Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of you! This year has been a wonderful one for me and my family. I know it's technically Christmas Eve, but I don't plan on being on the computer on Christmas day! We're heading to my inlaws for Christmas Eve where we will enjoy fondue. This year, there will be chocolate fondue!! On Christmas day, we'll head up to my parents to hang out in the afternoon and then have dinner with some extended family that evening.

It bears repeating that this has been a wonderful year. I am a very happy mom and wife... especially lately. I have just really felt content and happiness in my relationship with my spouse and my child. I learned so much this year about how to be a better wife and mom. God has blessed me so much with a wonderful family - a loving husband and an amazing son. Gabe has been so lovey lately and an absolute delight.

I started a great job this year and I work with/for wonderful people. Greg also began a new job and has made me very proud. I think of where I was last year at this time... A time of uncertainty. I didn't know what my career would be. Now, I'm enjoying seasonal work, getting a job where I am able to spend more time with my boy and I can take pride in taking care of our home.

God has taught me so much this year. I am so thankful for His gifts to me. My husband, my child, my job, my amazing friends, and my salvation. The gifts under the tree are certainly nice to give and to recieve. But the real gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger was given to us all those years ago. A gift. In the form of a baby, grown in the womb of a virgin, we were given the ultimate gift of salvation. If you haven't opened it yet, it's there waiting for you...

I wish you all the peace, joy, and happiness this season brings. May God bless you!!

baking day

Last Sunday, Grandma Herrman hosted the annual baking day. She has a huge kitchen table covered with tons of cookies she baked. We had a great day. Everyone makes it up there and she and PawPaw invite my parents too. It's a great day for Gabe to spend with both sets of grandparents.

The table was literally covered with sugary goodness. And, we got to take a big ol' tub of stuff home with us.

I always make sure to try and get a picture of the cousins too... they're all growing up so fast.

Christmas Fellowship

This is one of my favorite ornaments from my mother in law. I'm not sure where she got it, but I love it.

We are hosting a dinner tonight for our former Bible study group. I'm really excited that we'll all be sharing some fellowship time, especially around Christmas. It's such a wonderful time of year. I love it! It's been a long time since we all got together for a meal and just caught up with each other.

We have had so many wonderful times with this group. We learned a lot from each other. I know for myself, I learned a lot about parenting my child. Some of the members who had children older than my son were such a help in giving advice. Others who have children the same age have been great for comparing stories and situations, as well as giving advice.

Our group just kind of stopped meeting... People lives/schedules changed, more children were added to our families, and life just kind of took over. We've recently started going back to a church we'd left and I'm really hoping to get involved in another study after the first of the year. I love meeting with other people who are thirsty for learning more about Christ. I love the debates and talking through things. I love reading scripture and praying together.

I'm very thankful for the seasons I was able to share with these people.

Getting some air

We decided this year would be a great one to get Gabe involved in a winter sport. We are so happy he'll be having some exercise practicing. We bought him a smaller basketball like the one in the picture so he and his Dad can practice in the garage. I better practice my dribbling too... it's been a few years since I played at my Dad's garage. Dad used to own a mechanic's garage in the town I was raised. He put a basketball hoop up in the back part and with the large concrete floors, we had a lot of room to practice. We played 'horse' and 'pig'. It was so much fun!

Gabe did great at practice. They did warm ups, laps around half of the gym, and took turns dribbling up to shoot. The coach was great with them! Gabe really loved it.

Before practice, Greg asked Gabe if he had any questions about basketball... His only question was, "what if I have to fart?" Oh geez...

Then, after practice we asked him if he liked it and if he had any other questions. His response was... "Yeah, why didn't MY coach wear a black and white striped shirt?" We'd better explain the difference between referees and coaches! How innocent and sweet!!



And, here he is, getting some air. I know the quality of this picture sucks, but I'm still learning with action shots. And, it was in a gym... no fun to photograph! But, look at his air and his little tongue sticking out. How cute is he?? A little Jordan.

I hope you are all getting ready for Christmas despite this crazy weather! Holy cow. It totally doesn't feel like there are only 11 days until Christmas! It's hard to get in the magical mood when there's no snow on the ground.