Well, obviously my media fast has gone well. (Sorry this is so long.) I haven’t even posted Christmas pictures! Check them out on the Christmas page and kids’ pages. A few things about these pictures:

1. There are A LOT!
2. The first round of presents is with Brian’s side of the family. Then, the second round of presents is with my Mom here.
3. Take note of David posing with a pink fluffy chicken. Ainsley picked out a present for each person at the Dollar Store, and this is what he got. Johnny got a porcupine with cherries on it. She was SO proud!
4. Also take note of her face while opening one of her presents. Although she LOVES her princess tent package Johnny and Jess got her, her face says otherwise. So funny!
5. Notice the picture Ainsley drew on her magna-doodle. It is Humpty Dumpty.

Back to my media fast. In case you didn’t know, I have been cutting out media in order for me to have more time in the Word and in prayer. I wasn’t finding enough time for consistent communion with God, so in all of the instances that I would open up my computer or turn on the tv, I have opted for a book or another form of reflective, quiet time instead. Again, I am not doing this because God is expecting me to meet a certain “quota” of time with Him each day. That is not the God we serve. I am doing this because I HAVE MISSED HIM. I want to soak Him up more. I want His power to be very evident in and around me. I want His Spirit to FILL me up to overflowing. I want others to see Him in me so they can know Him more. I want His Words and Name to be like honey on my lips. This can only be accomplished through His Word and prayer. I will not experience His best in this life unless I READ HIS WORD and PRAY...PERIOD. I have enjoyed reading Proverbs and a few books, “The Same Kind of Different As Me”, “Your Boy”, and “The Rest of God”. Tuesdays are my media night to watch tv (Biggest Loser) and veg on the couch doing brainless things. But I do check e-mail more than Tuesdays.

Now an update on the kids...

It’s pretty humbling that right as I started to spend time in the Word again, Ainsley became enamored with it at the same time! She is obsessed with her Bible. (The Beginners Bible by Zonderkids Publishing Co.) We have to read many stories from the bible at nap and bed time. She doesn’t even want to read any of her other gobs of books. And during the day, there are many times she would rather read her bible than play or even go outside. She has learned so many stories and knows them WELL. Her favorites are Baby Jesus (of course), Daniel and the Lions Den, Jonah and the Whale, The Good Samaritan, Jesus Walks on Water, and Zaccheus, among others. It’s been interesting telling these stories to her. Like, for instance, Joseph’s story...Here is a man who was loved by his father more than his brothers (not something a child wants to know)...hated by his brothers (again, sad)...thrown into a well by his brothers and sold into slavery (what?!)...HOW DO I EXPLAIN THIS TO A 2 YEAR OLD? My Mom made a good point that as long as I am reading it to her now as truth, she will always know it as truth. She just won’t ever question it, just like I never have. Yes, it is true that Jonah was swallowed by a big fish. Ainsley is also enjoying listening to praise music as she falls asleep. The words are in her mind a lot. Anyways, I have SO ENJOYED witnessing her pure love of the Bible and have prayed this continues.

Braxton is walking! He started at 10 1/2 months and is finally understanding that it is a great thing to do, so he is very proud of himself. He talks all the time, but all his words sound the same. “Duh”. But he has different inflections with that sound for different words, and I am starting to know what they mean. He only has one more molar to go...it is in the process of coming in. Then, hopefully we will have a break from cutting teeth! He’s eating everything we give him, except for the occasional “food strike” that all babies and toddlers do. He is completely on all table food, with occasional baby food to supplement. His favorite things to eat are--blueberry waffles, Frosted Mini Wheats, Graham Crackers, Fruit, and Casseroles. Braxton loves to dance and play music. And being outside is where he always wants to be! You’d better not open the door in this house without taking him with you! Of course, he still wants to do whatever his sister is doing. They love each other so much and really do well together. They are a little team! He still takes 2 naps, which Ainsley was DONE with by now. He sleeps around 2 hours in the morning and 1-2 hours in the afternoon! (Again, unless he is in an occasional “sleeping strike”) And he still goes to bed early. Sometimes he fights his morning nap, and we will skip it, but I will keep up the 2 nap thing as long as he will let me. We are going to Texas for his one year birthday. That is what we did for Ainsley’s first birthday. We just want it to be small and intimate...simple. The kids and I will be there for 2 1/2 weeks! Brian is taking some vacation days and staying for over a week. We are very excited and plan on seeing a lot of movies with friends while we have free baby-sitters (family). I’m weaning him from his daytime feedings, so I will have more freedom (although I would still rather spend my time snuggling my baby during the day than doing anything else!). *By the way, I took a little break while typing because Ainsley came to me with what-else-but-her-bible to read. So, we read “The Lost Sheep”. So sweet.*

So, the Super Bowl is coming up! We really love the Super Bowl (even though the Cowboys are NOT in it). We are definitely pulling for the Cardinals. Kurt Warner (spelling?) has an amazing story. I like him so much that I might even root for him if he WERE playing the Cowboys...ok, so maybe not THAT much.

I also want to give a shout out to my friend, Whitney Pratt who has been one of my biggest fans since we were kids. Well, I want her to know that I am HER BIGGEST FAN, and I admire her more now than I ever have. She inspires me so much. What a privilege to be friends for so long with someone who has only gotten better and better...and she was GREAT to begin with! :) She and her husband, Aaron, are going to adopt a baby from Ethiopia. Their story is one of God’s love, grace, mercy, compassion, and Fatherhood. She is His servant and is fulfilling His desire to love the orphans. I CANNOT WAIT to meet this baby. That baby has no idea how blessed he or she is to be able to go HOME with my best friend. I love you, Whitney!

Sorry it has been so long. We have been BLESSED with a lot of company over the holidays. I just like to soak up my time with my family when they are here, so e-mail and all things technology are put on the back burner. I did update pictures a couple of weeks ago, so check them out if you haven’t already. The Ainsley and Braxton pages have pictures from our visit at my Dad and Grandma’s house in Austin and Luling, TX. We had a blast! Ainsley enjoyed seeing her cousins, which are a bunch of GIRLS her age! Braxton did have one boy cousin who is a few months older than him. The Santa page has some very old pictures from November when we saw Santa land on the roof at the mall. I promised I would post them. More pictures from our Christmas to come!

I hope everyone had a great New Years Celebration. Ainsley got a lot of age-appropriate games for Christmas, which are actually very fun. So, we had a game night at our house with my Mom here. Ainsley was in the funniest mood I think I have ever seen. It is like she knew it was a “party”. She had us laughing to tears, and as we were playing “Boz Go Fish”, my Mom says, “This is the most fun party I have been to in years!”.

Since college when mentors taught me about the importance of a quiet time, I have considered a daily time with God to be the most important thing in my day. But, obviously, with 2 small children it is not easy to find time for myself these days. It has been very hard to find time for God. I know He is not a God that is pointing His finger, saying, “You are not good enough because you don’t spend 1.2 hours with me each day.” or “Shame on you, you only spent a little bit of time with me today...not enough.” But I REALLY WANT to sit at His feet more. I CRAVE time with Him. So, I am going on a (partial) media fast. I am only going to watch one show on tv per week. I will not spend time on my computer, except to check e-mail and update this blog. But I will not check e-mail every day. So, my evenings will be devoted to reading the Bible and other books. I am so excited! Right now, I am reading “Same Kind of Different As Me”, which Johnny and Jess have raved about. I am probably going to read the bible chronologically. I haven’t decided yet. Anyways, if you e-mail me and it takes a while to respond...sorry. Instead of media, I am filling my time with God. What is your New Year’s goal?