happy birthday to you
happy birthday to you
happy birthday dear Jesus
happy birthday to you

We host a family Christmas breakfast for Dave's side of the family every year. This year I broke out my fine china and made it special! I love my Christmas table! I have used my china a few times this year, and it makes me feel like such a grown up! It's too beautiful to sit in my cupboard collecting dust.

Everything was super yummy! We had pancakes, bacon, sausage, fruit and egg bake...

Yes, I took a photo of my egg bake! It was so pretty! And it was SO good! My thanks to my good friend Sara for the recipe!

more decorating...

I keep adding more and more this year...
Mom and I bought some old skates a few years ago. I finally put my out this year!


Some Christmas cheer in our entry way...


Graham helped me put his train around the Basement tree...

On servanthood

I've been hearing a lot about leading others to Christ this Christmas. It always makes me feel a little "less-than" for some reason. After all, I think to myself, I sure don't have the large "sphere of influence" that pastors are always talking about. I see the same three people every day, and there aren't a whole lot of exceptions to that rule. The life of a stay at home mom can be monotonous. And monotonous this day has been. There have been endless requests. "Mom, could you..." "Mom, do this!" "Liz, could you...?" "Mom, can you help me..." until every last ounce of my energy has dwindled.
Tonight, as part of our advent activities, Isaac and Graham each got their own "special" bubble bath. There were candles and Christmas music and a tub that was filled to the brim with warm water and bubbles. When I led Graham into the bathroom, his eyes were huge...he soaked up every moment of the experience and loved it. Isaac was the same. They both loved the special treatment from their mama. We had a brief chance to talk about Jesus and the meaning of Christmas during this time.
And it got me to thinking about servanthood, about pointing others to Jesus. And my sphere of influence may be small, but its important nonetheless.
A few moments later, as I was walking to Graham's bedroom to put him to bed, Dave called for me from our room. He's had the flu all day and he wanted me to rub his neck a bit. I complained at first, but then a still small voice whispered that word, "servanthood" distinguishable only to my heart. I turned around and went back in and did my part to help him feel a bit better.
Servanthood.
"Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
Mark 9:35

more Christmas pics!

my basement...


I always like my basement tree better for some reason...it's more "me" I think.



The cute Christmas plates I got at a garage sale a few years ago and have never used before...so cute!