Let's Recap This...

     As I sit down to write my last blog of 2012, I am overwhelmed by the events of this past year. It was this time last year that I made a commitment to get my health under control. For the first time, in years worth of New Year's Resolutions, I kept it! I am so grateful that I am not starting from
 the beginning, which is where I have found myself the previous several years. I am the healthiest I have ever been, I haven't had a sinus infection since June. If you know me AT ALL, you know that is a huge miracle in and of itself. We are talking water into wine type of miracle here. I have already gone through the results of the blood work so I won't go through that again however, for those of you who have missed it, my blood work results are amazing... as far as the weight loss, I haven't been on the scale in 2 months. I was finding that every day I stepped on the scale and didn't loose was a day that I was becoming disappointed in myself and in my efforts. Which is ridiculous. Weight loss was not the goal. The goal was health and I have achieved that and am still working to achieve that. I was no longer going to allow myself to be disappointed with my efforts. I have made the biggest change in my life, for my health that I have ever made. I am proud of what I have done, the choices that I have made, the discipline that I have exercised and results that I have gotten.

     Another change that I have made this year is I have learned to eliminate things that steal my peace. A couple of Christmas' ago, my mom spoke at our Ladies Christmas Dinner at our church. She spoke about getting rid of things that steal your peace. It took me a while to learn what that meant, identify the things that were stealing my peace and apply the concept to my life. However, this year, I did all of those things. It's amazing how much peace I had once I learned to subtract the things that added up to chaos. I do not have a picture for that however, you can just take my word for it.

     My children's health is another area that I commissioned myself to get a hold of. Campbell had strep throat 6 times since August 2011 and we were in and out of the doctor with Carson. Well, I changed their eating habits, had Campbell's tonsils taken out and have experienced a significant increase in their health ever since.

     The theme for our church for this past year was Moving Forward. Most New Years Eve, I make a ton of resolutions and make up my mind to follow each one of them then sit alone on the following News Year Eve haven't accomplished one of them. This is a very different New Years Eve for me. I did move forward! What a feeling this is.
    
     This evening, I sit in a very clean house, French onion soup simmering on the stove, a hot fire in the fireplace, snow on the ground outside, a cold rain falling from a light grey sky, a husband that I adore sitting to my left and my 2 healthy children watching Toy Story in the next room...this has been a great year. I look forward to 2013 and sitting on my couch this time next year, writing about the obstacles I overcame and conquered.

 I pray that you are able to do the same... Happy New Year!

    

Christmas Dreams

 

 

As you can guess, so much has happened since the last blog. I wish I had the time to blog every day because I find it therapeutic however, some days just don't allow me the time. So, here it goes... the catching up, I mean.

 

Our Christmas season began back I August when I started writing the Christmas play for CMA. I won't go into the details of that but everything was a success. Ok. Moving on. 2 days after the Christmas play, we all had Christmas parties to attend. My daughter had one with kids church and it was a dress up party. She had to come in a Christmas costume..... Soooooo, she went as Cindy LouHou. Which, she pulled off splendidly! Before we left, she was walking around the house repeating the line, "Mr. Grinch. Mr. Grinch." It was so cute! She sounded just like her!

 

After we got Campbell off to her party, it was a party for us with our church group. It was an ugly Christmas sweater party. There were the funniest sweaters there, however, I think Mike and I were pretty terrible! The best part about our outfit wasn't that the sweaters were horrid, it was that we matched! Loved that!

 

Our parties were a success and it officially started the Christmas celebrations.

During this time, Mike's Parents, Bill and Linda, came into town to celebrate Christmas with us and we had a great time with them. The brought presents with them and were here to see Campbell in her first Christmas play. They brought with them a gift from Campbell's Aunt Doey. It was a dress up Princess outfit, which we had to put on immediately! She looked beautiful. I am very thankful for all of the people who love my children. What a blessing.

 

 

All of my life, we have celebrated Christmas Eve with the Thomas side of the family. A few years ago, we moved this night to the 23. I'm not sure why but I like this tradition. Christmas starts earlier that way!  This year, we had the celebration at a Lodge that my Uncle runs. It was beautiful. They had decorated it all so wonderfully and it was big enough to host our very large family. The kids were able to spend time with their cousins and it is always special to be with them.





We, my sister and I, have always woken up at my parents house on Christmas morning. I can't imagine being anywhere else. When we had children, we needed a good option for our Christmas morning. We wanted a tradition that was special to us and our family so we decided that Christmas Eve morning was the perfect morning to have our Christmas. When we got home from the Thomas family Christmas, it was technically our Christmas Eve. Growing up, and still to this day, we have always gotten to open one present on Christmas Eve. The present has always been new PJ's. I thought this was a good tradition and decided to start it with my kids. This year, the PJ's that I got them had a bear and a doll that came with them and they had on matching PJ's. It was so cute! They kids loved them and so did I. 

Like ever parent, on Christmas Eve, after the kids went to bed, it was set up time. We got out both of our tool bags and went to work. Mike worked on Carson's tool bench and drum set and I worked on Campbell's desk and organizing the gifts. We don't put our any of our presents until the kids go to bed on Christmas Eve. So, when the go to bed, there is nothing under the tree, then when they wake up, the living room is full! It adds to the excitement! There are always a few presents unwrapped and sitting in front of the wrapped gifts.

 

I don't mind staying up and setting up Christmas for my children. I usually prefer to go to bed early but there is something about setting up on Christmas Eve. I heard a new song this year by Francesca Something... it's called Christmas Dreams. It talks about a Mom turning out the lights on Christmas Eve, thinking about her children and the gifts she knows they are going to love. It talks about how no one is ever to old for Christmas dreams. I have to say, it's true. I'm not sure who is more excited on Christmas Eve. My children or myself? There are not many things better than watching your children on Christmas morning. 

I told her that she couldn't have the bear because Christmas was so close but that she could put it on her Christmas list. Well, she did! She told everyone that the only thing she wanted was this white bear. I went back to get it and it was gone! I went to the Wal Mart in town, the Target in Benton and looked on Amazon. I found it on Amazon but the bear was honey colored. She was specific. She wanted the white one... Lord help us all! So, finally, after nights of searching and days of shopping, I found it!!! The white bear! At Target online! Praise His Name! I ordered it immediately and it was in my hands with a week. Christmas was saved!

I told her that when I went back to Wal Mart to get it for her, it was gone. When she opened it Christmas morning, she looked at me and said, "Mom, you tricked me." What a great moment!

 

This is the bear who saved Christmas!

Carson is ALWAYS wanting to play the drums and symbols. His favorite thing in the world is music. So, we found a small set that would fit in his room. We knew we probably regret this decision but we knew he would like it the best, so we just went for it! We were right... he liked it the best. He played those drum for a solid 4 hours on Christmas day. He just kept moving the drums from room to room but he stayed hooked up. I just know he is going to be my worship leader!

After the full day at our house, we packed our stuff and headed to Nana and Poppy's. We had Christmas dinner together and it was so much fun. 

 

Well, the next morning was magical. Simply put, magical! The kids opened so many gifts and had such a great time. Campbell got a new princess dress which she has pretty much lived in since the moment she opened it.

We got my mom a canvas of a picture that Mike took of the ranch and the tractor. She loved it! LOVED IT!!!!. It was the best gift of the day for sure.

Campbell's big present was a cardboard house that she could play in and color. It was perfect for her. When she opened her eyes and saw it, she couldn't believe it. She loves to color and it was just the right size for her to enjoy.

Carson's big present was a tractor and trailer. 2 of the things that he loves the most in the whole world combined! It has been so cold that he hasn't had the opportunity to drive it a lot but he still loved it! 

After Christmas at my parents, we went to Mim and Pop's house for the evening. We all opened another round of gifts and we were blessed all over again!

The girls got matching Hello Kitty cups with hot chocolate packages in them. Campbell also got a new Cinderella PJ dress, which is featured in this shot!

Christmas night ended in the most amazing way possible, with snow! Not just a dusting either. Significant snow fall. When we got home from Mim's, I just had to let the kids go play in it! It was late and freezing cold but it was Christmas day for crying out loud! We bundled up and went outside to enjoy the pure magic!

 

 

The next day was snow filled wonder and it was enjoyed by all, including Max, who did, at one point end up on the sled being towed back to the house!

 

 I always think that the ranch is beautiful but on this day, it was an exceptional beauty. The sun was bouncing off the green trees covered in white, fluffy snow and the kids laughter filled the evergreen scented air. Mike pulled us in a john boat behind his 4 wheeler all over the ranch. It was the perfect combination of red neck and sheer genius!

Around every single turn, I was amazed at what I saw.

The beauty we saw, the magic we enjoyed and the memories we made this Christmas will last me forever. In fact, one of the best gifts I received this Christmas was the fact that my parents had my blog printed into 2 books. I don't how they did it but it was a great gift. I almost cried when I opened it. Seeing parts of my year captured in print and photos for me to view for years to come was overwhelming.

 

This Christmas season was overwhelming for so many reasons. I was reminded all over again, of the miracle of Jesus' birth as we watched The Nativity Story.

My kids had Christmas with 2 sets of Great Grandparents, both sets of Grandparents and both of their parents. We were blessed beyond what we deserve.

We got a White Christmas!

There is no possible way that this amazing season can be topped.  

 

It is my prayers that you had a great Christmas as well. That your home was filled with love and laughter as you made memories that will last a lifetime. I pray that your Christmas dreams all came true as we all celebrated the birth of our Savior.

 

I look forward to the New Year and all that it is going to bring. So, if I may, one last time...

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Goodnight!

 

    

Merry Christmas to All

     Well, this has been a very busy past couple of days... Ok weeks! Come to think of it, our life is pretty busy! We had the Christmas play, Christmas parties, church, family dinners, last minute shopping, keeping the house clean, the laundry done, dishes washed, etc... The usual for around here! It's amazing how busy life is, how fast the year seems to go by. It was just a few days ago that we were here, opening presents and celebrating Christmas. In the blink of an eye, we are here again.
     I am sitting my living room surrounded by gifts, boxes, bows, ribbons, toys and a drum set being played so loudly that I cannot hear myself think. We have Christmas in the McMillan home on Christmas Eve morning. I was in the car, just last night, driving to a family Christmas get together when I remembered that we didn't get one of Carson's big presents in the mail. It was the night before he was supposed to get it. What was I to do? Isn't it amazing? We get so busy going through the motions of this season that we forget to enjoy this season.
     Yesterday at church, Dad preached a sermon about not missing Christmas. Of all the people in the world at the time of Jesus' birth, the only people that came to Jesus' birth were 3 wise men and a few shepherds. Where was everyone else? Preparing for the coming Messiah perhaps? Cleaning? Doing laundry? Washing dishes? Where was everyone else? There were many people surrounding that area and only a few came to His birth.
     When we got home last night, I found the present I had thought we never received. I do not want to be one of those people who get so busy celebrating Christmas that I end up missing it. So, I got up this morning, showered, put on some make up and sat down in front of the Christmas lights in my living room. I looked at all the gifts and enjoyed the moment. My heart filled with gratitude for this wonderful season and I pledged to not miss Christmas!!!

Things I don't Understand...

     I understand how complex this title is. There are so many things I do not understand but today, I think, I have found the one that has topped the list. I came home from my day at work ready to write a blog about the Christmas Play that I am currently involved in. I was fireing up my computer when a single phone call changed my afternoon. "Hello", I said, the way I normally answer the phone. It was my sister. She then proceeded to ask me if I had heard about the elementary shooting in CT. I simply said, "No".
     I then made a huge mistake. I turned on the TV. Immediately, I was bombarded with photographs of parents frantically looking for their chilren, mom's hugging their daughters, daddy's holding their sons... the pic that got me the most was one of a mom in a white T-Shirt, holding the phone to her ear. Her mouth was open like she was saying something, there were tears in her eyes and she was grasping her heart. There, right there, I lost it.
     I wish I knew if that Mom's baby was alive tonight. O how I pray he or she is! I cannot imagine the pain those parents must be feeling. This morning, they probably made breakfast, told their kids to grab their backpacks, bundled them up and kissed them goodbye, not even thinking that it would be for the last time. How could this have happened? What makes someone so deceived that they would walk into an elementary school and kill all of those children? I am bombarded with emotion. I am so angry at that man, I am hurting for those parents and I am so happy for those parents whose children survived.
     Tonight, CMA will be performing the last night of the Christmas Play. I wrote and directed it and we have all been working so hard for several weeks on perfecting this. The gym will be full of parents who get the privaledge of enjoying their children tonight. We will be talking about Christmas and watching each child as they reveal their talent. The only saving grace is that tonight, we will be telling the real meaning of Christmas. JESUS! With all the pain, with all the suffering, with all the questions that have left to be answered, there is still Jesus. He still came, he still provided peace for the taking, He still provided an entrance into Heaven for anyone who would accept Him. I can't go to CT, I can't bring food to all those families, I can't try to witness to that man who did this horrible thing, but tonight, I can tell everyone who comes about Jesus.