A Priceless Christmas

My daughter and my granddaughter sitting around a table at church sticking candy on a gingerbread house - our third year to do this.  Leah tiring of decorating and beginning to eat the "decorations."

Going to the live Nativity Scene at church and watching Leah (much to my surprise) ride the donkey.

Ten adults and one very active 2 1/2 year-old sitting around a dining room table eating and celebrating Christmas my brother and his family.  Missing loved ones who have gone on to their Heavenly home and those who are not able to be around the table anymore.  Reminiscing about Christmases past and telling family stories yet again.  Talking with nieces and cousins and trying to talk Leah into performing all her "tricks."

Eight adults and one very active 2 1/2 year-old side-by-side on a pew at Christmas Eve Service.  Holding Leah and holding her hand as she holds a lighted candle.  Singing Silent Night and feeling Leah lean her head against my cheek.

Fighting the crowd at the restaurant for our annual Christmas Eve Mexican food.

Six adults and one very active 2 1/2 year-old crammed into a family room with packages, boxes, wrapping paper, ribbon, glitter, toys and toy parts knee deep.

Eating tamales around the breakfast room table and thanking God for our blessings and especially for our family.

Other than my relationship with the Lord, there is nothing of this world that gives me more joy than having my whole family around me.  Listening from the other room to them talking and laughing is precious to me.

Priceless and precious.

Merry Christmas to all my friends and family and may God bless you in the New Year.

Love,
Clair

Pumpkins - Human and Vegetable

I have never made a secret of the fact that I love pumpkins.  This photo makes me hyperventilate.

This year I discovered that Leah loves pumpkins too!  One day she came over and said "Nana has lots pumpkins."  She likes to play with them.

She went with her Momma to the pumpkin patch yesterday.  Have you ever seen such a cute "pumpkin?"
I think NOT!
I thank God for His immeasurable gifts.  Happy Fall everyone!

On Turning 60

One day last week my husband woke up with a 60 year-old woman!  Me!!!!

I can hardly believe that I am 60.  I don't feel that old most days.  I remember my Daddy telling me that he felt middle-aged, but when he looked in the mirror he saw a 90-year old man.  That's what happens to me.  I look in the mirror and I see dark circles under my eyes and my eyelids droop more than before.  The skin on my neck is starting to look kind of wrinkly.  Yet, I don't feel 60.

I don't feel 60 unless I have to squat down to pick something up or stand up after sitting in a chair for a couple of hours.  Ouch - then I feel 60.

I sometimes look at young women who are pregnant and I think "I wish I could go back and do it all over again!"  I wish I could go back to the day I married Roger and start all over again.  I would do a lot of things the same, but I do have a few regrets and I would like to go back and fix those.

But - no way I can do that.  My years of having babies and raising children are over.  I am sad about that.  But my children still need me at times and I am finding so much joy in being a grandmother.  Also I am finding new meaning and purpose in my life by teaching my class of young women on Tuesdays.

I don't know how long the Lord will allow me to live, but I want to stay busy until the moment He calls me home.  Not just busy for busy's sake, but busy doing what the Lord wants me to do and doing what gives meaning to my life.  I want to do things that will go before me to the Throne on Judgment Day.  Things that won't be burned up in the fire.  I want to have a crown to throw at Jesus' feet.  I don't want to be empty-handed.

I pray that no matter how much longer my life will be that Jesus will sign His name to my lifesong.  I pray that I have lived in a way that pleases Him.

And about turning 60....my Daddy used to say that on your birthday you are just one day older.  No big deal.  After all, life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, red wine in the other, body thoroughly used, totally worn out and screaming -- "WOO HOO, what a ride!"

Summertime Blues

I am back from my trip to Italy (best trip ever) and trying to adjust to my new schedule as just a housewife again.  I had fun on my trip, but I missed my children and especially my little Leah Rose so much and was glad to get home.

I find that now that she is not with me I am oddly a lot more efficient with my housework, but there is a sad tinge to it.  Yesterday I went to Central Market for the first time without her and cried most of the way through the store.  I miss reading books and having her sit in my lap.

I have seen her a lot since I got back, in fact, she is sleeping in her room at my house right now, but I have to adjust to a new normal.

I know it is the right thing, however, because she seems so happy that her Momma is home with her.  Allison told me that when she goes in to get her in the morning she says, "Momma home."  That thrills me!

She had her Momma call me yesterday and when we talked she said, "Allah Rose (Leah Rose), Nana hing (Nana sing)."  So I sang her song to her.  Then she wanted the Nana's baby song, and the bath song.  I sang all three and she told me she loves me.  I think she misses me a little, too.

Thank You, God, for this precious gift.

Love,
Clair

Mother's Day

The first time I held him in my arms I knew I was in love!

I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life!  All my life, all I ever wanted to be was a wife and mother.  This little gift from God was my prayer-come-true.

Then, a few years later another little gift from God came along.  The most beautiful little girl I had ever seen!

Motherhood has been the greatest joy of my life.  Sure, there were ups and downs, good years and bad years, successes and failures, but these children brought such joy to my life.  Married to a great man, mother of two wonderful children who married two wonderful people, I was sure my life was complete.

And, then...........this little gift from God came along.

 

 Having all four of our children (our in-law children are our children now, too) in our home on Thursday nights for family dinner is Heaven-on-Earth for me.  Hearing this little girl talking and laughing...I could never thank God enough for His immeasurable gifts!

One Little Girl

This last week we celebrated the second birthday of my granddaughter, Leah. I can't believe she is already two! She has learned so much in two years. Her vocabulary is exploding right now - every day she says something new.

She has been such a blessing to our family and to Roger and me. For Roger, she is kind of a second chance. He was working so hard to support his family when our kids were little that he has very little memory of them as infants and toddlers. He is really enjoying his time with Leah.

I find that I am much more patient at this stage of my life. I determined before she was born that I would never yell at her or allow myself to be impatient with her for any reason. I knew I would regret that if it happened. I want her to remember me as being kind and loving to her.

I am less busy at this season of life and can sit for hours and read books and play with toys and stop in parking lots to point to birdies and flowers and "whoof whoofs." I can take the time to stop at the herb aisle and let her smell every one of them. Or let her taste samples of every kind of fruit or cheese that they are giving out at Central Market. I can take her to the playground and let her "lide" and "ing" until she is tired and ready to go. I can watch the same episode of Sesame Street over and over again because it is her favorite.

When she wakes up prematurely from a nap and cries, I can sit and rock her for more than an hour and just hold her, pray for her, sing to her, and hope that I will remember what it feels like to do this because I know what's coming in the future. A day will come when she won't want to come to my house to see me - she would rather do things with her friends. She will think of me as that "stinky old lady that my Mom makes me visit." Oh, I know she will love me then, but now she really likes being with me.

I love it when I say I need a kiss and she "makes out" with me and the kiss lasts for several seconds. I love it when she says its "Nana's turn" or when she is going somewhere and she turns to me and says "Nana, too." Walking down the street with her holding my hand is such a thrill to me.

I love it when we are in the car and I play her music and she says "Nana, hing!" I love it when she is eating lunch and she says "ummy!" And my heart melts when I say "Nana loves Leah" and she says (with great thought to put all the words together) "Allah yuv Nana."

Ever since Allison told me she was pregnant I and many of my friends have been praying that she would get to stay home with Leah and be a full-time wife and mommy. Not because I didn't want to take care of Leah, but because I knew that it would be Allison who would miss out on so many hours with her. God in His goodness has answered that prayer! At the end of the school year, Allison will officially be a SAHM!

Roger and I are so happy for her! This is the way it should be. But Roger will miss seeing her every morning, taking her out to see the "whoof whoofs" and the "beebees" and the "hun and moon." I will miss spending my days with my precious baby. But I know that my time of raising children is over and now it is Allison's turn. This is how it should be.

The other night after Leah's family party at our house, Justin's Dad said "it is amazing how one little girl can make so many people happy." She has made our whole family very happy. Thank You, Father, for this great gift to our family!
Happy Birthday, Leah Rose!

Love,
Nana

He is Risen!

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday - my whole family in church, and then lunch at our house and egg-hunting with Leah. How blessed we are!

Children's Birthdays!

My children (and my son-in-law) are having birthdays this winter. They are feeling older and, of course, I am feeling older. However, the truth is that every day that God wakes us up is a huge blessing!

I am so blessed to have my children! They (along with my other family members and especially Leah) have been the greatest blessings of my life.

They are in the best days of their lives - I am in the autumn (or maybe even the winter) of my life. Would I like to do it over again? Yes, and I would try harder to be a better mother and wife. I would spend every moment representing Christ to my children and teaching them about the Lord. Do I have regrets? Yes. Can I do anything about it? No. His grace will have to cover my failures.

Happy Birthday to all my children! Revel in each year. Make each year count for the Lord. Only one life-will soon be past-only what's done for Christ will last.

Love,
Momma