Merry Christmas and a prayer request.

It has been a while since my last post! We all got a little flu-bug and we were sick the end of last week through the weekend. I am still catching up from it! It is amazing what a couple days of doing nothing will get you--NOTHING!!
Not a lot has been happening, just finishing up some last minute Christmas preparations and working. We did go see Santa one last time, but that was a pointless visit. All well, I am sure Emma will dig Santa sooner or later. Be sure to check the picture out at the end of the post.

Please pray for a man named Carl. He used to be my Pastor, but left to pastor in Idaho in July. He is married and has two kids. I love this family so much and they have been through so many obstacles. Carl had leukemia and had a successful bone marrow transplant September 2005. Since then, Carl has been in and out of the hospital with infections and other ailments. He has been on his deathbed at least three times(that I can remember). God has done many miracles in his life and our small church's congregation lives.
I received an email last night from Carl's wife and she said that Carl now has skin cancer on his backside. It is pretty advanced and the option to cure it is not an option for him because his platelet count is too low and he would not be able to heal. So they are going to burn the skin off and let him heal from that-that alone will be 2nd degree burns on a lot of his backside. However, the doctors also think there is a good probability that Carl may have either anal or colon cancer as well. This news is just devastating. Carl is only 41 and his kids are 14 and 9. Please pray for this family and for another miracle. We have all seen what the Lord and I know He will be with this family.

Finally, everyone have a wonderful Christmas! Enjoy every moment! I know I will! I can't wait to see everyone's pictures :)

Christmas Memories

I remember when Santa was real.

I remember writing Santa every year the night before Christmas and him writing me back.

I remember reading those letters later on in life seeing how my Mom wrote me back one year, my Dad the next...the pattern continued on.

I remember laying in bed just thinking that Santa would be in my house in a few hours.

I remember being so excited Christmas morning.

I remember all the gifts tags said "From Santa"--they still do!!

I remember doing all kinds of Christmas pageants at church and wearing my Christmas dresses.

I remember Christmas carrolling.

I remember learning all the Christmas songs at church.

I remember going to Grandma and Grandpa's house on Christmas morning and waiting for "forever" until Grandpa finished his food so we could be able to open gifts.

I remember being the official present passer-outer.

I remember getting my Fievel.

I remember getting my baby doll that was supposed to act real.

I remember getting my Pound Puppies.

I remember sticking bows on our dog's head.

I remember unwrapping each individual gift in our stockings.

I remember wrapping presents for my Grandma in the nursing home.

I remember Christmas parties at school and how fun they were.

I remember doing Secret Santa at gymnastics; and how one year my Secret Santa wrote my "hint" letters completely backwards.

I remember watching my mom curl the ribbons she used to decorate presents and just wondering how she did that.

I remember knowing Christmas 2007 that I was pregnant with Emma and could hardly hold in my excitement.

I remember REMEMBERING WHAT and WHO Christmas is all about.

I pray Emma has the same kind of wonderful memories I do about Christmas. It was always so magical for my childhood.

What are YOUR memories of Christmas?