Christmas pics

Xander and his buddy Zachary at their Christmas party at school.

They made gingerbread houses. This is Xander's masterpiece before he ate it!

Christmas beauty

Note to Santa 

Santa's response

I loved our tree this year! We finally got a taller one that looks better in our living room.

Twins :)

Ready to go downstairs

Amelia Jayne playing in the "stable" at Grandma's house

Amelia Jayne started getting sick on Christmas Eve and by Christmas night she had a fever and didn't feel so hot.

While we were celebrating at Mimi's she put herself down for a nap. She doesn't even take naps anymore! She was still recovering from being sick + all the excitement and fun of Christmas.

That pretty little bird...

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.
by Emily Dickinson

I share this poem with you today because it has stayed with me over the past few months. I am hopeful, I am filled with faith, I believe in the good that God has done and will continue to do for this world.

There are some things going on in my heart lately. Things I can't exactly talk about right now, but things that are new and beautiful and scary and unknown.
And hope, that pretty little bird, is paramount. It's what keeps me going.