round one

umm, who are those big kids flanking us? 

This was our first attempt at taking our annual Christmas card picture...we took it on Thanksgiving last Thursday, which also happened to be 1.)  the 21st Thursday since Jack departed and 2.)  the day that our van was viciously broken into (scumbucket). Tom, you did a nice job...your subjects, well, they were NOT very cooperative.

We tried not to look too fearful but I think a new brand of fear was creeping into my soul this day.

In other news, today is the 22nd Thursday since Sweetie boy died. I can't believe it. I miss him and see pix of other people's babies at the same age and try to close my eyes, imagine what that doll boy would be like...just can't fathom this.

That is a story for another day...I have a few different blog posts that I want to get on here before I forget them forever...let me post them here so that I can remind myself, or so that one of you can remind me, say, in a comment? Tashena? Tory? anyone?

1.)  The amazing JOY/Jack/butterfly gifts that I've received in just the past 3 days.
2.)  Jack's garden
3.)  Hopefully Round #2 of Christmascardpalooza of 2011. I have to say, I just LOVE Levi's face in most of those pics up there...but the last one is my fave. I might have been pinching him. We discovered that we needed to have lighter clothing on for the JOY letters to show up or implement them another way. So we are formulating. Our cards may not get out till closer to Christmas but we are working on them.

Since our van lock was popped, the driver side door will not open now. soooo, I didn't realize how much and effortlessly I hop in and out of our van till this. It's just one more of those things that I'm trying to smile about. Choose JOY ya know?

go check out Ann Voskamp's website at aholyexperience.com . I am loving her book "One Thousand Gifts", even though I read thru it earlier this year. I have a different perspective now (imagine that! gasp!) and discovered her site...which is cool. Check out her Jesse Tree download...that is something we've added to our nightly Advent reading/prayer.

Ok, gotta run...kids need to get to karate but I'll be back.