A Friend in Need...

This morning as I was scanning through my Facebook updates, I gasped out loud when I came to Laura's:

Most everything is burned/melted or water-damaged. Only home my kids have ever known. SO hard but thanking God we were NOT there!

Laura is the mama of 5 sweet babes, and wife to Jeromy. She is a photographer friend of mine and a beautiful, giving soul. I am so heartbroken for their family and can't even begin to fathom that feeling of loss. They have lived in their home for 5 1/2 years...and to find that it burned down on Christmas day is devastating.

Please say a prayer for their family as they sort through all the pieces of this tragedy. If you are able to give a financial gift, you can do that via her blog here. Even just a few dollars will uplift this sweet family.

Photo credit: Taylor Christian Jones

December Photo Project ::: 12.25.09

{Tradition}

Mom's famous caramel rolls for breakfast...a Christmas morning tradition. Hope your Christmas was joy-filled! More photos from our celebration here.

This is officially the last day of the December Photo Challenge. It has been so much fun and it's forced me to be more present in my daily life, taking note of the details. I liked it so much that I think I will continue it...in some form. Not every day, but whenever I have something to share with you! :) Love love love you all...Merry Christmas!

December Photo Project ::: 12.24.09

{Worship}

Snow is lightly falling outside...creating a blanket of white as far as the eye can see. It's beautiful. I am with my family, in a warm house, with lots of food...and lots of love. I am blessed. And thankful.

This morning, we awoke at 3:45am in Omaha and headed to the airport with the expectation that we would be in Bozeman tonight to surprise Matt's family for Christmas. But God had other plans. Our connecting flight in Minneapolis was canceled and we had to make a quick decision between possibly being stranded in Minneapolis or driving back to Des Moines to spend Christmas with my family. We chose to come back...to guarantee we would be with family. It appears that our flights actually went out...but we had no way of knowing that at the time. Needless to say, today has been a very long day. But God is good, and He is always in control. We trust that there was a reason why we couldn't be there this Christmas.

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Eve service at church tonight...my heart was full, thinking of the love Jesus showed us by coming to earth. Tomorrow we celebrate and remember that amazing gift. Merry Christmas Eve my friends!