Constantly reminded of the Grace I have received...

2013!  I can't believe it.  Like many others, I was sure we'd be driving around flying cars and living on Mars by now...luckily, I just get to drive around my land boat and live in my  little country house just outside of the greatest place on Earth (Athens, GA - not Disney world :)).

We had a crazy, stressful, fun, wonderful Christmas.  Christmas with young children is not for the faint of heart.  We travel and come home Christmas Eve night...and then went to my parents on Christmas Day.  Traveling with young'uns is always stressful - other people's houses/rules/stuff, etc.  That is a post that could go on for days...needless to say, I am NEVER relaxed with my children at anyone else's home...which can make me come across...errr...bitchy (there, I just said it...I couldn't think of a nicer way to say it).  I HATE that...but, it makes me all snappy and on the defensive and annoyed with my toddler who is LOVING to push every limit she can find.  God help us if this is a sneak peek of her teenage years.  I digress...Christmas was wonderful...Santa was so good to us...as were the grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends.  (Half of it still remains in the box as we are mean like that and are going to dole it out over time).

  

New Year's was fun...our tradition continues as BT leaves us (damn UGA for playing on New Year's day!) and Mandie and the girls came to spend the night.  I love those crazy, loud, total chaos nights.  For the first time ever, I think, I spent some alone, quality time with Brooke.  She sleeps in our closet here in a pack-n-play...and she woke up about 11:30.  Yeah, that's how we roll...Mandie and Emma went to bed at 9:30.  At least I made it until 11:30!  So, Miss Brooke woke up and was cold and then needed some chocolate milk and then needed to watch George.  So, she layed in bed with me watching George and drinking her "bobbie"...until 1:00AM!  I fell asleep after kissing her cheek for New Year's (Rob was hanging in the den watching TV still) and woke up to her still just watching the tube at 1.  I drew the nice Tata line there and put that sweetie back to bed.

  The babies both had tubes put in their ears on December 28th.  It was stressful, but they were TOTALLY FINE afterwards (well, Madeline basically screamed until we got in the car...but, she was fine).  Mom and Dad took Molly for a couple of nights so the twins could have man-to-man coverage.  Although, technically, they didn't require any more attention or work than normal, we were just CRAZY tired.  We had to be at the hospital at 5:30AM (yes, we were 15 minutes late, but no one was waiting on us), so, Thursday night we just caught a quick catnap before heading to the hospital.  We all crashed at our normal 10AM nap time.  They look pretty pitiful in the pictures, but, they were VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF and not once acted like they were in any kind of pain.

I've been super stressed lately and very short tempered.  I've been quick to pitch a little hissy fit and quick to get super annoyed with typical toddler-isms.  I've been pretty difficult.  God is constantly reminding me of the grace I've received...and, I haven't technically ignored it, but, I haven't let it really sink in.  Tonight, I was once again reminded of His grace.  I pray that I can move forward each day with more grace than the last.  I have wonderfully healthy children, a loving husband, a beautiful home in a safe country where I am free.  God please continue to remind me of these blessings and help me be more graceful in my days.

Happy New year!  May God Bless us all in 2013.