GLORY, GLORY, GLORY to the New Born King

"Jesus, Jesus
Oh
What a wonderful child
Jesus, Jesus
So lowly meek and mild
New life, new hope
New joy He brings
Won't you listen
To the angels sing
Glory, glory, glory
To the new born King"

*Ann Voskamp says in her blog
regarding this Christmas season-
"Go slow. Be God-struck.
Grant grace. Live Truth"*
It seems like that is what everyone wants to do..
but how do we do it? How do you slow down in
our crazy, full lives?  The things keeping us
busy are often great wonderful things
  but when we jam our schedules to the
brim we don't have much time to stop and
think about how wonderful it all is!!...
and don't have much time to be Thankful and
say THANKS to JESUS who is
what it is all about!!! I remember last year's
Christmas sermon talked asked....would you
ever throw a birthday party for someone and
forget to ask them...the guest of honor?!!!
No Way!  So, of course we can't do that to Jesus...
our SAVIOR on his BIRTHDAY!!!
One of my prayers is that He can teach
us how to slow down and celebrate with Him!

I have been able to slow down this weekend!

Being a Pediatric nurse this is bound to 

happen-- I came home with the Flu on Friday.

Brandon warned Milla, Faith and Cole

to try not to get close to me (so sad!) and 

I have been quarantined to our room.  

My mom was luckily in town and quickly 

volunteered to have the girls spend the weekend 

with her to keep them away from the germs. 

 Brandon and Cole have had some good 

dad and son bonding time!!  

Thanks to their help--

I have been able to rest and recover..which

has also given me to to slow down and think.

(they on the other hand are- I am 

sure EXHAUSTED...I O U!!)

Unfortunately we had planned on going

to visit Santa Saturday night....but decided to

push it off a night- not knowing that our

usual place closed for the season on Sat. night!!

Oh no--Plan B--Brandon and my mom 

drove across town to meet at Bass Pro Shops

to sit on Santa's lap and make those 

last minute requests and have Cole meet Santa

for the first time...

well, there were no spots for the

rest of the night!!!! They were

able to get this close...but had to turn around

and leave without an annual picture and

a candy cane. 

It isn't the end of the world...

just disappointing.

JESUS IS THE REASON

FOR THE SEASON...

not Santa!

(but now we understand why

people get their Santa pictures

taken in early November!)

 Homemade Nativity Scene Play
(they recited a couple verses from
Luke Chapter 2 and sang Silent Night!)

On our way to a Christmas
book swap

 Cole staying warm

 Milla in front of a pretty
door at church

Eskimo Kisses from Faith

We were so proud of this

little Lamb in her school 

Christmas Performance!

She did awesome!!

They sang the song

"Jesus, What a Wonderful Child"

and it has been in my head 

ever since!! LOVE IT!!

 Gran Mum over for pizza after
the program

Grandpa and Cole at the Play

Papa Ray and Mimi with Milla on 

Grandparent's Day

My mom always makes things look pretty!

We always have these vases/pots on our

mantle sitting empty...she took Hank on a

walk around the block, collected some 

things outside and came in and did this!

A festive mantle just like that!

Playing in the yard at Ms. White's

We went to check out the new

AVALON in Alpharetta.

It was fun to watch the ice skaters...

hoping to get to skate next time.

 Cole can CRAWL and SIT UP by himself!!
He is officially interested in checking
out everything, everywhere!

 Congrats to our friends Chad and Leigh...
they had a baby "Olivia Claire"...
The girls loved having real life baby dolls!
Faith, Milla holding Cole, Eliza holding
Olivia, and Sophia.

 Holiday Party at the Weathers' Home

Jenna Grace

On December 1, 2014
our beautiful niece
JENNA GRACE KOCHS
was born to Kelli and Brian
(and big sister Lydia).
She was here on this
earth in the arms of her parents for
almost 4 precious hours.  Kelli
let us know by telling us that
she was "ushered into Heaven
while in her Daddy's arms."
We all got to hear her lovely cry
(they had prayed specifically that
they would get to hear her voice), see
her sweet face, and feel her soft skin.
At her memorial service the pastor
spoke about how efficiently Jenna
Grace lived her life....some people
live their whole lives and may wonder
what they did with all of the years...
but in Jenna Grace's short time she
did the most important thing,
the thing that we are all here for...
she GLORIFIED GOD.
This little baby girl blessed the
lives of so many and made an impact.
She has faithful parents that
LOVED HER SO WELL
and look forward to the day they
will all be reunited in heaven.
A verse that keeps coming up
is this...
ROMANS 8: 18
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be
revealed to us."

Aunt Jerrie

**Jeraldine Grace McConaha Craig**

(Aunt Jerrie & Grandma Rhodes)
(taken Nov. 2014)
My Great Aunt Jerrie-- my Grandma
Rhodes' sister (as her obituary said)
"came into the world on Valentine's Day, 1924,
and went to be with her Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ on Thanksgiving Day,
November 27, 2014."
They lived as sisters for 90 YEARS!!
What a blessing to have someone
to know, grow and love for 90 years!
Both of these ladies
have impacted me in my life.
We are really going to miss
Aunt Jerrie. When I think of her
I think: CONTENT, KIND, JOYFUL,
HAPPY, GENTLE, NATURE LOVING,
and THOUGHTFUL,
On the day she passed away
this is how my Grandma
(who has such a beautiful way
with words) told me....
"My beloved sister checked in
with the heavenly choir at five
minutes before noon on this
Thanksgiving Day..........."
Aunt Jerrie's Daughter Sara said,
"she wanted to eat Thanksgiving
lunch in heaven!"

NOVEMBER

 Ladies in the Leaves
*Milla and Faith*

Cole Turned 8 months
--He is Still so easy going and Laid Back
like his Dad!!

Fatih, Annie, Emily, Selah and Grayson
dressed up as Indians at Ms. White's

 Milla and some of her favorite twins from her
class "Max and Moss"

 Emily, Annie, Selah, Faith and Grayson
dressed up at pilgrims at Ms. White's

 Pilgrim Cole...
who is in the lap of Ms. White who is
also dressed up like a pilgrim!
She does a great job and goes all out!

Thanksgiving with Cappie, my Mom, Mrs. Crim,

Mr. Crim, Granddaddy, Kelli, Brian, Brandon...

and not shown at the kiddie table...

Milla, Faith, Lydia- and Cole in the

highchair

 Celebrating the NOVEMBER BDAYS
Gran Mum (19th), Mimi (12th), Granddaddy (6th)
and Brandon (17th)

 The Food Spread...everyone brought something

 Our first Thanksgiving with COLE!!!!!

 Thanksgiving morning breakfast with
Dad and my Grandma

 Brandon starting on the TURKEY...
it tasted GREAT!

 Sound Asleep!

 Thanksgiving Family dinner at
Ms. White's

 At a really neat interactive children's
museum in Gainesville called INK.
"Interactive Neighborhood for Kids"
inkfun.org

 you can pretend like you work at the
airport, bank, salon, post office, soda fountain,
school....etc... Milla and Faith loved it!

 Cole and his buddy Hudson....
also known as "The Professor" for
his serious demeanor!!

 Haley and Milla at
Meals By Grace

 Waiting for a bite

 Brandon was giving the girls dinner and
they wanted their hair pulled back...
he is very creative...chip clips!

Nature's Grand Finale

"Fall has always been my favorite season.  The

time when everything bursts with its last beauty,

as if nature had been saving up all year for 

the grand finale." - Lauren DeStefano

Anna, Snow White and an Indian Chief

posing with our friends Captain Hook

and a butterfly 

 Cole as a Chief

 Princesses for the Day

 Family on Halloween

 Brandon and Cole

 Cole's first Halloween

 Milla's "Mini Team" Gymnastics class
dress up day

 Faith's Gymnastics Class Dress up day

 Annie, Faith and Grayson dressing up
at Ms.White's

 Coloring at a table on the square
in Dahlonega, GA

 Lil' Mil' in the Golden leaves

 Faithy Girl

 Cole-Man

 Cuddling with Gran Mum

Faith and Milla at Lowe's helping

their handy man Dad with a project

 Milla's Fall Artwork

 Faith's Fall Artwork

 C is for COLE

 SO STRONG! up on all fours!

 Milla at a friend's Birthday Party
at "Ice Cream Social",,,
dress up, karaoke, dancing, limbo,
jewelery making, glow in the dark painting

Cousin Lydia and Faith

Cole at Bathtime