My Absence Explained

So yeah... Remember how I've sucked at blogging and I said last week there was an explanation? Well it's because I'm exhausted. I'm sick all day... IT'S BECAUSE I'M PREGNANT!! Do you know how incredibly hard it's been to keep my little secret?? Sheesh! Well at least now you know :)

I'm 12 weeks as of yesterday with hopes of my first trimester ailments (extreme morning/day/night sickness and lackadaisicalness) will be leaving my daily routine soon. Pray y'all. Pray that I can stop losing my lunch (and dinner) everyday! I'm also wishing for some more energy in order to let my creative juices flow again. Thus far I've spent my pregnancy working, sleeping, and trying to eat if I feel well.

Here I am with Peanut!

Dear Blog, Forgive Self

I have to start by saying I'm über impressed with the dedicated blogsters who hit their keyboards without miss. Their regularly scheduled programs make lackadaisical bloggers such as myself look lame. So kudos for rocking at blogging and kiss it for making me look lame.

You see, I feel like I have no rhyme or reason around these parts. Am I a craft blogger? A foodie wannabe writer? A lifestyle lady who posts my feeling on daily topics? I just don't know!

So fellow bloggers, how do you find your writing purpose? What makes you post your next blog? I think 2012 should be a year of finding my inner blogess in hopes of rocking the writing world with a precise topic.

Now... Where to start...

Feed The 5,000

This Saturday I was blessed by spending the day celebrating Christmas at Coolray Field and handing out food to more than 3,000 families. Humbling. Honored. Emotional.

For the second year, our church decided our Christmas initiative would be to feed 5,000 families, which turned into 6,000 this year as the cars spilled off Buford Drive into the Gwinnett Braves parking lot.

Tears flowed all day from those grateful for the food and those grateful for the ability to serve. Meeting so many wonderful people who have fallen on hard times opens my eyes to the undeserved blessings the Lord has graced us with this year. From the restoration of health, to financial stability, from jobs to our future house hunt, none of what we have is possible without the Lord's blessing poured upon us.

This Christmas, I have learned to make a list of all that I have and be thankful for that instead of making a list of things I don't have... God is good - all the time!

So this is Christmas...

Can you believe that that we are 12 days out!? Sheesh... My failed attempt to have all my shopping/wrapping/crowd fighting complete by now. I'm sure you've guessed it since I'm writing this post that my Christmas list hasn't crossed off everyone's names. You'd be correct.

My husband and I have mapped out a strategic route to complete our shopping. One evening to hit 4 stores, grab the items we have thought of, scan the coupons we have gathered and out the door we will race. It's exciting, it's overwhelming, and it's got to be done.

Pray for the safety of all involved. I have a tendency to get heated in crowds and I'll throw an elbow or two of the situation arises ;).

Off to the races.... Go!

Christmas Pretzel Treats

These are the easiest goodies ever and super delish to match.

Ingredients:
Pretzels
Candy Cane Flavored Kisses

1. On a parchment paper covered cookie sheet lay a single layer of pretzels.
2. Unwrap and place kisses on each pretzel.
3. Place in a preheated, 200 degree oven for a few minutes... Just long enough for the kisses to melt.
4. Remove from oven and place another pretzel on top of the melted kiss making a yummy pretzel sandwich.
5. Place treats in the oven to cool...

Simple as that! You can use other candy as well - I'm thinking Rolos would be really good too.

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Cards 2011

Our family Christmas cards have arrived! Woo!! Love showing off my precious family...

"Thankful" Doesn’t Cover it.

This entire month I’ve watched as people post daily items for which they are thankful.  They all make me smile as I Facebook stalk people (everyone does it… so I can be open about my habits).  I didn’t want to jump in to the mix this year because thankful doesn’t cover the way I feel about my life. 

Let’s rewind a year – I was deathly ill with a never-ending case of Salmonella that my doctors couldn’t cure.  The Salmonella caused severe dehydration that sent my body reeling against itself which eventually lead to me developing an allergy to gluten and altering my immune system enough to trigger psoriatic arthritis.  However, a year ago, I had no answers and no end in sight.  I had been extremely sick since September and had no idea the worst was still to come.

I won’t go back through all the details – check earlier blog posts for those.  The thought of reflecting on how the past year has changed my life forever makes a knot catch in my throat.  My health is nearly restored and my faith in God is abundant.  How blessed am I?

My top 3 “I’m SO much more than Thankful for” list is:

1.  The Healing Power of Prayer & those of you who have prayer for my health and well-being this past year.  Because of YOU I’m recovering very nicely.

2.  The Gift of Baptism which I was blessed to receive on August 28, 2011.

3.  My amazingly supportive husband who has been tested tremendously in our first year of marriage.  Our first year put our vows of “for worse…” and “in sickness” to the test.

My wish for each and every one of you is that you receive as many blessings as I have within the past year; that you get to spend this wonderful holiday with your family; and that you always remember the true reason for the Christmas season.

Happy Thanksgiving!!