It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!
It has been snowing off and on since Thanksgiving. This morning we woke up to even more snow. My kids were so excited. They convinced Daddy to take them sledding and they had a blast.

"Walk a little closer with Jesus, Mama"

This is the resounding messsage that just keeps flooding my heart and my brain. In the midst of all the other things competing for my affection and my mind this is the one thing still stands out in the end.

Walk a little closer because I am watching you.

These little eyes pierce me to the soul tonight as I look at the picture. All five sets of little eyes seem to ask the same thing. In all that I do in the course of a day, in all that I choose to focus on, in everything that I say or think the one thing that matters most right now is how I walk in front of my children.

I am having a hard time coming to grips with this right now. I know they watch me. I know that they will become what I teach them. I want desperately for my children to have authentic, intimate relationships with Jesus. I want to see His love and light pouring forth in their lives. I hate to say it but right now I think the only one who is really even coming close to displaying this kind of life out of all of us is Brittney.

I am truly questioning everything right now. I am questioning what is important. I am wondering what it means today for me in this life that God has given me to truly live for him. So often I find myself reflecting on my past walk with Christ and longing for that time. But today I am no longer a single person running all over the world with the message of the gospel. Today I am a mom of five wonderful children and wife to an incredible husband. I am supposed to be Jesus to them. Let me tell you this is a lot harder than telling the world about Jesus and then going on with the rest of my life!

I hate knowing that I have drifted so far from the intimate relationship I once had with my Lord. Yet, at the same time I know I am His as I can feel his Spirit stirring inside of me. I feel him pursuing me and reminding me of his truth. I know that I can overcome through his strength this season of emptiness and can once again walk victoriously in Christ. I don't know about you, but I am tired of wasting my life on stupid things.

New Ehow Articles

Well, I am now officially up to 52 cents!!!! Woohoo!!! I know I have a long way to go until I am rich but...I must admit that I am addicted. Thanks to all of you who keep clicking on my articles and who keep coming here to read my blog. I promise to start writing again soon. We are in the midst of a school work crunch so it is consuming much of my time.

If you get a chance check out my new articles and let me know what you think:

Duck Themed Baby Shower Cake

How to Prepare a Child for a Medical Procedure
How to Make Easy Breakfast Burritos
How to Make Pumpkin Candle Holders
How to Furnish Baby's Nursery on a Budget

Apple Pie Cookies....Yummy!!!!

Last week we enjoyed apple pie cookies made by our very own Chef Jonathan. They were quite tasty- especially with vanilla ice cream. I have posted the directions and recipe on Ehow.com for your convenience. You can find it here or click on the article on the left side of my blog.

P.S. Thank you to all of you who went to my articles at Ehow. I wanted to let you know I appreciate it. It does appear to be legitimate...slow earning at first but it appears I am earning something. Thank you for your help!

The First Snow!!!

Wow, its been a while since I have written! We have been having so much fun lately there has been little time for blogging! We spent Halloween at my sister-in-law's house. It was a fun time for all the kids. Mya was especially fun to watch as she figured out trick or treating and carried her bag of loot everywhere. To top off the evening, my nephew convinced his mother to let the kids stay the night with them. She graciously caved to his begging. I hope she got some sleep! I know I appreciated the rest and the quiet morning I woke up to.

Some of the days of the past couple of weeks have been extremely difficult. Lots of saddness and trials. Lots of heartbreaking decisions to make. Lots of sad news. One in particular is a very dear friend of ours who was diagnosed with the same tumor as Jonathan at the same time of his second surgery has reoccured several times. We just found out that he is hospice. This breaks my heart. I don't know where he stands spiritually. I don't know where his wife stands spritually. I know that her heart must be torn in two as this horrible disease is ripping them apart. And of course news like this brings back reality for us. Please pray for them.

Overall though, each day has brought so much joy to my heart. My life is full right now. I am learning how to enjoy it. I am learning to wake up in the morning and thank God for this brand new day. The peace that I feel just looking out my window and being reminded of the greatness of the God I get to serve has been transforming me.

So what have we been up to since my last post:

Jonathan's MRI was stable. Thank God for that news!!!! I wasn't sure that would be the case...he has been so sick and so unstable emotionally. This seems to be improving as well. He has been diagnosed with sleep apnea. After a trip to the ENT doctor, we found that his allergies have improved but his sinuses are a huge mess. No surprise there. He will be having sinus surgery on December 19th. I hate to do this to him again but this is one illness that really messes him up. A simple sinus infection is enough to cause his temp. to drop very low, his speech to slur, and his walking to become very unstable. Right now he is still fighting an infection that he came down with 3 weeks ago. He is on his second antibiotic and a course of steriods and he still sounds awful. I think we will be going to the dr on Monday.

We went to the pumpkin patch for a school fieldtrip. Mamaw came with us. It was alot of fun! Mamaw and Papa were going camping near the patch so we went with our friends to the campground and enjoyed lunch there with Mamaw. Last week Mamaw and Papa came over for dinner and helped us carve pumpkins. It was kind of like a nightmare...all my kids are impatient and eager to use knives so you can just imagine! The end result was great though...and I have some brand new candle holders to show for it.

We have recently discovered, due to my dear friend Gretchen's insistence, ice skating. It has become a new family addiction. We went last week twice. Even Mya and Jon went out on the ice. Jonathan was a little unstable and very nervous but he made it around the rink twice. I was so proud of him. They have an sled hockey team here for people with disabilities. I am going to look into it. At least we know he won't overheat in that sport! My other three kids just took off on the ice. They have all decided that is where they are going to have their birthday parties. Jason declared he will be playing ice hockey. And Josh- well, he wants to be a boy ballerina on the ice...aka figure skating.

Oh, I can't forget- we had our first snow! The kids were so excited to wake up to 1/4 inch of snow on the ground. You know, in Tennessee that is a lot of snow. So of course we were excited. My friends on the north side of the city got 2 inches...I think we moved to the wrong side of town!

We also went on a short hike up in the mountains. It was beautiful. Jonathan was not happy that we brought him along. I am sure we were quite the site...Mya was on my back in the baby wrap and I was assisting Jonathan up the hill. He won't let Shawn hold his hand on these trips. I think he feels safer with me because I am more in tune to his stability. The whole way up and the whole way down he was carrying on... " I hate this.... I hate these stupid steps... I hate this stupid jerk head hike... leave me with someone to watch me next time..." Lesson learned...leave him at home next time! I am just glad the child doesn't know any real curse words or we would be in big trouble.

Well, I better go. I need to get my house cleaned before I pick up the kids. One of my sisters is coming to visit this week. I am very excited to see her. But I think she might like to come to a clean house!!!!!

Please pray for little Ashley and her family tonight and in the coming days. She is in the hospital fighting a transplant rejection. Follow her story at http://ashleyadamsjournal.blogspot.com/

The Best Brownie I Have Ever Had!!!!

This is a gluten free brownie that everyone is sure to love! Once I discovered this Starbucks Chocolate it was all over....

Find the recipe here!

Muffins Anyone?

I had a little help with my latest baking. Mya proved to be quite the grown up little helper. She discovered that butter is "mmmm....good mommy" and she was convinced the butter was supposed to go in the batter. Once I rescued the butter from the pureed zucchini everything was good...until I turned around and she had dumped an enitre cup of gluten free flour on top of the muffins I was getting ready to bake.

It was a blast to watch her experience this part of being a big girl. She is such a blessing to my day!!!

If you would like the recipe for this Zucchini Applesauce Bread that you can use with or with out gluten free bread just click here.

Readers Wanted!!!!

Recently, I discovered that you can write articles for ehow.com and get paid for it! I decided to try and see if it really works...if it doesn't then nothing is lost. In order for this to be successful I need your help. If you have a few extra moments, could you click on the link to the left titled "Ehow Articles". Go through and read what I have written...you never know you might find something you could use!!!! From what I have heard, the more people who click on and read the articles I write the more I will get paid. Who knows? Maybe you might want to join me and share about things you know. Let me know if you do and I will definately read your articles.
I am hoping that this might be another way to supplement my husband's income and provide a way for us to share Christ with the needy around us.

Thank you for your help!

I would much rather be taking pictures of this little guy than doing what I am supposed to be doing!

Let the hockey games begin!

Living History Day in Denver