Ornaments Speak

Ornaments Speak

 

As we discussed "whose" Christmas tree was going where with "what" decorations on it...we decided to put up only ONE tree with BOTH of our decorations on it! It's a classic...it's a tree where Hallmark Keepsake ornaments such as The Beatles, The Muppets, Tinkerbell, and Star Trek meet the sweet handmade school ornaments the girls have made from years past and more "traditional" looking ornaments. It's a tree where two families truly have collided...just as WE truly HAVE!

The main reason for this blog post is to share with you a story that is almost unbelievable...only one God could have done! The Sunday night we all were decorating the Christmas tree, I was sitting on the floor going through the Rubbermaid tub handing the girls and Kevin the ornaments to put on the tree. I grabbed the next ornament and to my surprise, it was an ornament I had had for almost 17 years...it was crystal wedding bells. An ornament Mike and I had been given as a wedding gift. (Our anniversary is on December 9th.) I instantly felt the grief sneaking up on me. This was about 2 weeks before our anniversary and I had "thought" about it coming, but not REALLY "thought" about it, until seeing the crystal wedding bells in my hand. I quietly excused myself to the restroom and cried for several minutes. I returned to the rest of my family with love and laughter, but I still felt...grief. The VERY next ornament I unwrapped was...an ornament that read, "Our First Christmas Together 1995". That's when I lost it and my entire family stopped what they were doing...Kevin asked me what was wrong and I showed them all the two ornaments. Everyone was very supportive and we kept going...and decorating. The VERY next ornament I came to was one I had forgot I had, yet, I feel it was God's words..."JOY" (2010). Yes, it was an ornament with JOY spelled out and the date 2010 on it! I didn't even care about the word JOY in 2010, but Mike died in 2010 and I have since found great JOY from our sweet Jesus! I knew when I saw that third ornament with JOY on it, God had been there "unwrapping" the ornaments with me and healing my heart....preparing me for another anniversary to celebrate of the 17 years of marriage we would of had, but only were together for 14 of them.

After the tree was done and the girls were all busy getting ready for bed, my precious husband hugged me and said, "there is nothing wrong with missing Mike." "Just because I am here and married to you doesn't mean you don't miss him."...I cried once again. Kevin and I "celebrated" on December 9th...we had a lovely day together, just the two of us, knowing there was really three of us "celebrating"...

Busy, But Back

Busy, But Back...

So much has happened in the past 6 weeks of my life, but blogging has not been one of them. I have missed it so much and I hope to be back now on a more constant basis.

As many of you know on October 26th, Kevin and I married! We exchanged vows in a private, intimate ceremony at the church Kevin and his family have attended for several years. Now, we all attend there...and, my best words to describe it are..."it's the best kept secret in town." The Holy Spirit is alive and moving there and we all love worshiping together as a family. See, we not only get to enjoy sitting with family every Sunday worshiping, but we are blessed enough to spend time with Kevin's parents and his sister and her family for lunch after church at his parent's house. This time together is a lost tradition for many families, but one we love and look forward to every week. We catch up with one another and eat a delicious meal! Being an only child, I LOVE having an extended family that is so close. They have only showed me and my girls love and then...more love! I could not have ever hand picked a better family to marry into. I thank God for them everyday!

We wanted a small wedding, but it didn't lack in the awesomeness of a man and woman becoming one. Our vows were so powerful, we served one another communion, and as a HUGE surprise to me.....KEVIN HAD WROTE A SONG FOR ME! He sang and played his guitar...yes, I cried! The lyrics of the song were amazing...I hope to post it on here sometime. (I should ask the musician if it's ok, though!)

After a wonderful dinner with our wedding guests, we enjoyed one another for a weekend away. As we drove to come back home, I was sad to be leaving our "honeymoon", yet, so very much excited to be starting our lives with our four daughters! And, that's exactly what it has been....exciting! These four girls love being together and have become the best of friends! It's so much fun to see them and see the bond that is/has formed.

We are all adjusting to the different schedules and routines that were already in place. The girls LOVE their new schools, teachers, and new friends. God shows up all the time, and continues to lead us and show us His way. I never thought I would move from my hometown, but I couldn't be happier where I am today. This move has made me realize that no matter where I live, God will be there too. This house feels like "home", it's not the structure of a home, but the family inside that makes it a "home".