1st Christmas

Oh My Darling!

Cupcake made her entrance into this world last Saturday night. Praise God for her safe arrival! She is a beauty, a precious gift from our Lord. We are so thankful that she is healthy and strong. We are praying that the Lord will draw her to Himself early and that she will live out her days in faithful service to Him. What a great reminder it is for us to faithfully pray this prayer for all of our children!

Our Gingerbread House

Last year we attempted the Gingerbread House project using a kit that came in a box. Unfortunately, it lasted all of about 5 minutes after we put on the finishing touches. Boo-Boo didn't get in on that fun, but this time we let him help.

We went with a real cake (carrot - yum!) this year, cut and assembled into a house-shape, with frosting all over. That's thanks to Mrs. Fitz' Sunday School project with us when I was a kid. I had to pull out the picture of the cake I made in fourth grade or so and try to figure out the pattern for it. But it seemed to work!

We also made a special trip to the store for candy to decorate the house. The boys picked out multi-colored licorice (gross!!), Skittles and Dots. We colored some coconut green to give the house a yard, and then we were off! The boys had a great time imagining all of the Gingerbread Man's furniture and household goods inside his house as we decorated the outside.

At Saturday night when 8:00 rolled around and I was still cleaning up the dishes and mess from cake-making and asking myself why I start these projects, Stephen gently reminded me how much the boys enjoy the fun of it. And after all, we're making memories.

Last night when we cut the cake and ate a slice, the boys told us that the Gingerbread Man was sad that his house was being destroyed, so he was moving out! Until next year then...

Waiting...

Only 1 week now from my due date...and I am SOOOOO ready! I don't know what on earth made me think - or hope - that our Cupcake might be born early, but now I'm having to squash those hopes.

It doesn't help any that a cousin who was due just 1 week before me has had her baby girl 2 weeks early! And my sister-in-law who was due the day after me had her baby boy 2 weeks and 3 days early!! And a gal from church who was due a week before me has had her son a week early too. I'm beginning to feel like I'm the only one left!!

Yes, it's getting a little discouraging. But I take comfort knowing that she will come at just the right time, according to the Lord's plan for her life. He knows us before we are formed, and He has numbered the days of her life (and mine!). Pray that I will continually be reminded that His plan is BETTER than mine.

In the meantime, I am feeling rather well, thankfully. Mostly I just struggle with fatigue in the later part of the day. But I keep telling myself that it's nothing compared to the fatigue I will be feeling when I'm dealing with sleepless nights! :-)

On another note, we are praising God today for providing the vehicle we have sorely needed. We've been looking to get another car for several months so that I won't have to drive Stephen to the train station each morning and pick him up each evening (or be without a car when he needed to use it). And last night, after a rather unpleasant attempt at a purchase last weekend, the Lord provided to us a good car...just at the right time!

And thankfully, He provided it before Cupcake's birth...which is when the real need would begin.

Praise Him for His mercies to us!!