know that it could be the last. But you know, I am so excited for that “last” moment, too, when we get to go home to Heaven. It will be wonderful to be with so many there, and to think of seeing Aunt Shauna again~ well, whole, happy… What a joy that will be. There is always joy. Always. And YOU help to make it that way. 

Thank you, for being you. <3

I love life...

 This month has started fantastically! It's been extra warm, so we've made time every day to go outside and enjoy the fresh air. We've got new bikes, new friends, and lots of sunshine and smiles to share.

 This is one of the most fun slides in the whole world! Talk about lots of laughing! This day was a very good one.

We spent the morning getting to go have a Bible lesson and singing time at a nursing home. The people there were too sweet. It is great to spend time with your Christian family (and there were 14 from our congregation there!), as well as working towards spreading the gospel. Not only were we able to encourage the people there, they were able to encourage us. And the time to teach our little ones to love and respect older people is priceless.

 Look at that. We played outside for over 2 hours. Dressed like THAT. In JANUARY! Isn't that NICEEE?!

There have also been some firsts: Walking through a "drivethru," having someone write a poem for me, running at 5 some mornings, throwing pieces of a game while playing, and backing up and down the Leonards' lane... Ok... so some of those were dares, and some of those were bigger firsts than others... But, life has been full and fun in 2012~

This year has been really encouraging to me already. A family has come back to the truth, we've been to a worship service of singing at a neighbor congregation, and we had a luncheon at our congregation.

I was able to visit at Chipman and enjoy a really great girls' class on modesty. This week we have a Young Adult Bible Study and a Teen Singing. It's always encouraging to be with the Saints!

 Got to spend a great afternoon with my babies and family at Burr Oaks, which I just LOVE! It reminds me of so many places I went when I was a lil girl with my family both at home in GA and at home in TN with Gran and Grandad. Get outside with your family and slow down enough to "just live" as Pollyanna would say! Then got to go back to Burr Oaks for the evening with my Burrows! 

Looks magical, doesn't it?

 You can never have too many sprinkles, right?! ha ha ha

Playing games and really enjoying life together before everyone starts back to school and college... I love the Leonards' home and how the doors are always open to those we need a home, a place to hang out, to LIVE for HIM.

 A new part of 2012 is having tennis lessons with Daddy! And I can tell that it's going to be heaps of fun!

 We all love Daddy/ Uncle Darren! He is super fun, funny, and is so great at what he does. The kiddos did very well and it was really nice to have lunch with him, too. Daddy time is so special. Dads out there, take time to live, play, and love your kiddos. The time goes too quickly. And there's no one cooler in the world than your dad!

 These monkies are soooooooo funny! They told me that I couldn't come in... and then told me when to come and look. The giggles and smiles and silly faces were just hilarious! They make anything in life more enjoyable and fun! We went for a walk/bike ride, painted finger nails, played the Wii, ate yummy snacks, got to go see Uncle David at work, played Bible Baseball... everything was awesome!

And this all got to happen because it was a special day. Aunt Chas and Uncle Daniel have been married for 19 years! That is so wonderful and encouraging. They put GOD first in their lives, then each other and their kiddos. They are giving their girlies a precious gift of security: knowing that their mommy and daddy love each other and GOD. This day was also special because it was Grandma's birthday-- and the kiddos are making pictures and birthday cards in this picture. When you get the art stuff out, you've got to really get the art stuff out! =D

Hoping and praying that you all are having just as awesome of a New Year as we are. 

We love you all!

A very, very Happy New Year!! =)

 Last day of the year was fantastic... slept in, walked/ran 4 miles, girl time with my Missouri sis and mom, and an afternoon at Aunt Chas' with some of the very best people in the world!!

 Then... on to Higginsville for our New Years gtg! :) WOOT!

 Another one of those things I've heard about for my whole life... now I'm getting to do it! :) Happppiness!

I love our congregation. It was wonderful to spend time playing, laughing, running, walking, eating~Fellowship time~ too perfect to express!

 Dodge-ball... that was fun! I love to throw things and to scream. I did lots of both!

In this new year, I want to be BETTER than I was in the last. I want to love my GOD more than ever before. I want to show the WORLD HIS GLORY. I want to live every second to the fullest-- to "Live in the SONSHINE." To give everything I possibly can to my babies, my congregation, my family. HE is so GOOD to ME... I can do SO much for OTHERS.

And whatever you ever do-- don't forget to SMILE!!!!!! :D :D :D

Christmas/New Years Break-aka-PARTY TIME!

This funny ham asked me for a photo shoot! And then told me where she wanted to be for each picture. She makes me laugh every single day!

And this little sunshine. MELTS. MY. HEART. daily!!

Giggly, goofy, girlies!!!

Little dude wearing 9 shirts! TOO funny!!!

We spent our break filled with friends. Every day. It was fantastic!! :)

Enjoying a new place, new friends, new hopes. Life is so precious~ slow down enough to really enjoy it and share time with those who are important to you!!

Play games!!!

Dress up and dance!!

And make sure that you spend time playing make-believe!!

And squishing your friends!! While giggling endlessly!!

And, SLIDE DOWN YOUR hall, laughing, clapping...

and enjoying the WHOOSH!!!

But don't do it alone. Share it with your FAMILY!

Smile, hug, watch movies until all hours of the night-- and eat too much. :) Especially if it's a strange mix of salty and sweet! hee hee

hee hee. Makes me happy every time I look at these blonde sweethearts!!

Fun sister time, record of seeing my sweet aunt and gorgeous cousins daily, brushing hair, watching videos until we cried from laughing so hard... 

All I can say is, "I love my family, too!"

"Christmas, Christmas time is here" (again!) =)

So just being with kiddos is magical anyway, but being with kiddos during Christmas-- is MAJORLY magical!

Are they not the cutest, most incredible little darlings? Oh, they make my whole world!!

We had a Can-Can day and met with Aunt Chas and our girlies down at Crown Center for an awesome afternoon. We watched the Seussical-- WHICH I LOVE!!! And then looked around that incredible shopping place! I love, love, love Christmas decorations. There was a fantastic candy store and an incredible gingerbread village! I was impressed for sure!!!

My Christmas back in GA was awesome. My Christmas prep with my babies was super sweet! Also, the Heck kiddos and Mr. David have a neat tradition of going out together for an evening and getting special gifts for our amazing Miss Debbie. It was totally nice of them to let me join in this year. It was a night I will never forget. We wrapped all of her presents together, too, with loud music going, of course, which was also splendid!

Our house was beautifully decorated~Christmas in every room. I love it that way. We all helped Miss Debbie wrap, or should I say, "Mrs. Claus!?" She's fantastic! She just never stops. She had so much to do, and she made it all so much fun for all of us...

She is the sweetest grandma~ and aunt! She gave all of us little 25 days of Christmas boxes. There was a neat little surprise every day!! TOO CUTE!

And then, then! It was Christmas time~ Christmas with the Jenkins, wonderful evening! Christmas Eve-- Lots of people in our house, lots of presents under our tree, lots of love filling every room. Even Josh's. I think. =P

There was going to sleep with Madison-- singing and cuddling, waking up to the magic of Christmas morning with a little blonde girlie in my arms. Heard Hallie's voice saying that it was CHRISTMAS! What fun!

It was adorable to watch the girlies open their presents. They are precious and sweet! They made it extra special. We went in age order for the presents, one at a time. We opened stockings all together... So many of us!

There were moments of laughing until crying, and then there were the moments of sweetness and love which also brought us to tears... This life is so not about this life. It's all about the future-- about Heaven. And it is a blessing to share Christmas, and every day, with people you know you'll spend "every day" of eternity with!

And then there's the fun of the spoilin'~ new, fuzzy, cuddly blanket, lotion, jewelry, scrapbooking stuff, sweet "Heck" things for my hope chest, adorable calendar, chocolate, candles, notebooks... and sooo much wrapping paper and *tape*. =D And the MOST fun- watching my FAMILY open their gifts from me. :) They treated me just like their own daughter, and I'll never forget the joy of this Christmas as a HECK!

And that was all Saturday-- then on "Real" Christmas (which was really my 3rd Christmas day of this year), I was a Leonard. Christmas Eve was spent with my Leonards and Thayer who'd just come home. Oh, I was so happy to see them again! My GA family was in TN and called me so that I could hear my Grandad read "The Night Before Christmas." You are never too old to be read to!! 

On Christmas morning, we had fun giving gifts as our family of five. They know me so well. Lotion (I smell like Stacy! :)) Fuzzy blanket! (Snuggling in Abby's bed!!) Travel notebook! (I loveeeee me some trips! One comin' up with Abs!) Cute potholder for my hope chest! (Made by my Abs!) And lovely earrings! (And they're hearts!) LOOOOOVE! Best, best, best, though, was giving them their gifts. Funny, sweet, treasure hunt, and surprise! =) 

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

There were so many more memories, special moments, incredible parties, music, presents, hugs, food, friends, secrets, excitement.... So many blessings that my life is just ooooooverflowing with happiness!!! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, 

my friends and ALL of my family! =-)