Sweet Boy

We stayed home today from church. FaithLyn has chicken pox, we think. This is our second Sunday to miss. I think she is better and then a new bump appears.
But we took this opportunity to enjoy a quiet morning at home, just FaithLyn, Judson, and me. We also thought it might be a good opportunity to try out our new camera. And since we have some one who likes to take pictures, FaithLyn, and someone who likes to smile, Judson, it worked out pretty well.


These are the pictures I took but FL took some good ones too.

It is amazing to me how much he has grown. It happens overnight. One day he just layed and slept then the next thing you know he is smiling and crying just to get you to hold him. He has me wrapped around his finger. That smile just melts my heart. And you just better forget about me doing anything else when he starts cooing at me, especially when we are singing. I could stay right there singing to my little man FORRRRREVVVVVVVVVVVVERRRRRRRRR.

Christmas Count Down

Here is our version of the "Official" Bragdon cookie decorating contest. It's just not a contest it's a free for all!











As you can see we take it pretty seriously.......Olivia couldn't let something petty like clothing get in the way of her artistic genius.











We had so much fun at FaithLyn's school Christmas party. The little sisters think it is pretty cool to get to come to FayFay's class. They especially like that she always shares her special treats with them.









Big sis is taking her job pretty seriously!













The highlight of the party.....the concert. We have been talking about this party and singing the songs FOR WEEKS! Elise and Olivia knew the songs! It was fun to see her in action.

Merry Christmas!

COUSIN LUKE! We had so much fun with Luke. He is such a sweetie! I worked long and hard to win his affection. I love to hear him say Telli. He gave me lots of kisses and loves to be tickled and always asks you to "top, pease." He is so very polite. He and Olivia are only one month apart. It has been fun to see them develop and grow. It has also been interesting to note the differences in gender. They were lots of fun!

FaithLyn was so very good to include Luke. She made sure to try and get him involved in what ever they were doing. It was so fun to see them enjoying each other.

We had so much fun at Nana and Papa's house this Christmas. We love that we get to see Memaw Crabb every day!

Nana had some fun things for us to do. FaithLyn loved making hamburger cookies! Hmmm....

The girls are having fun with their Star Station. FaithLyn always tells us we are going to see her on one of those singing shows some day and now we can when ever she chooses! Lots of FUN!

Olivia was pretty excited to try our her big girl panties.

PawPaw Wayne had a brief moment with Judson before the little man got cranky.

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas. We miss our family already and we just got home today. But it's always good to be home. We wish we could have been with ALL of our family. And all of you that we love so dearly, we love and miss you all. May Jesus grant us all another year to cherish those that we love and learn to love better all that are in our lives. We are grateful for the only gift that really matters this Christmas........

Jesus, the Christ, who came to the earth to live and die so that we all might live.

Merry Christmas!

Dan's Special Gift

I wish I had a picture...I will get one soon, but last night was one of those nights that makes "it all" worth it. You know what I mean? You love what you do but you wonder if you are making any difference. Sometimes you feel like anyone could do the work you are doing and it wouldn't change things much. Last night we were so blessed by our youth group. At the end of the night right after the closing prayer a few of the Seniors left the room and ALL of the Jr. High started filing back in....hmmm curious. Then a couple of theSeniors walk in with a LARGE gift wrapped in shiny silver paper.

A little background....during the month of December, Dan has been teaching a series on the gifts of God. At the beginning of each lesson before the High school and Jr. High split he got two volunteers. Each one got to pick a gift. One was usually small and the other big. They both had to promise to eat, wear, or use what ever they received. One week it was sardines or a Sonic gift card, the next it was cute reindeer head band or cool t-shirt and a CD or one of the Seniors popping out of a box to sing a song, and so on....He was trying to express that some of God's gifts are so great but you have to wait to use them or how we often take the immediate instead of taking the more useful and desirable gift that God is preparing for us.

Back to last night....When Kaleb got the big package up front he said, "Now Dan, do you promise to accept this gift no matter what it is? You HAVE to accept it."
"OK"
So Dan started to tear into it....First you see a really nice hard case for a guitar. It was signed by lots of the youth. But that wasn't all.....It was a new Alvarez acoustic guitar with hook ups for amps! Dan was so pumped! I was crying. It was just too much!

Then we found out that they "the youth" had been planning this and collecting money for months! They couldn't have thought of something more meaningful for us. Dan loves it! I love the fact that now Dan has tangible proof that all the work and time he is investing in these kids who seem so different from himself is making a difference. I was blown away by God's goodness.

I can't believe that everyone kept mum about this from us for so long! What a blessing. We truly are blessed to be ministering here with this amazing group of teenagers and families!

Eight years and FOUR kids ago........

PEACE...PRAISE be to GOD!!!

I may be counting my chickens before they hatch, but I have to say a HUGE public Thank YOU to Jesus! Judson slept through his morning nap!!!!!!

Ok, here's the background. We had two weeks of beautiful schedule mastery. He slept when he was supposed to for as long as he was supposed to. IT was BEAUTIFUL!!!!! The only problem was that he wasn't eating like he was supposed to. After two weeks I felt like it was safe to change his schedule to a four hour. That way he would only have two and a half naps and less feedings. A break for me for sure! The first few days were like a dream then the floor fell out from under us. I think it was a combination of things but this momma's heart was in distress. It is OOOOHH so hard to go back to lots of sad crying baby when you had fallen so in love with sweet smiley well rested baby. Not to mention well rested and less-tense momma who's back had finally started to feel normal again from regular peaceful not worried about being jolted from sleep by a crying baby sleep.

We have been praying for Judson to slip back into his wonder baby sleep patterns during our breakfast prayer time. I have learned over the last four months that you NEVER- NEVVVER say "oh, listen, he went to sleep!!" Because inevitably every time you do that he starts screaming as soon as your exclamation leaves your lips.

Today, at 10 when it was time for me to give sweet boy his medicine for his reflux, which has to be given 30 mins. prior to a feeding, it had been quiet ALL morning! I just finished reading a chapter of Little House on the Prairie with the girls and I dared to say those few words.....

I asked the girls if they had noticed that Judson hadn't been crying this morning and FaithLyn said, "OH, Mom, God answered your prayer!!!" And the icing on the cake is that he didn't even wake up after I gave him medicine!! WoostinkinWHO!

I realize this may just be one step in the lengthy process, but Thank You, Lord for one step!!!

Grumbling...

Today I found myself grumbling. It all started because we have a family of racoons living in our attic. Racoons are nocturnal. That means they are playing and chasing each other in the attic above my bed at 5 am. Judson hasn't been sleeping so well lately either. Then right after I FINALLY fell back asleep, the loud obnoxious alarm went off. BLAST!

All morning I have been grumbling. Why isn't Judson sleeping. . .why are racoons living in our attic. . .why can't we make continuous progress on our savings. . .why won't my two year old obey me(? Uh..because she's two, genius!). . . why did my space heater have to die right when it got really cold. . .
You know, grumbling.

Then while I was grumbling God laid on my heart the memory of a family who had a baby right around the same time as we had Judson. Their little girl is going to have heart surgery soon, and she just recovered from lung surgery. I realized it could be so much worse. That prompted to me look at all the areas that are causing me to grumble and I was able to see all of the progress we have made. Not only COULD it be worse......it was. Not that long ago. No matter how painful it is to move in the wrong direction at least we have been making progress in the right direction. Despite our backsliding we are still making forward progress.

BUT it is so easy for me to get my eyes set on the END goal and become totally disatisfied until I reach it. And unfortunately the joy and satisfaction that comes from that success is way too short lived.

Maybe the answer is to focus on the principles, the process, not the end goal. I mean, it is important to know where you are headed. Goals are good. But the principles and discipline and motivation for setting the goals are usually more important than the goals themselves.

We usually set goals to help us reach some bigger ideal. Like, we choose not to buy what ever we want whenever we want it so that we can pay the bills at the end of the month. We believe it is important to pay the bills every month because we want to be trustworthy. We want to be trustworthy so that our lives will reflect the glory of our Lord. I get it all mixed up and start thinking, "if only (first mistake!) we made more money, then we could afford to eat out when ever we want....or insert any fleeting, unsatisfying desire."

Instead I should be thanking the Lord that my son still sleeps through the night! It really wasn't so long ago that he wasn't. I just totally take for granted how hard we worked to make it that far! Now I am belly aching because he won't sleep during the day like I want! Really the truth is, I just want it all to be fixed. I want the drive-thru version! My way, right away.

I am realizing that the reason we have to take two steps forward and then one step back is so that we will keep working towards that goal. Most things that happen easily are not cherished. Sometimes we fall back a step because we got comfortable where we were. I know that in this house....there will always be some goal to work towards. I will never be satisfied with myself in this sinful state. At least I pray that is the case.

Christmas Goings On

My new favorite Christmas tradition is celebrating Advent. Since our Sundays are pretty full already we decided to do our advent readings and candle lighting on Monday. Maybe some day we will make it to the everyday readings and candle lighting but once a week is just right for us now. Everyone loves to help light the candles. Tonight we lit the candle that represents peace.

Last night FaithLyn sang in her preschool choir Christmas musical. It was strangely absent any actual Christmas music but cute none the less. Then she had her acting debut as Mary in the manger scene of the Children's Choir musical. She was pretty pumped to get to be in the big kids show!

Here's what our front porch looks like these days.

Here's what our four month old looks like these days. Some of my favorite pictures of all the girls are taken in this very Johnny-Jump-Up.

The doctor told us to work on upper body strength so we pulled this old faithful friend out.

HAPPY JUMPING!

Christmas picture...@#$%!

WHAT WAS I THINKING?? That is only half of the pictures taken! I can't reveal the actual Christmas card picture....