Let's Catch Up!

So, where do I begin? God has been so real to me since the beginning of this year. I know He hasn't changed- I have. I have purposed in my heart to read my Bible more, pray more and just keep my mind on Him more, and it is working. God is so faithful to meet us wherever we are willing to meet Him.

This weekend we had so much fun with Jordan & Heidi. Christiane & I invited some of their friends over and boy, was it wild! But it was worth it because they had such a good time. There were four 7-year olds, a 6-year old, an 11 year old and the 'Old Guy', Gavin who tormented them all! Actually, he is exactly who you want around when you have younger kids. He can entertain them like no other- he has a gift when it comes to kids. When he was younger, everywhere we went, the children we were visiting would cry and cry for us not leave because they wanted to play with Gavin for a few more minutes. We tell him he has a gift for friendship- and he does. He can make a friend wherever he is and it is a gift. We pray he will use it always for God.

We (Larry & I) are leaving in the morning for Pigeon Forge to attend the Minister's Conference. We are so excited, especially since bro. Troy & sis. Robin are going with us. They have never been and it has been so long since we were there that is going to feel 'brand new' to us, too. My Mom & Dad are keeping the boys. They are the best, because I really never ask them- I just call and say, "We are going out of town so I'll bring their clothes!" Isn't that horrible? Yeah, I hope my kids do me the same way. (I think!)

So she gets to put up with Gavin's not wanting to get up. Blow drying his hair forever, insisting on walking home so that he can go to BP and get a cappuchino with the Gang and his doing his homework (if ever) at the last minute. She gets to endure Peyton's OCD ways when he won't let her sign her own initials to his homework sheet because it CLEARLY states "Parent's Initials", his panics over a snack every single day, his now PROMPT (am I kidding, Christiane?) bedtime of 9:30 and asking you at least 4 times "Is my hair sticking up?" before he will walk out the door. Oh, and if you take him to school- he always thinks he is late. I have gotten on to him so much for accusing me of running him late that he won't say that anymore. Now he just asks over and over, "I wonder if they are still in the Lunchroom?"

Oh, have fun, Mom, have fun!!

Let's don't even go to Casey's quirks. I won't embarrass him but he is a load of fun, too. I will ask this question, How in the world can you wake up EVERY SINGLE DAY with only one sock on? Just wondering?

I will miss my boys and my girl, too. I might even (gasp) be ready for a game of Monopoly when I get back. But more than likely, a good Phase Ten run will do me just fine!

I will miss all of that, though and be ready to return, but for today-

I am SO EXCITED!!

Conversations With Peyton

Peyton enters the living room with an apple in one hand and a pop gun in the other.

Peyton: Are you gonna eat this apple?
Me: No
PC: Good (tosses it in the air and catches it) I'm gonna eat it.
Me: Ok
PC: When I was outside playing basketball, I saw the lid to the water meter and I opened it and then I smelled my hand and it smelled just like Possum. DEAD POSSUM! So I washed my hands with soap because soap makes you smell good and there is no telling how many germs were on them leaves and stuff.

He then walks out the door crunching on his apple.

So now I'm wondering how he knows what possum smells like.
And how does this kids' mind work anyway?

I so enjoy reading the blogs of others. As I read them, I always imagine the grand things I will post on my own. Funny snitches from my boys, poignant tales from my marriage or spiritual encouragement from my Lord- alas, when I sit to write, my mind goes blank and nothing of substance is ever posted.

So with this new year, I am renewing my blog goals. I am really, really going to try to post more often and with more 'grit'. So you successful blogger friends, send me some Bloggy Fairy Dust or something so I can do it.

I still haven't decided if I want a journal approach or letter form so today I am going to experiment.

If I were writing a Journal...
Friday, Christiane (my sons' girl friend) got an awesome job. The Lord Himself worked this out for her. She needed a job with decent pay, benefits and good hours and that is just what she got. She is solely supporting herself since her Mother's death thus the need for decent pay, benefits, etc. We prayed for a job with no weekends so that she can visit with her younger siblings. Since I am on the subject, please pray for them. They are doing well, but it is a tough adjustment as I am sure you can all imagine. So that was our good news for Friday.

Saturday, Casey sang in a wedding of two of our wonderful friends. It was a gorgeous Themed Wedding. A "Winter Wonderland". I didn't photograph this wedding and actually got to sit with my husband!! I come home from every wedding that I do photograph and tell Larry how they always make me fall in love again. This one was no different. Seeing young, pure Love is so refreshing. And Casey did AWESOME, by the way. We celebrated Christiane's job afterwards at one of our favorite Seafood Places.

Sunday, We had a great service at our home church and Larry preached at a neighboring church in the evening service. We enjoyed fellowship with our friends afterwards. Larry's sermon was on "Listen". I am often so busy telling God what I want that I forget to listen to Him. I pray my needs and fail to ask God's opinion in my life. Then I get upset when things don't work out. What is my problem? My goal for this week is "Listen". Casey, Gavin & I are reading the Bible through this year. It is so exciting to be doing this with the boys. Each day they encourage me to 'be caught up.' I am so sure we are going to finish the goal, thanks to their prodding. And we all can use some healthy prodding now and then.

This past week also brought Report Card Day! Gavin & Peyton brought home all A's YEAH! Peyton also signed up for the Spelling Bee. Second grade is the youngest you can participate, so I'm sure he won't go very far, but I can't tell him that. He is also going to be VERY upset if he doesn't win. He is so competitive. It is good to be competitive, but we have to work very hard on keeping him level. Speaking of Peyton, I am getting together a post in my head about his unique little ways that I contribute to his being Left Handed. My brother, a lefty expert, says that Left Handed People think differently and I must agree with him on this.

So, I leave you with one of my favorite scriptures, " I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." Psalm 27:12-14

Believe.

Christmas Cards

Since most of you "Blog Friends" won't get a Christmas Card from the West Gang (only due to my not having your address) consider this your "Official Christmas Card!"

We decided to have a "Blue Christmas" (with a little brown) this year instead of our traditional Red & Green frocks.

We, like so many of you, have had the unfortunate experience this past year of saying goodbye to friends and family so dear to us. Our prayer is that these events have made us more loving

and caring. May the true meaning of Christmas "Love" "Hope" & "Joy" be evident in our lives in this year to come. May we do God's work and show someone a glimpse of our Saviour, born this day!!

Merry CHRISTmas!!

Would you like to help?

As a Christian, I share the burdens of my fellow brothers and sisters. I know that most people that read my blog are Christians, also, so I have a request. My dear friend, who is also the precious Mother to Christiane (my son's girl friend), went to be with the Lord early Saturday morning. Christiane is in the lovely pictures in a previous post. Please help us lift this family in prayer. Right after Becky was diagnosed with cancer, she and her husband divorced. There are four precious children without a Mother today.

It is said that joy shared is doubled and sorrow shared is halved. This saying is mostly used at weddings, but I feel it can be applied here. Please help us share this burden. While we rejoice that Becky is no longer in pain- we are going to miss her so very badly.

Please add these names to your prayer list.
Christiane (18), Brandon (16), Jordan (11) & Heidi (7) The younger children must adjust to not only life without Mom, but move to a new home. Just please pray. God has not forsaken them. They know He loves them and are trusting Him to help them in the days to come.

Thanks for helping share this burden. With a Christian family we don't have to bear our burdens alone and I am so very thankful.
Sondra

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas with a capital 'C'!

I know that Thanksgiving isn't here yet. I know. I know. But I am SO in the Christmas mood this year. I want to decorate. I want to cook. I want to eat. I want to entertain. I want to make memories with my boys. I want to relive the Nativity as I remember my little Christmas Babe. I want to sing "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem." I want to hear Whitney Houston sing "Joy to the World." I want to remember when a little boy named Casey sang, "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" I want to go outside and breathe in a cold, cold day. I want to read "The Tale of Three Trees" to Peyton. I want to giggle with my boys as we sing "Nothing Ever Happens to a Shepherd" (because we know that something DOES!) I want to give someone a gift. Oh- I want it all!

Can you tell I'm excited? Well, I am. I have no idea why. We didn't win the lottery or any such like. I can't explain it. I would like to think this is how excited God feels when He thinks about us. I hope He gets excited when He thinks about spending time with me, hearing me sing, remembering times past or when He is just about to give me something totally unexpected!! It's just gotta be.

For some reason, last year after Christmas, I got a wild hair about decorating my house with three trees in a cluster. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, so here are some pics so you can see for yourself. I'm rather pleased. Even my husband said, "I never thought brown could be a Christmas color." I don't have tree skirts around them because I wasn't sure if I would keep them all together, so I didn't buy anything yet. I'm working on it.

So, enjoy a peek inside our home as we begin to celebrate Christmas with a capital 'C'! If you haven't heard GoFish sing this kids' song, you really need to check it out. It's wild but the elementary aged set will be singing it in no time. I'm planning a post on traditions that we enjoy at Christmas. I wish everyone would leave their favorites, too.

Til next time,

Sondra

What a Difference a Day Makes

This phrase has been on my mind all day today. Fourteen (yes, 14!) years ago today, I awoke Sondra Kaye Si***ton- enjoyed a gorgeous, wonderfully happy day- and went to bed Sondra Si***ton West! Whoa. What a difference a day makes.

When my handsome hubby called me this morning. Yes, called because he is OUT OF TOWN!! I shared this pearl of wisdom with him. We laughed, we got a little choked up and we wished for the weekend. What a difference a day truly makes.

I have had a few other days of note. One, when I was 12. I awoke a stray lamb and went to bed washed in His blood. A few years later, I awoke a hungry Christian, seeking God's presence and slept that night peacefully being filled with the Spirit. I also rested that night a little deeper in His will- having a glimpse of what He asked of my future. Since I got a wonderful wedding gift in the form of an adorable little boy- I became wife and mother in one day. But on another day, I awoke the Mom of one and slept that night in happy delirium as a Mom of 2 precious souls. Five years later, I hardly slept at all when the responsibility of yet another future man of God was laid in our arms. What a difference a day does indeed make!

I have known other days, when sorrow made the difference, but that is another post. Today is a happy day. I am so blessed to be loved by the one who LOVES me. He is a wonderful husband, friend, inspiration, lover, confidant and father. Some say I got it all- the perfect package (home, husband, child) but nothing comes without a price. Our life isn't all rosy or without sorrow, but for TODAY it is!

Today we celebrate what we vowed to God before those who loved us the most. I pray every day that we honor those vows as seriously as we did that Saturday. Sometimes I forget how sacred they are, sometimes my marriage just seems like something that is 'supposed' to be. But it isn't promised to me and I know it. A few years ago, the videographer at a wedding asked different ones to tape a statement to the Bride and Groom. Weeks later, when the DVD was delivered, I watched as MY husband stood in front of the camera saying his congratulations and then his eyes watered, his voice caught and he said, "Cherish your marriage, protect it, fight for it. In the end is the most precious thing you will ever have." I felt so very small. He tells me he loves me numerous times a day. He works very hard and provides for us. There is nothing, when I look around my home, that I can ask him to do-it has already been done. He prays for us and with us. But hearing him tell a happy couple to fight for this precious gift opened my eyes. That is the only way I can explain it. Through all our ups and downs we have enjoyed the precious gift of marriage. A lot of this is due to him knowing how to fight for it. (I'm a slow learner) I am thankful, honored really to have such a great one. I have never gone to bed (even while he was away) wondering where he was or who he was with. Sure, I want to be whisked away to an island for a spa weekend (hint, hint) but that isn't what makes a great marriage. Deep dedication, deeper love and a devotion to the One Who is the lover of all of us. These might scratch the surface to the secret.

So, Happy Anniversary to US! I am so thankful to have experienced a day that made such a wonderful difference!

Love to all,
the MRS. Larry West ;)