Finger Painting

 The little things that make a big mess are so fun for kids and for us! Sean painted with the kids on Christmas day. They loved it. Now, all they want to do is paint all day long:) I think that is a job just for daddies though:)

 

See what Farah Beth is doing? She had more fun making the mess than our 2 year old:)

  I love art and I love watching my children create. Now, if I can just be consistent in cleaning it up and storing our paint and brushes, we would have fun more often:) Have fun with your kiddos today, because they grow up way too fast. Get dirty with them, laugh hard with them, see through their eyes, eat candy and ice cream often with them, love them unconditionally at all times! I am so thankful for a husband who is faithful in all these things and so much more. I am still learning, but oh how I want to be a better mom. So I am trying to relax more and just enjoy:)

 Joli

Christmas

We had an awesome Christmas with family. My family came down and then Sean's. Lots of memories made. It actually snowed here, although it didn't stick. The kids had fun playing in it all the same. Snow just makes me feel like a kid again or it makes me miss New York. We lived there for a few years and I so miss our friends from there:(  Here are some of the moments that I tried to capture, which is extremely hard to do with a baby hanging on to me, because I want to remember my kids having fun in the little things:)

  This is My kids plus my nephew playing in the snow and drinking hot chocolate:)

 

 

    Farah Beth looking at the snow falling. She thought it was beautiful.

 

   Josiah thought it was AMAZING! He was laughing so hard. He was the cutest little thing ever!

  This is my nephew Ty. I LOVE this picture and I LOVE this little boy:)

 

 

 

 

Treasure hugging Ty at our church play. Treasure was the cutest little donkey in the world:)

Joli

Picture Post

 Some of my favorite pictures from today.

 

Farah Beth pondering what she wants in her stocking while Hunter flips Eden in the back ground:)

 

Hunter playing with Eden and yes, she LOVES it and is so used to it!

 

 Josiah trying to keep Carolina from eating his "nan nane"( candy cane ). He loves them and so does the dog:)

 

 Josiah Courage turned 2 Dec. 11. Our baby boy is getting too big. He loved his ball cake.

 

   Off to join my family in some singing to our Lord!! Beautiful little voices are crowding my thoughts at the moment:-)

  Joli

Christmas tree and a movie

 This is where I find Eden all day. She LOVES our tree. She plays with the ornaments ever so carefully. Josiah, on the other hand, has broken a few already. You know a Christmas tree must be so beautiful to a child:-)

 I have been sick the past two days so this is what my kids have been doing alot of. Watching Winnie the Pooh.

We all need lazy days like this right? Hopefully we will all be feeling better by the weekend. We are planning to take the kids somewhere fun!! And I do dress my child but this is how I find him all day! It is freezing but he refuses to keep his clothes on.

Pretty baby

 She is our angel baby. So sweet and so smiley all the time. She sure does love the Christmas tree and all the balls on it :) It is her first Christmas and she is sure to be doted over by family.

 

 Farah Beth ran up and wanted her picture taken with angel baby. Both are my sweet little mama's babies.

 

  I bought a couple of gingerbread cookie kits at publix the other day for the kids to make and enjoy. They enjoyed them and so did I:)

  I plan on making some fresh cranberry wreaths to put on our tree. The kids made them last year and they were just beautiful. Maybe I can post some pictures of them one day this week. Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. I love love love weekends because Sean is home:)

~Joli~

Noah

 Eleven years ago God gave Sean and me an awesome gift, an inheritance. We named him Noah Joseph. Noah, because we just liked that name and Joseph after my dad. I had a really pleasant pregnancy with him, which is not normal for me. I ended up having him about 3 weeks early. He was 7lbs and 14 ounces so that was fine with me:) We thought he was so cute. Big eyes, big juicy lips and long brown hair. Love at first sight:)
 We lived in New York at the time, so we were a long way from family but we loved it there. At 4 weeks old, Noah got really sick with RSV. I had to call the ambulance one day because he could not breathe well enough for me to even make it to the hospital. When we got there, our world started to spin. Noah had only gained his birth weight back and was still jaundiced. The doctor admitted him and began a series of test to find out what was going on. Scary! They thought that he may have had a blockage in his liver so we had to have an ultrasound on his liver. I remember like it was yesterday, seeing my tiny little baby laying on that table. I prayed! Sean prayed! That came back fine but we still did not have answers to why our baby's liver was not working right.
  We ended up leaving a week later, better from the RSV but with no answers to what could be wrong with him.  After a few weeks we found out that he had a genetic disorder called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.  It is basically a deficiency in the production of an enzyme that helps to turn off the immune system particularly in the lungs.  It also could mean a significantly decreased life expectancy as a result of years of lung and liver damage.  We were devastated to say the least.  We had Hunter and Peyton tested next and found that they have the genetic disorder as well.
It was a good time to find this out, if there ever is a good time, because God had begun a good work in our hearts a couple of  years prior to Noah's birth.  He gave us a peace regarding our children that can only come from Him.  They are His! God knew exactly what He was doing when He made our children:) Noah is so healthy now, most of the time and we do not take that for granted.
 Noah is our tender hearted, loving, kind, outgoing, lefty, creative, outdoor lover, handsome son:) He loves everyone he meets and loves the Lord most of all. He loves to tell people about Jesus everywhere we go. I pray that he will always be that way. Only God knows our days here on this earth, whether few or many. He has given our son eleven wonderful years so far, and for that I am so grateful. I pray that we will be faithful in teaching him more about the Lord and that Noah's life would bring Him glory! I always get a little emotional on my babies birthdays, can't you tell?

Noah,
Seek Christ diligently with all your heart. Only care what Jesus thinks about you. Love others and put them first always. Stay on your knees praying. Read your bible and keep telling others about Jesus. We are so thankful that God blessed us with you. You are so precious to us. Your big smile lights up the room. We love you sweet young man:-) Happy birthday!

   ~Mom~

Thankful

3Jn 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

 I am  thankful for so many things this Thanksgiving week. The #1 being my salvation!! Jesus has set me free. Sean and I pray for the salvation of each of our nine children. This is the desire of our hearts more than anything else. Yes, we want to be the best parents a kid could have but how do we go about that? I am learning ever so slowly lately that we can only be good parents by loving our Lord and walking with Him. If our children see any hypocrisy they will run the other way. Do they see the same mom/dad out in public as they see at home? Do they see us on our faces seeking the Lord? What about humility when we mess up, which will happen?  I have observed lately how children act just like their parents. When we see a character flaw in one of our children, we can pretty much know it originated from one of us. I am so thankful that God  has begun a work in me and will continue to do so.  I pray God would give me a heart to teach my children diligently about Him!!
 Ok, more things that I am thankful for.
A Godly husband who loves me unconditionally
A church body who loves the Lord and each other
My childen's health. Some of our children have a genetic disorder but they are all doing great now.
My brother, who we thought would not be here a few years ago. He also has a serious genetic disorder.
My sister, who is my best friend in the world
That I can homeschool my kids
A pastor who loves his flock
Food in the pantry and the fridge
My coffee:-)
Friends who encourage me in my walk with the Lord
Little giggles that are always found at our house:-)

 I pray that God would give me a thankful heart this week and every week. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

~Joli~





Picture Post

Love my babies! Love taking pictures of them as well:-) Lots of memories to capture.

 ~Joli~