Ford's 2nd Birthday

I can't believe it has taken me this long to blog!!! So I'm going to do a little catch up...
Ford's 2nd Birthday was back in March!!! We began his day like we did on his first... balloons in his bed, singing Happy Birthday as we entered, putting a hat on him, and then singing a special song called The Day You Were Born...Not shown in the picture... But Ford also enjoyed that Mammaw Riley and his Aunt Clara (which is probably the reason of his big smile not the balloons) were there with us that morning as he woke up.

Then it was party time... We had planned a train party at the park, so i knew weather was going to be an issue. I just did not expect such a strong windy day that made us all very cold. The kids enjoyed a good time as they rode the train, played at the park, and enjoyed some of Ford's favorite things to eat - fruit, doughnut holes, and a special Ford trail mix. Here are a few pics from the party...

Ford arrives at the party... Ford takes his 1st train ride of the day with Clara...
The Ford Depot with cake and snack train...The attempt by some good guys to light the candles on the cake, but the wind would not let up...
So we sang Happy Birthay without the candles lit...
Then we lit them again and bent down to attempt to blow out the candles again...
Ford enjoyed the train's hat (an ice cream cone filled with icing)...
After the party the whole family went to eat Mexican. A week before we had been there and Ford heard them singing Happy Birthday. He asked, "What's that Momma?" I said, "They are singing Happy Birthday to someone. Do you want to come here on your birthday and let them sing to you?" He answered, "Uh uh." And so we did...
Since the wind was so strong there was no way to open presents at the party, so Ford opened presents all through out the rest of the day at home with the Family.Since I was a little upset about Ford not being able to really blow out his candles, I decided for us to do it again with the already cut cake that night. So we did and then watched his new favorite movie - Cars. As we were watching the movie Ford went back to the table and climbed up in the chair and said, "Sing Happy Birthday, bow candles momma, gain." So of course with almost tears in my eyes we did it again that night, actually 3 more times in a row. We actually did it for the entire week following his birthday too... Every night before we ate the left over cake we would put the candles in and sing him Happy Birthday. His face lit up each time like it was the first time. I really don't know if that was more for me or him, but I know both of us loved each and every time we did it probably even more than the first. It was a gift from God for me. I think it may just be a family tradition now, too. That is to sing Happy Birthday till the cake is gone!

Christmas Day

We had a very relaxing Christmas Day. We stayed in our pj's most of the day. We had sausage pinwheels and Christmas blend coffee with real homemade whip cream. It was just simple and pleasant and truly peaceful. Ford took an early nap, so I was able to watch a sappy girlie Christmas movie while sipping on coffee. It was just a slow day. Our Christmas dinner wasn't traditional in the sense of a big family sitting down together, but the food itself was - a turkey, dressing, hashbrown casserole, and spinach balls. It was all very yummy. Here are some pics from the day...

Ford opening his first present from Santa.Ford holding onto his Thomas train (the first gift) while daddy helps him open up the garbage bag of gifts that Santa left.Ford begins to open up the large present Santa left...It's a train table! Ford loves it and plays with it ALL the time.Ford with one of his presents in front of the tree.

Christmas Eve

If you read my "God's Gifts" posts then you already know that one of my best gifts was this not really planned but just nicely worked out time to make "Happy Birthday Jesus" cupcakes with Ford. Brad had cooked them for us before the Christmas Eve service, so while he was cooking us dinner Ford and I decorated. It was just perfect! I loved these sweet moments with him. It was just sooo fun and precious. It also really helped Ford to 'get it' - Jesus birth - in his little way. He talked about 'Happy Jesus Cake' for weeks after. And everytime he ate one of the cupcakes he wanted to sing 'Happy Birthday' and put a candle in it to blow out.

So when we had finished I leaned down to take a picture with him and all of a sudden he looked up at me with this sweet face as to capture the moment for himself or say, "Mom this is grand." And yes thanks to our most gracious Heavenly Father who does care about the small things this was Grand and my favorite memorie of this holiday season.

Thank you Ford for this wonderful gift.

Weekend Before Christmas

The weekend before Christmas my Mom and family came to have Christmas with us here. It was a fun relaxing weekend. I really didn't even think to take many pictures we were so relaxed. On Saturday night we went to the park that is all decorated with Christmas lights, train rides, and visits with Santa.

Ford and Clara

A family photo on the sleigh Another train ride for Ford... (which he said 'norf pole?' right before we got on as to say, "We're going to the North Pole like the Polar Express?")

Polar Express

Around my birthday, we went to ride the Polar Express with my Dad and family. It was a lot of fun! Ford loves trains and had been watching the Polar Express Movie nonstop for the two weeks leading up to the ride and many weeks after. He still asks to watch the movie and read the book. Here are some pics from our trip.

Here is Jacob, Ford, and Hannah waiting in the depot. We didn't ride in the same train car, but Ford got to see his good friend Ava there too.Here are all the grandkids on the train. When we got to the North Pole Santa came on the train to visit. Ford went right to him, but then broke out in this.
Mrs. Claus wasn't as scary I guess, but of course I stayed very close.Poppa D and Nana with all the grankids as we all were served chocolate milk and cookies.Ford just having fun.

God's Gift Dec 26...

1-HOPE-I think this gift today may top them all. I am not sad or down or depressed in anyway. I am content and joyful and feel very Hopeful. I am reminded that Christmas is just the reminder of the beginning of Everlasting Hope for those of us "In Christ." So today I say, "Happy Hope that lasts forever day!" Thank you Lord for hearing my cry and overcoming my depression in YOU all things are possible.

God's Gift Dec 25...

Today's Gift - NO Sadness, NO DEPRESSION, NO This doesn't feel like Christmas... It did not feel like every other day. It felt like Christmas. It was a wonderful day full of contement and true joy. Thank YOU Thank You Lord for the wonderful gift of contenment today.

Side note... Brad completely suprised me this year with his gift. We had finished opening presents and he told me that there was something else for me on the tree. I went over there but couldn't find anything as I wondered what in the world. Then he pointed me in a certain area and I saw them... Hanging on the tree in a glass ornament were diamond earrings. All I could do was laugh like a little giddy school girl before even touching them as I looked back and forth between them and Brad. They are beautiful, Brad you did GREAT!

God's Gift Dec 24...

Christmas Eve was just so good, sweet, peaceful. Brad was at home. It was such a slow day. I really had time to rest and ponder the real reason of Christmas - Christ's Birth. It was almost not real to me like walking on clouds are in a scene on a movie to me. I set out the toy nativity scene we have on the coffee table. Drank Coffee with real whip cream while we wrapped a few presents. All this after a wonderful nap with the rain falling outside. Then we woke Ford up and went to the Christmas Eve service. The Christmas Eve service was such a sweet time for me. I think mostly because It all really sunk into my heart, my soul - the real reason for Christmas. I know it sounds so "churchy" but I was struck by the awe that JESUS is the BEST GIFT anyone can ever receive. That JESUS is the how we truly experience JOY, PEACE, CONTENMENT, HOPE. This baby came to give us our heart's desire even though we don't know that HE is what we are looking for in this life. It was then that I realized what God's gift to me was this year, He really had already given it - it was and is JESUS, my Savior, my Peace, my Joy, my HOPE! It's just that this year there was quiet simple time to receive it, to really get it in my heart and in my soul. And the best part is that I felt it deep within me. If we had been running from family to family I would have missed it. We would have been too busy with good things for Jesus to really reveal himself to me.

We then returned home for Brad to cook us dinner, so I decided Ford and I would decorate some cupcakes for Jesus Birthday. I put an apron on him and myself and we decorated away. He was so excited as he said, "Happy Desus Cake," over and over as we iced them. Then I let him put mm's and sprinkles on them. Not many got on the cupcakes 'cause as soon as he put them on he would take them off and eat them up. It was such an impromtu and sweet time with him.

After dinner we put a candle in one and sat the little people baby Jesus on his tray as we sang "Happy Birthday Jesus." We then spent some time playing with a Nativity Set. It was just so peaceful.

God's Gift Dec 23...

It is Christmas Eve Eve... I am trying to straighten up around here before Christmas. Having a lot of different thoughts lately... I know that God is trying to teach me something about Christmas - Himself, but it is like my flesh or Satan is trying to not let it happen sooo bad. Still kind of up in the air as to when we are going to visit family for Christmas. Cried about it this morning. The feeling of Christmas is so fleeting and not constant. The fear that Christmas will feel like just another day - not special. BUT when Christ was born... Mary was a nobody doing her mundane thing called life, the sheppards were doing their jobs watching the flock, the city of bethlehem continued life as normal...

Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but for so many it is not. I would dare to say that for the majority of the world Christmas is not the most wonderful time of the year, but the worst or most depressing or saddest or loneliest. I would say that it is not the most wonderful time for many because they think something is wrong with them if they don't feel happy or feel like it is the most wonderful time or get that special Christmas feeling. They feel hopeless. I love to watch Christmas movies, but very few of those fairy tale movies ever play out in real life leaving many of us to think we've missed it or that we've had a bad Christmas.

I just finished watching a Pooh Christmas with Ford. Eor really stuck out to me. I never really noticed, but generally Eor is depressed and sad and down. In the movie he said he had never asked Santa for anything because the one thing he wanted was impossible for Santa to give - he wanted to fly. Of course by the end of the "fairy tale" movie he does get to fly BUT how true is this mentality in life today. How true is it of ME! Of course in the movie the faith, the belief, the hope was in Santa. It really stuck out to me how really many of the ideas of Santa are how we should see Jesus and God. God is able to give whatever we ask. Nothing is impossible with God. God is real hope all year long. Why don't we ask HIM? Because we don't believe He can do it - the impossible.

This all made me remember what Ginny had told me last Friday... john 14:14... And yesterday when I was reading in Luke the Christmas story the verse "nothing is impossible with God" just kept jumping out at me.

I am to ask HIM, my Savior my Heavenly Father, for something this Christmas but what I don't know. I must believe that in GOD NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE!!! With Santa and Christmas traditions everything is impossible and fleeting and never the same BUT in CHRIST IMMANUEL ALL things are POSSIBLE, ETERNAL, and ALWAYS THE SAME yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Oh Lord help me know what to ask.

God's Gift Dec 22...

1-Ford Helping-We had to take Clara home today which was sad. After Ford woke up from his nap I was putting some of his clothes up. He grabbed a stack himself and brought it in his room and put it in the drawer. Then while I was hanging up what I had, he went back and got the last pile and brought them in his room and put them in his drawer. It just brightened my whole being. I was just taken a back that he didn't just throw the clothes down or all over, but actually helped and put them up. I was just amazed and felt so blessed to have this little one to watch grow.

2-Coffee Break-I had coffee with a friend tonight. It was good to just sit and refocus on life as opposed to all the hustle with Christmas.