Many of you know that often times ... more than often times ... ok, almost always ... I process life through words. It's some weird (a good weird) way God has wired me. This morning I knew I was to write, so I wrote a little email to Chris' Mom. After I wrote it I thought "Hey, why reinvent the wheel? I'm using some of this for the blog." Now I cut all the really gushy personal stuff I wrote to her out. That is just for her to do with as she likes. However, my personal reflecting I did keep. So, please take a peek into my heart this morning.

Well, we woke up to snow covered ground this morning and its cold ...and it does put me in mind for the holidays.

Last night Parker and I cut sweet potatoes, shredded bread for dressing, made a carrot cake and frosting, mixed up a green bean casserole, cut veggies for snacking, burnt cranberries (at 2.99 Euro a package and I had two packages!!), cut onions and garlic and other seasonings for dressing, and assembled ingredients for a chocolate pie to be baked today ... AND ... ordered pizza because we were too pooped to fix anything to eat for dinner!!

Even though today isn't really Thanksgiving, it does feel like a holiday to us! Funny how what you do traditionally, no matter what day you celebrate, actually feels like a holiday.

Its funny how when you are doing life (the everyday stuff) you know you are not "home" but it doesn't seem abnormal. However, the holidays are though! You carry with you nothing when you arrive here ... nothing you can see. No furniture, few clothes, no dishes etc ... however, it's the holidays that remind you how many memories you've tucked away in your suitcases without even knowing they were there ... until they unpacked themselves each year around this time. The same will be true of Christmas...

I just wanted you to know the value I put on the things no one else see's in my life ... my little memories. These are the things I treasure most. These are things that will live on ... in the minds and hearts of my girls ... and I've got to believe that these are the things God tucks away(not sure how this measures up biblically, but it makes me feel good so I'm putting it in here), these good memories, in His suitcase and unpacks for us to share and repeat over and over again.

There are 3 young ladies who have tucked countless memories in their suitcases ... who knows where and when they will unpack them. My goal is to live so obediently to God that when they unpack the ones that concern me, they will be filled with gratitude, hope and pee-your-pants offlaughter! God willing I will still be alive for them to call me up, wherever they may find themselves, and share them with me over the phone!

Off I go! Let the festivities (and memory packing) begin!