Merry Christmas

I must admit, I was a little worried this year.

I mean, Hubby had been out of work for 6 months, after just beginning to recover from being out of work,  just about a year earlier, for almost 2 years.

We are in the midst of an adoption and have 5 kiddos already, not to mention the dogs and the cat, who can sometimes be more expensive than the kids!  Heh!

and here comes Christmas!

No biggie, right?

Well, right and I should have known, especially after the last 3 years and particularly, the last 6 months.

The Lord has amazed us over and over with His constant provisions, His reassurances that He had it all under control and this Christmas was no different.

There were deals that just fell into our laps, things that we thought were going to be too expensive to do that ended up being less than we thought possible.

It happened time and time again.

One such instance I just found out about this morning, as I opened a surprise gift from Hubby.

The one thing that I have wanted for a long time, ever since my old one fell apart (literally - hehe), was a small video camera or a small digital camera that could shoot video.

There is a certain event happening this summer (I hope this summer) that I just might want to have a video camera for...

 

if ya know what I mean??

Anyway, I knew we couldn't afford that so I just put it out of my head and concentrated on the fact that HUBBY HAD A JOB and the fact that the Lord had provided the way to get the kids some pretty awesome gifts on very little money!

He rocks like that!

So, I was shocked when I opened that surprise gift from Hubby and it was, you guessed it, a small video camera!!

I looked at Hubby.

You know one of those looks that said...

YAY

and 

Just where did you get the money for this

Looks

He immediately began to tell me the story of the video camera.

Ya see, his work had a Christmas party and at this Christmas party, there were door prizes and one of those door prizes just happen to be...

a small video camera!

There was only one and out of his entire work place, Hubby was the one who won it!

He won the one and only small video camera, the one and only gift that I had asked for but dared not hope for!

WOW!

So as I sit here today and think back over this last year, I find myself feeling such gratitude for the struggles, gratitude for being loved enough by my heavenly Father to be stretched and sweetly schooled and shown even more clearly, the love He has for me, for my family and for being shown a glimpse of the plans that He has for us and the way in which He is leading us.

I will leave you with the annual Christmas debacle picture.

It happens every single year

I have such high hopes

This year will be different

This year everyone will look at the camera all at the same time

This year no one will whack their neighbor

This year no one will make funny faces...

or noises or smells - EWWW

This year no one will loose their dog

or their cat

or

or

or

sigh....

 Every year though, the out takes end up being my favorite pictures, cause...

that is our real life...

and honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Even though...

 

once a year...

 

 it would be nice...

 

 to get one decent picture 

Hehe

Merry Christmas to all and to all...

a goodnight.