Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Well, here we are, almost Christmas. My goodness if it goes like this Joe will be walking Emily down the aisle tomorrow!
We sure love our little farm house. Our ONLY complaint is the lack of a dishwasher. I really didn't think it would take much longer to do dishes by hand, but it does. Seems to take forever. I feel like I spend two hours a day in front of the sink washing dishes. We don't mind though, in light of the great blessings we've enjoyed living in this house. The kids are forever playing outside. The woodstove heats our house wonderfully (our power bill was only $25 last month) and the layout of the house suits us well. Plenty of room for us to all be in a room together, without feeling crowded, but small enough that we don't get lost in our home.
One of our great changes coming to this house was that we decided to have the children stop watching videos. We've never had TV hooked up, but videos were a regular occurance, so I was a little overwhelmed to just do away with them. It's been wonderful. There have been times when I wanted to just plop them down, but I've turned to books to fill those voids and the kids spend many hours a week just reading. They have not missed it much and I notice that they are much more content, much more imaginative and more obedient. It's been a great change that we'd encourage anyone to venture into. We have used videos during a week of sickness, and it was a helpful tool to keep antsy kids quiet and still, but the trade off was kids that became whiny, discontent and lazy.... always a trade off.
Ben is potty trained (finally) so I'm down to two in diapers! Trivial I suppose, but a great accomplishment for this time of life :)
Without the videos I 've worked in a little more reading for myself and have read some good ones. I read "Stepping Heavenward" and found it inspiring and I also read "Uncle Tom's Cabin" for the first time and was moved particularly by Tom's love for Jesus in the face of such hardship. I know there are many men (and women) that have traveled through a lifetime of such hardship, many simply because they love Jesus and I am always so challenged to see a story of someone finishing the race! Gives such perspective to my cushioned life.
Joe was laid off two months ago or so and we have been abundantly thankful that we had no burdens financially because of the sale of our home. The Lord's ways are not our ways and we love it that He leads his sheep!! He's provided in every way for our needs. Joe has since been hired to work with another company and we are hopeful that it will lead to long term work. He really enjoyed the last company he worked with and was sad to lose that job. They just didn't have any work coming in- he's been blessed though through this new company and is again so thankful for work!
The twins are walking and talking and all over the place. They are absolutely precious when they play and giggle together. I could just sit and marvel all day at these two little people so alike and so different. Still hard to fathom they came out of me...
Luke is reading much better and learning new things at every turn. He loves to know and understand and I hope he will always have such a hunger for knowledge of God's ways.
Emily has gotten SO tall, almost caught up with Luke. She's a precious girl and such a mystery. So often she holds her thoughts and feelings inside and it takes great effort for me to work my way into her heart, but there is such a beautiful little girl in there that it's a delight when I can fumble my way in. And how she pours out her love when I take the time to try :)
Joe and I are growing together more and always encouraged to see the progress of our selves becoming less important and the other becoming more. He's such a man that it is a delight for me to follow him and learn from his example of loving Jesus. I so look forward to our years together.
I'm doubtfull that I will be back on here until sometime in the new year (yikes, 2010 already!)
so hoping you all will find your hearts drawn to Jesus through this holiday season. He is such a precious Saviour, so full of love for those who will turn their hearts to Him and rest in His forgiveness. He has been a gift to us beyond all gifts! What would we be without him but lost? Like the old hymn says, I once was lost but now am found. Was blind but now I see.

Here's some photos taken today. I am not a professional, and neither are my kids ;) ...