Thank you Lord for providing the desires of our hearts. This year has been a rough one financially for many Americans. Being a one income family(with supplements from the paper route) for just under 3 years, we are still in somewhat of an adjustment and learning period. We have tried a few different ways to budget the money to really find what works best for our family. Some ways have worked better than others and Monty and I have grown tremendously during the trying times. Unfortunately, the way we had been trying for the first half of the year was not one of the better working ways which really made me wonder if there would be any Christmas presents this year. The Lord used this year to really show Monty and I many things about ourselves and each other that no other situation would have been able to teach us. God has also brought us through it all with a stronger marriage, a better financial outlook for the new year and provided for all of our needs and many of the wants throughout. Thank you Lord for the trials meant for our good and your glory. He is Awesome!!
We live in central Oklahoma. The part of Oklahoma that is normally skipped when it comes to serious snow fall. I grew up in the panhandle of Texas. A part of Texas that is NOT normally skipped when it comes to snow and I have great memories of days of play in a snow filled yard. We do get snow just about every year but it is not usually a large amount and doesn't last more than a day or two. Actually, many Oklahoma snow days consist of watching it snow in the morning and then watching it all melt in the afternoon. Well this Christmas eve the Lord sent us snow. REAL SNOW! LASTING SNOW! Thank you Lord for the SNOW! It came in the form of a blizzard and the visibility was really limited while it fell.
But that did not stop the last minute shoppers from hitting the Wal-mart before they closed. Mom and I got some Christmas tip money from paper route customers (Praise the Lord), so I had to stop in and pick up a few items for Christmas dinner.
The snow fell ALL day on Christmas eve and all the highways were closed. That meant the newspaper truck could not get our papers to us...NO PAPER ROUTE ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Once again-Thank You Lord!
This is the street in front of our house on Christmas morning. Since the highways were still closed, my sister and brother did not get to come down from Tulsa but we were still able to go across town to spend the day with dad and grandma. That evening my mom, stepdad, my little brother and sister, and a few friends came over for some more gift exchanges and good food. Thank you God for providing safety, friends and family to enjoy it with.
This angel looks out our front window each Christmas.
The dogs were finally staying in their dog house but I had mercy on them and let them stay in the garage at night. Thank you Lord for warmth.
We had snow drifts in the back yard as much as 27 inches tall! I LOVE IT!!! :)
We were even visited by a very mysterious Christmas angel. I found this in the back yard on Christmas morning and I had not let the kids play outside yet. You don't think someone had snuck out without my knowledge to enjoy the snow, do ya??
Being rather short on funds around Christmas time creates a need to get creative when it comes to meaningful gifts. Guess what....PAINT IS CHEAP! Especially if you only need 2 quarts for the small 1/2 bathroom that has been dubbed "daddy's bathroom" since we bought this house.
If you happened upon my blog right before Christmas, you would know that I really believed that I had found the perfect present for my wonderful husband.
The gift that has so much love and meaning that it brings ya to tears (if you are a woman of course, my husband is not a cryer!)
The kids were as excited as I was for daddy to see it. They had spent 3 days knowing this secret and had not given one single little hint to Monty!! I was so proud of my little secret keepers:)
Monty LOVED it!! I was right! He said if he would have been a women, he would have cried! He was in total shock at what I had done in our home with him not having a single clue that anything had taken place. I had locked the laundry room doors and he thought there were just unwrapped presents in there so he did not try to look.
He may never leave the bathroom again! No seriously---Monty LOVES LOVES LOVES the Dallas Cowboys!!! I got him good this year! Thank you Lord for the my husband!!
Kenyon had a few special gifts as well. My mom got him his first BB gun!
Of course daddy had to try it out!!
We found a few cans in the trash to set up as targets and the shoot out began! Kenyon is actually quite good. He hit the cans several times!! I even hit it once!
Daddy worked with Keslee on her aim. Although she did not hit a target, the shootin was fun!
He also got his first bow and arrow this year. I may just have a hunter on my hand at this rate. WHAAAA! My baby boy is growing up!! Thank you dear Lord for choosing me to raise these children!
Of course you never grow up too much to enjoy a good snowball fight....
with your uncle!!! Thank you Lord God for love and laughter!
He gives us Mercy, Grace and Salvation but still loves us more and chooses to provide daily blessings as well! That is my Amazing God! Thank you Lord!
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