Pray for Stellan

Please find it in your day to pray for sweet miracle baby Stellan. You can find him at my side bar- mck mama. He is definitely a mckmiracle already, but is now in the hospital fighting for his life with RSV.

Toy Explosion

We just finished our 4th Christmas celebration and our house looks like a toy store explosion. Actually, it looks better than in past years. With the kids getting older, their gifts get more "sophisticated". We had a great Christmas and were able to spend time with those we love so much. We were also able to spend time reflecting on the real reason for all this celebrating: the birth of our sweet savior. As a mom, I always think of Mary so much leading up to Christmas day. Being pregnant, riding a donkey and traveling 100 miles pregnant-ughh! Yet she treasured all these things, and was scared, but obedient.
As I was driving to work on Christmas eve, I was thinking and praying about how I didn't feel I was in the "spirit" of the season. I thought back to the night we watched "The Nativity Story" as a family(excellent movie). There were so many teachable moments with the kids that night, but God taught me an important lesson. As I watched as God spoke to Joseph and told him to flee Bethlehem for Egypt, I realized that God has spoken to me that same way and continues to. Wow- the same God that spoke to Mary and Joseph speaks to me-if I will listen! That is amazing and so humbling.
If you know me at all you know that I tear up easily- so as I realize this driving down Carmel Drive to work I start to cry. I end up in my van in the parking lot trying to compose myself before heading in to work, praying like everyday, asking God to help me be a blessing to others I come in contact with.

Have you ever been in a real dark room? The kind where you cant see your hand even when you hold it right in front of your face?

Then there is a light... either through the bottom of the door.. or a lit match or something which allows there to be light. Isnt it amazing how the light overcomes the darkness?

The light.... it ..... WINS. Allegorically speaking light wins over dark all the time.

We (as christians) are the Light of the world.

I love this picture Christ paints for us....

Help me, O Lord, to be the brightest light I can.

joe

Christmas Cookies

Another tradition we have in the Bennett household is to deliver cookies to all of our neighbors. (Even the ones we don't talk to much-according to Ann). We packed the kids up in the van since it was below 0 windchill and drove them from house to house. If the weather is nice we walk it with the stroller or wagon full of treats. We fill up tins, ziploc containers, or like this year, pretty bags, full of a variety of cookies and goodies homemade for the holidays. Most of our neighbors have come to expect it now, and some even give the kids a gift back. One house gave the boys $3. each. The girls were too cold and didn't go up- they went to ALL the rest. It was cute watching the kids run up and down to each of the houses, they have fun doing it. Hopefully a good memory for them all, I know it is for me.

Merry Christmas to Me!

Didn't she do a great job? I told Amy that I wanted a new blog background etc. for Christmas. I am way too impatient to do it and she loves to sit here and mess with it. Thank you Amy it is beautiful and I love listening to the music.

AHEM.

AHEM. Hello! Its Amy here. i just wanted to point out (In case you couldn't see) that I changed the picture and background. Well, if you ask me, i think it looks WAY better. And I like the bigger picture too. We got the background from "cutest blog on the block"! A very cute (and FREE) website that lets you decorate your blog! So, I just wanted to see what you guys thought! Please comment with suggestions and/or agreement! Thanks!

Amy

Oh yeah, and the music is from playlist.com FREE too!

(Hehe. I know how to do the linky thing! And my motha doesn't! *sneaky grin*)

The Polar Express

Andrew and I were able to go on the Polar Bear Express in Fishers with his class yesterday. It is a take on the classic storybook which was made into a movie with Tom Hanks, " The Polar Express". We got to ride on the train to the North Pole all the way across Fishers and back.

We ate cookies and had apple juice while we rode the rails. Santa and Mrs. Clause made an appearance, along with a polar bear and of course the Conductor of the train. We then went into the train station and heard a rendition of the story read by actors.

It was a very cool day and I was glad I got to share it with him.

Amy went as a kindergarten, Aaron's got snowed out, and Ann's class went to the Elk farm instead that year.