Black Friday

Have you ever wondered why they call it BLACK Friday?

Me too. So I did a bit of research. (aka I typed it in a search engine)

Here is what I discovered.

The day's name originated in Philadelphia, PA, where it originally was used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving. Use of the term started before 1961 and began to see broader use outside Philadelphia around 1975. Later an alternative explanation was made: that retailers traditionally operated at a financial loss ("in the red") from January through November, and "Black Friday" indicates the point at which retailers begin to turn a profit, or "in the black".

I copied that from Wikipedia just for you. I'm generous like that.

I think I have only gone Black Friday shopping once. And to be honest it was like the second round black Friday shopping. I've never stood in line or any of the other craziness. Although I'm not being critical either way... I don't like to start riots around here. I just desperately needed a post idea.

But, I started thinking about all that a color can communicate. 

And it got me to thinking you might be interested to know that all my kiddos are a color. I guess some people might think that sounds weird, but its totally normal in our little family. If you know us well you probably even know which each of their colors are. It started as a survival technique when I had two girls only 19 months apart. And it has definitely come in handy now that I have two boys that are only 10 months apart. But, it has turned into much more fun than that. I always tell my kids that I love them their color. I love them all the same but that love takes on different shades according to their own personal bent.

Gracie I love you the purplest. Its perfect that I gave you purple because it was my color and I'm just not a "pink" girl. And since you are my mini me that worked out like I planned it that way. Purple is the color of royalty and you know how to pull off a regal command like any queen. And you truly are the queen bee of our family. You were definitely born with a bent to rule, and I can't wait to see what you do for God's kingdom.

Faith, I love you the pinkest. Even thought I'm more purple I absolutely love being the mama to a pink girlie girl. You are our princess in every way and I'm so glad we saved pink for you. You are the pink to Grace's purple and you two make a perfect sister pair. Pink is the color of a ballerina and you can dance into almost anyone's heart. It's also the perfect sprinkle color and you are our sweet little cupcake baker and spa maker. I can't wait to see all that God will call you to love with your pink heart.

Titus, I love you the greenest. I guess I'm non-traditional since I went with purple and green before pink and blue. But, you kind of just choose green all on your own. I also love it because you truly are our green giant, and a gentle giant at that. You became the bull in our china cabinet and we just loved that because we've always liked cows around here and they eat green grass so it all works out nicely. Speaking of green grass I'm pretty sure your daddy expects you to be involved with a brown ball and some green grass someday. I can't wait to see all God does in you as you grow in him. It's going to be giant.

David, I love you the bluest. You aren't sure about being blue, sometimes you would really like your color to be red. And that really fits you too because you just weren't sure in the beginning about us telling you anything. But, you have grown into a blue brother that loves your best green buddy fiercely. When you two get together its not always blue skies its more like a thunderstorm. But, rain makes for green grass! You are also blue like jazz. Your love and God given talent for music is so fun for us to enjoy. You can also make us laugh till we are blue in the face. I know God is going to use you to make sure others aren't blue, and that they know God's love for them.

Purple. 

Pink. 

Green. 

Blue. 

Oh, how I love you each more than you know!

Don't Dig Up

"Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in faith." -Elizabeth Elliot

As I reflect over this past year this quote resonates with my soul. This year has not so much been about planting for us as its been about throwing away the shovel and trusting God in the things he has already planted in our life.

For almost two years we planted in faith for our fourth child. Even when the outlook was very dim we believed that God could bring our son home. And he did. In January he was planted in our family. Praise the Lord! And the first year home is amazing. Amazingly hard and amazingly good. We had to choose not to doubt. To not doubt that God could not only bring our boy home but he could help him learn what it means to be a part of a family. And he has. We have got to watch redemption up close. Its messy, and hard, and very very good.

I watch the soil and a little seedling is raising its leaves to the sun.

I am thankful for my family of 6.

Last year the Lord planted the Afterschool Program in our hearts. Really it wasn't a program. It was a whisper to go over to the apartment complex across the street from our church and to quote Jen Hatmaker to, "Turn the love out." What began as a non-attended Sunday School class turned into a bustling after school program. We had NO IDEA what the Lord had planned. Definitely more than we asked for or imagined. I'll be honest many days I have got out my shovel and cried out to the Lord in doubt, "Its too much!" On paper bringing home an adoptive child and starting an outreach ministry in the same time frame doesn't sound like a good idea. There is that shovel again. It might not have been a good idea but it was most definitely God's idea.

I fling dirt and repent and tromp back down soil. 

I am thankful for the beautiful ones God has given our family to love.

We thought this year might hold a glimpse of what God has planned in the future for our family. We had hoped it was time to plant in faith again. Something new. Last spring we packed up half our house. A sink/floor drain plumbing disaster had caused our basement family room/bedroom to be gutted and need of redoing....again. We were sharing a bedroom with our boys, everything was covered in drywall dust and we were done. We got a storage unit and started preparing our house to sell. And yet here we are in our little yellow house. Still praying and seeking. Still confused, but trying again to learn contentment.

I dig a hole waiting for the Lord to plant something NEW in it. He chooses to water what he has already given, somedays with my tears.

I am thankful for my husband's job that provides food for our table, a home that keeps us warm and close together, and a city I've fallen back in love with as my home more times than I can count.

In 2014...
I have dug up in doubt.
I have replanted.
I have begged God to water.
I have felt the sun.

I am thankful.

Christmas Traditions

Last week was a heavy hitter week and so this week I am lightening things up a bit and blogging on one of the subjects I was asked to blog on.

Christmas Traditions

My husband would be quick to claim that all of my Christmas traditions couldn't possibly fit in one post. Christmas is my favorite holiday and I am kind of a tradition junkie. And I agree with him. We do many of the "usuals." Touring lights. A christmas ornament for each of our kiddos. And we are kind of obsessed with our creative Christmas card.

So, I thought I would choose 3 of our more "original" traditions to share.

25 Days of Christmas Books
I didn't make this idea up but I have successfully implemented it for at least 3 years now. Each year I wrap up 25 Christmas books and number them. (Usually I do it in January when I take down my decorations so they are set for the next year.) Then each night in December we open one and read it as a family along with our Advent Book. The kids absolutely love this. Its basically free and I love how we gather each day to snuggle up. Then once the books are open we add them to our Christmas book collection basket to be read over and over. The kids love waiting and watching for their favorites.

You are probably thinking "You have 25 Christmas books?" Umm...yes. Actually we have more. The basket isn't empty when we start. My kids get a Christmas book each year. It used to be each of them got their very own book, now we usually do just one to share. Most of our books were purchased second hand. With this tradition in mind I was able to find lots of options over one summer of yard sales. And I've picked up a few on ebay I wanted but couldn't find locally. And if you are wanting to start this year and be budget friendly I knew someone who actually wrapped library books.

Our Advent Book
The other book we read each night in December is our Advent Book. It was recommended to me by Jill Savage and I absolutely LOVE it. The book is heirloom quality. Each day it has a door to open. Inside is a beautiful illustrations and part of the biblical Christmas story. Each day you start at the beginning and open each door up to the current day. So you read day one twenty five times. I love that the words are straight from Scripture. My kids basically have it memorized because of the repetition. Before any of my kiddos were readers they would help "read" the days they had memorized.

Now you all want the book, right? Here is my disclaimer. Its expensive. Like I'm probably one of the most frugal people you know, right? So you are going to die when you hear how much I paid for this book. I think it was like $45 when I bought it. So not cheap. However, I would pay it again. I simply love it. While I know we could make the same memories with a cheaper book I really love this one and the heart behind the couple who made it. Their ministry is helping families celebrate and make traditions.

You should check out their website for tons of free ideas for celebrating and making memories with your kids.

(The book can be purchased there and I don't get anything if you decide to purchase FYI.)

Christmas Meals on Wheels
I saved the most unique of our traditions for last. You've probably never heard of this one. It has its roots in my very own childhood. My mom is amazing. If you think I'm a decent cook, baker, or food sharer its her you owe the thank you to. When I was younger she loved to bless others with good food. All of our coaches, helpers, and sunday school teachers usually got cinnamon rolls or sometimes a homemade pizza for Christmas. I remember I loved going with her to deliver them. She had a reputation and people were always thankful to get some of her cinnamon rolls. Over the years I've baked cinnamon rolls and cheese cakes for Jeremy's youth workers. But, when it came time to thank our kids' sunday school teachers we decided to do dinner.

I will make a dinner I can make in mass. One year I did homemade pizzas. One year I did soup and rolls. Then we load all that food and our children up in our van. We drive around delivering it to our children's sunday school teachers, encourager, and children's minister. It usually takes a good hour or more to do all the deliveries. We put a Christmas movie on for the kids to watch. When we get to their teachers house they get to get out and help deliver. When its all delivered (or sometimes as we are delivering) we eat fast food. ( a huge treat for our kids.)

We've done this for two years. Minus last year when we were getting ready to go to Africa. They got truffles on Valentines day instead last year, because the point of traditions isn't to make yourself want to scream. ;)

So there you have it friends. We love us some Christmas, mostly because we'd be lost if Jesus hadn't been born!