Oh my the blessings....oh my the chaos....but my heart is full

January 2019 - It's been a whirlwind!  Mid November it began and was non-stop until today.....

Today i catch my breath and remember....

The holidays started with a trip to Kansas city to meet our new baby girl.....Brooklyn Elizabeth is just beautiful.....and we couldn't wait to get there to see her.  We drove....and took Addy and Hayden with us!  Chase and Angie went to Norman for dad's weekend.  The kids were SO good on the trip.  Other than hearing "kiki, do you love me....are you driving...." a million times, they were just precious.  It was a fun 8+ hour drive =)  I love the times we have with them...the trip was so much fun.  

Addyboo and Hayden ready to rumble!

We stayed with Debdeb - she's got a beautiful home with tons of room.  Meeting that baby girl - oh my goodness.....what a PRECIOUS gift!

Chase took Papa to experience Q39 - and it was even better than Jack Stack!  

From the looks of the plate, i think he liked it!

DebDeb was quite the hostess....tons of people came our first night there to meet the princess.....and the next night, for the Chiefs game.  We had so much fun seeing all the family and many friends.  Grandpa came too!!

One day we went to a HUGE store with rides inside!  Matthew agreed to ride it with Poppy....we had lunch with Chris and Caden....We just had the best time in KC!!  

Poppy offered to take Hayden and Matthew up on the big ferris wheel....Matthew wasn't quite sure and Hayden KNEW he wasn't going.  Finally Matthew decided he wanted to try it.  Once it got going, i think he may have been rethinking his idea though!  Sweet poppy.....always i see the little boy in you.

Sure do love this sweet Curtie.  You can't find a more tender heart....or a bigger Chiefs fan!!

After we returned from KC, we hit the ground running getting our home decorated for Christmas.  I also spent an entire day baking - i made baskets for all our neighbors and for my meals on wheels clients.

 The kitchen was a big fat mess.....

 Had so much i even had to put plates in the hallway....

 What a MESS!!  but i was proud i got it all done in one day....except for putting the baskets together....

 I did that the next day.

 This is a sweet birthday gift from Vicki and Gary....we were in a little gift shop in Colorado and i saw this.....i used it at Thanksgiving with pumpkins and candles in it - for Christmas i opted for the JOY i found at an estate sale and some greenery....i thought it was very pretty!

 Then there's this Santa....sorry it's so dark.  Years and years ago Vicki and i made these are our craft show.  Gary cut out all the wooden pieces....we spent hours painting them and then the three of us put them together.  My momma loved Christmas SO much.....so one year Vicki and i each made one for ourselves....i gave mine to my momma for her birthday....wrote on the back of it how much she meant to me and how my love for all things Christmas started with her.  She LOVED her Santa....well, fast forward to years and years later when momma and daddy were in heaven....after daddy passed away, i couldn't even go in their house.  It was left just like they left it for over a year.  I couldn't bare to go in and them not be there.  I would drive over with Michael and he would go in to check things and i would stay in the car in the driveway and just cry.  Well, we knew we needed to do something....and the Grishams came to our rescue.  Jill and Brandon needed a place to live and came to us with the idea of them going through the house and getting everything ready for an estate sale....going through and sorting it all out etc.  We were on Vacation at the time, but i told them i would love for them to do that.  Jill and Brandon ended up living there for over a year and that made me so happy.  But they did an awesome job of sorting through everything.  Once they had it all done, i did go in and look.....and retrieved some things i knew i wanted to keep....i told each of them to go through and pick out anything they wanted before the estate sale people came.  Becky said the only thing she wanted was the big tall santa.....well, my heart just cringed because it was so so special to me but at the same time, my heart was SO appreciative and loved them SO much, i was happy for them to have it.  I mean it meant SO much to me but so did they!  Vicki knew this story.....fast forward years - like 10 years....and one day we were on the way somewhere and Vicki said to me "Don't think i have forgotten your birthday!  We are going to have a painting day.  Gary has all the pieces cut out for a big tall santa and i am just waiting for a pretty day so we can go and get the paint colors and paint.  We spent two days - fun filled days that reminded me of all the years we spent making crafts - such a sweet birthday gift.....and oh how i love my big tall santa!!!

This is a little tree my cousin Bill sent my mom years and years ago.  Bill knew how she loved Christmas - and this little tree - oh momma was so happy when she got it.  Every year i tell myself i am going to go and get a pre-lit tree.....it is a hassle to put the lights on this tree (daddy always did the lights for our trees) but once i get it up and decorated, i love it so much.  I know momma must be smiling in heaven to know that her little tree adorns our home now too.  I decorated this tree for them many many years....and now i decorate it for us!

I remember one Christmas during the last years of momma's life.....she and daddy came over right before Christmas.....we had candy canes lining our yard and i had sparkly bows tied on each one.  The sun would catch the sparkles and made them really stand out.  Momma loved them so much.  Daddy went home and put candy canes lining their yard.  They didn't have the bows on them though - so on her birthday, really really early in the morning, i had Michael drive me over to their house and i snuck in the front yard and tied sparkly bows on each of her candy canes.  She woke up to find them glistening in the sun.  It made her so happy.  I loved surprising her!

The week before Addy's birthday, we met at "The Rustic" to celebrate her Sweet 16 with her friends.....it was a great night.  The girls acted so "grown up" and wanted nothing to do with the adults.  The singer songwriter even sang Happy Birthday to Addy as they brought her cake out (thank you dada for asking him to do that!)  Addy has sweet friends....it was a great night.

That Sunday on the 16th we met in Frisco to celebrate Chase turning 42....42!  That can't BE!!  The Cowboys played that day so it was a fun day of celebrating with Chase and watching the game (however they must not have known it was his birthday because they didn't win!)

 I love the relationship they share.....

42?  Really????

brothers....

 Gift opening.....

 and the SWEETEST card from Hayden...

 He didn't get the touchdown from the Cowboys, but i think he sure hit the win with the day.....we had a great time celebrating Chase.  He's such a gift giver....always giving.  It was a good day to be able to turn the tables and give to him.

Even though he turned 42 on the 16th.....i always see glimpses of the little boy in him.....

 Not sure who enjoys Buddy coming to visit more....Chase or Hayden!

I love how he loves....how he spends so much time with the kids - might be teaching Addy to drive, or it might be getting tied up with Hayden!

So December is a day we celebrate so many things.....Jesus number one....and Chase (and my sweet momma too.....she was 109 in heaven this year!) and then we met on the 23rd as a family to celebrate Addyboo.  The KC group came....and even SANTA came!!!

Sweet baby girl.....16 years!  Cannot believe it!

Oh my goodness...sweetest little gift!

Can't even begin to explain how Matthew and Brooklyn have impacted Audie's life.  She is the BEST little momma....and loves her family so very much.  These two have softened this sweet girl's heart to mush!

A serious convo with Santa.....

And another serious conversation....wonder what he's whispering to Santa???

I pray for this little family.....
Oh Lord bless and keep them.  SO precious in our lives.

My sweet Avery Grace.  

Seeing YOUR baby with his GRANDbaby.....
priceless.

See?  I told you she all has us wrapped!!

I pray for these sweet babies....
i pray YOUR hand Lord, guiding every step they take.  

Even Sammie and Sugi got to talk to Santa!

Sweet Addyboo.....Lord bless her and keep her
and i pray she follows You all the days of her life.  

Bless this sweet girl too Lord i pray.....
Keep her tightly woven into Your precious plan for her life.

Addy is such a sweetie with the little ones.....
they love her so much.

This man....my rock....my LOVE....my BEST friend.
Thank You Lord.

Wes and Vanessa came by to celebrate with us too!
Angie and Chase have the SWEETEST friends!

This sweet little gift Lord....
Oh i pray that her heart will
KNOW YOU and LOVE YOU SO BIG!!

My sweet girl.

 SO i am not sure about this creepy little mask.....but i sure do love the boy behind it!

 Angie made Addyboo a molten lava cake for her birthday....her request!

i love how they love....

Grow their love for one another Lord i pray....
as they grow in love for YOU.

 Oh my goodness, Addy is SO in love with our bitty girl!!

This baby girl.....we fight over who holds her =)

All i want for Christmas Santa?  For my family to be safe and woven together in LOVE.

DebDeb and Mimi giving Santa a little extra love....

It was a day.....a roaring game of "Spicy Uno" and some "Mexican Train" - and Santa Claus too.  Addyboo....cannot believe you are 16.  Sure had a great time with our family celebrating your SWEET 16!!

On Christmas Eve, Shawn and Avery came from Richardson and the Frisco and KC crew joined us at Lakepointe for our candlelight service - this service always makes my heart overflow.....overflow with love for the gift of YOU Lord and it overflows with love for our family.  It's very special that we could ALL experience it together!  Todd's first time at Lakepointe.....i hope it gave him a new way to view what church is all about.

 Todd spent much of the service though taking care of this little character =)  OH how i love that little boy!!

 I wish i thought ahead and would have had someone take a picture of our entire family.  I was glad Chase got these special pics....Oh how i love my family.  They are my HEART.

Lord i pray....i pray for this little boy.  I think his heart is so close to asking You in......i pray that YOUR light guides him all the days of his life.  I pray he will accept Your gift of salvation early in his life that that he will do great things for Your Kingdom.  His heart is special Lord....it's so big and he loves with that heart wide open.  Hayden Michael Corley.....Mimi sure does love you!

After the service we met back at our house for appetizers and goodies.  I worked SO hard to make it special.  I hope it was!

 I even made a signature "Santa" special drink.  It was really good!

Ron and Lee came over too....met the family.  We played Mexican train, ate too much but i sure loved having the family in our home.  We used to always host at our house....and then things moved to Frisco and i am thankful they love to have us there.  Angie and Chase always make things so perfect - i hope the extra things i put into the night made it special for them at our house.

It was a fun night....celebrating You Jesus.  Love came down at Christmas and how thankful i am for the gift You give us.  An eternity with You and with those we love.....forgiveness for our sins....a free gift of unconditional love.  Thank You for Your Love....for Your Gift....for the sweetest blessings of the family You have given me.  They are my heart....

We got up so early on Christmas morning to try and beat the kids up.....we made it in plenty of time =)

Some of us were still fast asleep....
with visions of sugar plums....

Shawn and Avery made it in plenty of time too.  It's so much fun to see the boys run to see what Santa brought them!

 These boys.....as they grow older, i hope they have wonderful adventures together like i did with my Arkansas crew.  I hope they are close as they grow.

 Hayden got a bike....and dada has been sure he knows how to ride it!!

Matthew was over the moon with it all.....he ran from one thing to the other...as did Uncle Hayden!

Brooklyn might not have understood the concept of Santa....but she sure is a sweet little gift to us all. We took turns passing her around and holding her, feed her.  She is PURE sugar!!!

 Avery made the sweetest card for her daddy.  I couldn't read it all (her handwriting is not the best!) but the one part i could read.....he's her best friend....and she loves him SO much.  Tears reading it.

 Todd is a hands on daddy.....he's such a good daddy and as with the rest of us, Brooklyn has him wrapped!

 Avery got lots of new shoes for Christmas!

 I actually rode with Addy - she's a good driver!  Lord protect her always....angel armies around the cars she's in.

 Opening gifts is hard work!

 I think this was the only time she was actually NOT in someone's arms.  Little sugar....

 SO love you Avery Grace Corley!

Oh and we can't get together without a robust - and i mean ROBUST game of Spicy Uno!  Goodness it's so much fun.

Such a sweet holiday.....such a precious family that i love so much.  God i just thank You for each and every life that touches mine to the CORE.....these loves are my heart.  They mean so much to me and i just ask Lord for Your protection over each of them.  I pray for the desire to know You and love You more and more to cover their hearts and lives.  I pray for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health for each of them.  I pray that YOUR light is the brightest in our lives....that YOUR love is the love that grows biggest in our hearts.  We have this one life Lord....and i pray that we each lean into 2019 and live it well.  I pray that our heart strings will be gathered up by You and woven together even tighter in this year ahead.  Thank You for loving us Lord....Thank You for protecting us.  Thank You for the gift of birthdays, for the gift of family, for the gift of Christmas.  Your gifts are most precious.