Merry Christmas...

a few days late :)

Missing my daughter

Those of you who read my blog know that I have been missing my daughter so much lately. I miss her everyday, but there's something about Christmas that makes it harder. She is hanging in there-working for a friend, staying with some of our friends and will be able to spend her first Christmas in 5 years in the states. It's funny because she received some money for graduation and for her birthday last summer and is enjoying spending it! She didn't learn this from me....nope, the spending comes from her Dad and sisters! Don't get me wrong, I love to spend money too, but I am more thrifty and the saver in the family. Being this is her first time home in so long, she is enjoying shopping for others. Unfortunately, I don't think she has a clue when she stocks up her basket at Tarjay....(wonder if she reads Gina's blog) that it adds up at the cash register. She lived in Europe all her teen years and we didn't really shop for clothes and fun stuff so it's all new to her now. I think she is making up for lost time. Thankfully, she is earning some money over the holiday break so she can be sure to have enough money for her books next semester!!!

Here is a LO I did today. So many emotions going through my head as I miss my daughter. I wasn't going to share it but through this, I have had such compassion on those who are lonely and without their loved ones this Christmas and those who go through this every Christmas.

As you can read in the journaling, I also cried out to God about this. Wondering about what it was like for Him and I feel like my faith in Him was challenged. Not in the sense that I doubt His plan or His will, but to be challenged to remain faithful in my calling here even though it means separation from my daughter. Not to just be here physically, but to be here in spirit. I also realized that it's important for me to be here emotionally for my husband. Not to just be sad and despondant about the holidays, but to decorate and put on the Christmas music for him because he enjoys it! We have our sad moments...sometimes together, sometimes alone, but we have each other and for that I am most thankful!

I encourage you to call someone or write a little note to someone who is without their parents this holiday season, or someone who is alone for the first time. It will mean a lot to them.

Have a joyous day!

You can click on the image to read the journaling. I used Kelly Shults "Simply Christmas" kit template by Ronee Parsons

Check out this link!

While checking the SBB boards I found a link to the funniest "elf thing" You have to check it out here. DH and I laughed so hard~I uploaded his photo to it and sent it to some friends. Sure gave me a much needed chuckle this morning!

It's been really hard the past week to get into the Christmas mood. I feel like I am just going through the motions. It's so difficult without my daughter here. I knew the first Christmas away would be hard, but I don't think you can really prepare for it until the moment. I start to think in the tiniest of ways what it must have been like for Jesus to be separated from His Father for us. I know the Lord uses these situations we go through to draw us nearer to Him and sometimes He allows us the sufferings that go with the trials. But, He does promise that everything works together for good and I cling to that because it's hard to understand at times what good it is that our daughter is so lonely and spending Christmas apart from us. She had a hard time in the dorm the past week as everyone was so excited to go home and be with family again. Thankfully we have awesome friends who are taking her in for the break. Everyone keeps asking her over and our friends are so great to look out for her in our absence. Hopefully we will go home to CA next Christmas. We haven't had Christmas in the states in 6 years now. I think it's time :)

On a different note, our friends are planning their yearly business trip. This year they go to Greece. We were going to try to meet up with them there, but it's too costly. We will plan to meet in Rome instead. We can fly cheap airlines and get there easier. We could actually drive, but I think with the toll costs and petrol it isn't worth it. We are going to go to Lake Bracciano while we are there. It's so gorgeous in pictures and I am sure it is in real life too! Also, we will probably take one day and take a drive to Florence~just depends on what we are in the mood for. We have all been to Rome before so it won't matter if we don't see the sights there again. Italy is by far my favorite country I have visited in so far and I am thrilled every time we can go! I think we will go to Sicily again this summer and that is probably my favorite place in Italy. Mmmmm, I can taste the cannolli right now!


Hope you all have a wonderfully blessed day!

Man oh Man

Ok-I was just about finished my post, went to upload some photos to blogger and my computer screen went blank!!!! YUCK! I am so bummed because I wrote and wrote and now I am tired of writing!

So, a recap...Christmas Tea was awesome~lots of women came and we had just enough settings for everyone. I told DH that I need to go to England and get some more tea sets!! Don't think that will happen any time soon :)

Our theme was Seeking Him-Worshipping Him. Great reminders the Lord gave us to not allow the distractions of this life to keep us from seeking Him daily. Seeking His will and not our own. Seeking to please Him and not ourselves. So opposite from what this world teaches us! Seeking out the lonely and the lost-just as He gave us an example. Not pointing our fingers at those who are hurting, even those who got themselves in their own mess, but having compassion as Jesus has compassion. Praying for those in need rather than judging their circumstances. Seeing Jesus as He is and seeing ourselves as we are should cause us to fall down and worship Him! The Humble King-our Great I AM! I pray today that you will seek Him! Don't allow the busyness of the day to day routine get in your way of seeking Him!

I finally got my magnets and magnet calendars finished and uploaded. Danielle at Something Blue Studios is awesome!! If you still need some gifts go over to her site and order some of these. If you don't have time to make a layout you can still have a magnet made from a photo! You have until the 17th Dec to order with priority shipping which isn't expensive! Here are some examples of the ones I made:
This is the calendar magnet:

And this is the layout I will have turned into a refrig magnet:
Pretty cool huh! I have to finish up my full size calendars today and upload them to Winkflash. I am kind of bummed that they don't give you the option to have a cover page for the calendar. Last year I used Shutterfly and made a cover. I bought the premade calendar pages from Kimberly at PDW and the sizing is done for you for Winkflash but I don't know if it would work for Shutterfly...so I am just going to go ahead as is and leave it be for this year. I am too behind to worry about it right now. By the way, Kimberly is having a sale, I think it ends today. See this post for details. I would love to buy out all the templates! I love templates!! They are my favorite digi scrap invention. Makes my life so much easier too. I know some don't enjoy them, but for your everyday person who doesn't have an artistic mind, it's a wonderful thing!!!

Also, Liddy's Loft is having a 50% off sale. I like that store a lot too! They have great designers and great products. Check them out!

I think that's enough for today. Lots of baking to do this week. We are having our Children's Christmas party Sat. They are going to sing at the Retirement home Sat am and then come to the church for pizza, decorating cookies and we will have a Magi Shop too. We started it last year and noone had a clue what it was-was a big hit for the kids though. The older girls help wrap all the gifts for the parents and everyone has a lot of fun!!

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Mt 6:33

Have a blessed day :)

Busy bee

Lots to do this week but I am taking some breaks :) We are having our Women's Christmas Tea on Sat. Soo00 much work preparing for this but it's my favorite event! Lots of pretty tea sets and dainty this and that~makes for a pretty environment. I will be up to my ears in flour, pastry and lemon curd by the end of the week.
Our theme is Seeking Him,,,Worship Him. I love the theme now. I had a hard time with it at first but as I study for the message I am falling in love with it! I can't elaborate much, not too much time but I will try to add some gleanings in the next post :)

We had a wonderful time in Salzburg! The weather was perfect during the day. It got a little cold in the evening but not too bad. I have some pictures to put up soon too.

I best get back to my work. I am making magnets and calendars as gifts and I have to have them finished by the 10th in order for them to be in time for Christmas. Check it out here if you need a great Christmas idea. Something Blue Studios is the name and the ideas are so creative!! I just love being able to do this since I am out of the states. This way I can still get some pretty gifts home to family and friends without having to worry about shipping from over here.

Stop and thank the Lord for His grace and mercy today!