Hairbows and Undershirts:)

The girls got hair bows and under shirts this morning. These are NOT the undershirts we used to get when we were kids!!:) ...tres cool.

Here are some pics

Countdown Presents

So I decided a few days ago that I needed to blog about "Countdown Presents" and then my friend, Laura, asked about it yesterday, so I am compelled:)

Countdown Presents are a wonderful tradition in our home, started by our matriarch, Mom Stalvey (my mom's mother). I don't know how she came up with this fun tradition, but she told me this week that we, the grandchildren, are the ones that actually came up with the name "Countdown Presents". My mom has continued the tradition with my children, and my brother's children.

What is it? It is a gift for each of the twelve days preceding Christmas day. It's so much fun! Mom Stalvey continued the Countdown presents through our sixteenth birthday. I'm assuming Mom will do the same. The girls love it!! They look forward with great expectation every morning to see what they will open. It's never anything big, but always something fun or meaningful. The girls are never disappointed.

I don't feel like I'm giving this sweet tradition due credit. I can't wait to continue on this tradition for my grandchildren!

Cookie time

Jenny, my sister, decided we needed to bake cookies on Sunday, so she led the way! It was great fun. There is more Christmas cookie baking ahead of us. We have to make four dozen for a cookie exchange this Sunday for girl scouts, but this was fun....especially since I just got to watch and take pictures:)

(the guy in the picture is our friend, Nick, who has lived with us for the past two years. He's leaving for the World Race through Adventures in Missions in January for a year. Jenny is going back, but as a leader this time and only for 4-5 months. Keep them in your prayers. They leave Jan. 3rd!)

I also threw in some pictures of our decorated space.

Mom, the girls LOVED their outfits this morning - the #9 countdown present. They all wore their outfits today. Here's Reece in hers. She especially loved the way her shirt feels so soft. She told me when she got in the car that she let everyone feel her shirt...but not her pants..:)

Recent pics of Elle

The girls were inspired by one of their "countdown presents" to dress up as cowgirls and dance around the room to country music....Alabama was the band of choice this particular time. (I should say here that I am not a country fan. Though there is a bit of a cowgirl in me, I'm more of a DixieChick:))

The other picture of Elle is her playing Chef and restaurant with her sisters.

Sister fun and Gingerbread...

Here are a few happy pics from the Long family. I realized, as I was looking back over my blog, that I've been Debbie-downer for the past few weeks. Well, I'm coming out from under my cloud and fully embracing this wonderful, fantastic, magical time of year!! I truly love Christmas and the magic that fills the air during this season.

We're in full Advent mode. We get our "prize" each night out of the (two) Advent calendars and read a story that builds up to Christmas Eve. Each Sunday is a special Advent celebration with candles, special drink and snack. It's so much fun. I've added pictures of our calendars and some other pics, as well.

The girls made a gingerbread train last night. It fell down over night but they had fun putting it together. Elle had fun eating the decorations.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! And I really am enjoying every moment. I pray you are, as well!

Merry Christmas!

Tribute to Elsie

We found out this past Thursday evening that Gavin's beloved grandmother, Elsie Costner Jacumin, had passed away. She was 95 years old and lived a long and full life. She volunteered everyday "helping the seniors" at a local nursing home, up until the day she died. Elsie still had her license and drove, legally, and maintained a garden in her back yard. She was always on the go and helping others.

Elsie started serving others early in life when she dropped out of school in third grade (like so many of that day) to go to work for her family. She was the oldest of eleven children and served them all. They all testify of her service and care.

Gavin wrote the liturgy for the funeral on Sunday and ended up officiating, as well. I was honored to sing a few songs for the celebration of her life. Raegan wrote a story about her great-grandmother and read it during the eulogy. It was a very moving service.

Though we celebrate the long life she had and the legacy she has left behind, we are sad to loose her. She was very healthy, so her death came as a shock. Gavin and his family are still mourning her passing. Please keep them in your prayers through this holiday season.

Give all your loved ones a big hug this Christmas season!
much love,
em

Mixed Emotions

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. What a wonderful time of year to reflect on all God has blessed us with. The beginning of our Thanksgiving was joyous. Mom came up and we had a great Thanksgiving feast with our friends, Athena and her four children, and Athena's mom, Lona. We had dance-off's with the kids, had the parade going on in the background, watched Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving, talked, sang, sent "cheers" around the table for all we were thankful for, talked some more...and definitely ate!!:)

Raegan did an amazing job dancing as the Meritoll doll in the Nutcracker; two performances on Saturday and one on Sunday. Then mom headed for home after the first performance, after being with us for 4 wonderful days.

...enter mixed feelings, stage right...

Dad and Dorothy came up on Saturday evening for a second round of Thanksgiving festivities. This is the first time she has been in our home. My countenance immediately falls, and I get a pit in my stomach, every time I think about this, or thought about it over the past few weeks. I knew they would be there when Raegan and I returned home Saturday evening from The Nutcracker (I volunteered all day backstage, during both performances). The wonderful thing is that our friends, the Pryor's, were also coming that night. They were stopping over for one night on their way on up to Marblehead, MA - the whole family!!! (including their newborn that we hadn't met yet:))

It was great visiting with the Pryor's, holding that precious little Kiara, visiting with the rest of the kids: Kelsey, Jackson, Sydney and Elisa, having our family prayer time together with them before bed, and staying up WAY too late talking with Jeremy, April, Jen and Athena. (Thankfully Dad and D went to bed soon after we arrived home so I didn't have to deal with those emotions yet.)

We had another nice Thanksgiving feast Sunday afternoon, then headed out, our family and Dad and D, to watch the last performance of The Nutcracker. Raegan did such a great job!! It was great to finally get to see her do her thing. (I hadn't gotten to see any of the performances on Saturday because of helping out in the dressing rooms) Everyone did a great job. Elle even sat through the entire performance this year!!!!!

Dad and D just left (Tuesday morning) and I still feel sick. I realized last night as Gavin and I were lying in bed talking about everything, that I hadn't even looked up since Sunday evening. I don't even want to look at her...and you know I'm a big eye contact girl... I'm sad. ...I'm sad.

I'm repulsed by her. There is nothing lovely or attractive about her. ...Nothing!

And yet...

Rom 5:7-8 (NIV)
7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.


While we were repulsive to Him, Christ sacrificed himself for us...

This has been a great sacrifice and we will be having a LOT of conversations with the girls this afternoon and the days and weeks to come, about all they saw and heard.

Did we do the right thing? I have no idea. I believe we did what we were supposed to do ...but it may take me a few days to come out from under this dark cloud.

Your prayers and thoughts are appreciated.