I found this notecard in my desk while doing some decluttering last night. It’s not dated, but I’m guessing that she wrote it when I was pregnant with Liam.
Isn’t it amazing sometimes how the Lord works out the timing of these things? Obviously neither my mom nor I knew that she wouldn’t be around through most of my years of mothering, and yet she felt prompted to write this and it will always serve as a reminder that my mom believed in me – that she is telling me, “YOU CAN DO IT.”
Thankful.
Those pictures don’t have too much to do with anything, but I just thought i’d throw them in there anyway! Probably should have some sunny pictures from being outside to go with my title, but oh well… 
Anyway, our “winter weather” has been a JOKE here lately! Instead of the normal grey, rainy, cloudy stuff we have from November straight thru March (our rainest months), it has been sooo much blue skies and hardly any rain. Us locals are starting to get cocky I think and forget that our normal winter weather is totally different than this. The downside to these sunny days are the fact that when this happens, we often end up with an incredibly rainy early summer (until about July!) to make up for it… Ick. I would much rather have my rainy winter and a nice spring.
The plus side to these nice days has been some uncharacteristic (for this time of year, anyway) outdoors time with the kids. We’ve been down to our neighborhood park a few times in the last few days and with just light sweatshirts on! It’s so funny going down there now with both kids because all of a sudden Lauren is a full-on KID running in every direction so instead of one kid and one baby, I’m chasing them both in every direction. She has grown so quickly and I’m still amazed at how fast babyhood goes by.
In other “news”, we almost got a puppy the other day on impulse (seem in the ghetto cell phone pic above). We stopped into a locally owned pet store and were offered a chance to hold a puppy. I ask you, if you saw your little 16-month-old daughter giggling like crazy as a teeny tiny puppy licked her little face and fingers, wouldn’t you be tempted to impulse buy? David was sold, hook line and sinker. I on the other hand wasn’t really ready to commit to that, especially since I would probably be the primary caretaker. Maybe one day we will get a dog, but I think I’m busy enough with two kids at this point… and we settled on a betta fish instead.
Lastly, I would like to pay tribute to a beautiful, tenderhearted dog who passed away this past week. Petey was my brother’s family dog for over a decade. He was a fierce protector and very loving. You are missed, Petey! The picture above was taken with Liam & Petey at Thanksgiving this past year.
So thought I am due for a little wrap-up here since it’s already the New Year! Let me try to remember all that has happened the last few weeks…
A week before Christmas, we had a Christmas gathering with my father-in-law’s side of the family. We usually gather up at a lodge a bit east of here along a river and it is a nice compromise so nobody’s house has to get dirtied Here are a few pics from that gathering.
Liam had just been handed this present by Santa Claus aka Uncle John Q dressed up as Santa. He was a little in shock. We’re not huge Santa people but it was fun that Liam had fun with the character there.
Liam & Lauren opening up their Santa gifts that we had brought for them – fun new Bible story books (one for boys and one for girls).
My more immediate Fenley fam (minus my father-in-law who was taking the pic). Lots of other fam was there too, though. Probably 30ish of us in all. It was a fun time! We also gathered with my in-laws on Christmas day but I don’t have any pictures of that yet from my father-in-law.
And moving on, here are some pictures from Christmas Eve at MY house! I was so blessed that ALL of my siblings and their families could come, plus Dad & Linda. Fun time! My sis came all the way from Alaska and one of my bros & his wife came from Massachusetts. It was quite a bicoastal affair 
I have great sisters-in-love!! Here they are helping me prepare dinner. We had ham, a delicious green bean dish, scrumptious mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, a lovely green salad, rolls, and tons of desserts, and I’m probably forgetting something! It was amazing – even the young kiddies ate a lot!
My sis and two bros (and my niece). I was so happy to have them there!
During dinner. Or maybe it was after, because I see the littles have already vacated the kiddy table at the end Anyway, we were just chatting. Good times.
Cousins & friends! How cute are they?!
Last but not least, a cousin pic, or at least an attempt at one! Haha, let’s just say we tried. Anyway, it was a great time!
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Beyond that, we’ve been enjoying some vacation time of David’s and even made it over to the beach for an overnight last week. It was a great time and the kids had a blast swimming (in the pool, not the ocean – this IS Oregon after all!) and just getting out and going somewhere different.
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I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, but it does give one a chance to think about the year ahead, and for this year I have been thinking a lot about how I want to improve in my relationship with Jesus. This year, I am going to try to go to Him first with all my fears, worries, and anxiety. I will seek Him when I feel the tears of grief slide down my face. I will seek Him when everything in me wants to worry. I will seek Him. I will seek Him. I will seek Him. Jesus, I want to know you MORE in 2012!
And with that, I leave you with an awesome song that is my prayer to God for 2012. Blessings on you and yours in the name of Jesus! (Lyrics below)
To the Very End
by Will Reagan
Album: In the Night Season
Artist: Will Reagan, United Pursuit Band
You know me and I know You
You’re the God who calms all my storms
You’re the voice inside my head
Don’t give up
Don’t let go
Don’t lose trust
Don’t lose hope
You can have all my fears, God
You can have all my sins
You can have all my weakness
I know you’re with me to the very end
