This Memorial Day weekend was full of firsts and loads lot fun! Friday night Jim took Jake, Judd, and Anna Kate to a Braves game. This was Anna Kate’s FIRST Braves game. She had a blast and the Braves WON! She asked Jim several questions through out the night.; questions and statements we don’t want to forget.
1. They had seats in Left field. She wanted to know how she could zoom in and make the players bigger.
2. She asked, “When is Halftime?”
3. AK: what happened? Daddy: we got a double AK: we got two homers?!? Daddy: no, he got to second base. AK: What’s second base?

Saturday morning we woke up excited and ready to spend the day on the lake. We packed the boat full of wakeboard, skis, and the knee board. On Jake’s first turn out on the knee board he tried for a 360 and busted. As he came up out of the water, so did the knee board, right into the side of his eye. We waited several hours but we finally set off to the urgent care for 2 stitches. Boo.

The rest of the weekend we enjoyed time with out “second family” and hours on the lake with friends.

This weekend I am thankful that I can call this town home once again. I’m thankful for the friends we have near and far. I’m beyond thankful that we live in a FREE nation. I”m thankful for those who gave their lives so that I can enjoy this freedom.

This sweet girl is a First 5k Finisher!!

We had a rough start, followed by potty break in the woods at the 1.5 mile marker. However, we finished the race and we finished in about 45 min. She learned what it felt like to finish a hard thing and run through the finish line. She says that it was the “second” worst day of her life, but I think she will do another one with me.

This Christmas feels different. No one was sick. We were all well. We spent some time doing gingerbread houses and trains that crumbled immediately, just as they do every year. Is it just me or am I an epic failure at those things? Next year, I’m doing something different, we can decorate a full gingerbread man. Do you think he will run run as fast as he can?-I kid:)

We even did a Christmas light scavenger hunt with some friends. We celebrated with several family groups and we were blessed at each gathering to be with family and even receive gifts.

So, what was different this year? I can’t quite put my finger on it. As I lay here getting ready for bed my heart is sad. Maybe it’s my focus. Maybe it’s because for the first year I didn’t “feel” Christmasy and it was reflected in a few ways. Maybe it’s that I didn’t really see that Christmas “magic” in my kids this year. Maybe it’s that we’ve been to busy to sit and be still to enjoy and savor this time of year. Maybe it’s that we have an intolerable toddler who can make the easiest of times difficult.

I don’t know what it is but I do know that I don’t like this feeling. So starting tomorrow, I preparing for next year. Preparing my heart and my home! This will be the year of
F-O-C-U-S! Focus on those in front of me, beside me, and all around me. Focus on the needs of others. Focus on Christ in me. Focus and what He needs/wants from me to make this a happy home! What does that look like or mean? I don’t have the answers but I know that He is faithful to guide me.
Please don’t think that we didn’t get or have more than we deserve. It was 80 degrees on Christmas and we played in mud puddles on Christmas Eve. We are blessed! Blessed beyond measure! Judd said it was the best Christmas ever because he got a basketball goal, but also the worst because I gave him deodorant in his sticking-haha!

2015 has been a great year! As I close, I just wanted to jot down these thoughts that are so fresh in my kind.