"I don't want to ask for too much!"

IN pictures - finally!
With cousins at the Children's Museum (world's largest!) - Ty's favorite place

Ty at the Dinosaur area talking to the scientists on duty (I think they are called paleontologists - probably have that completely wrong!!). Ty enjoyed getting to talk to them and observe them working on fossils etc!
Let it snow - and it did!!!
It was cold - very cold!!
And now on to the rest of the story!!!!!

"I don't want to ask for too much!"
That is what Ty said when I asked him what he thought Santa might be bringing him. He said "Hmm... maybe 4 presents? I don't want to ask for too much." He was quite serious and although I have no idea what was going through his mind - it was not the response I quite expected. In fact he had only asked Santa for one thing - a blue power ranger (all of about $7). I'm not sure if he thought Santa couldn't carry it all or that Santa was having a hard year but for some reason he didn't expect much. He was quite excited Christmas morning to see an air hockey table (and enjoyed beating all of us!) and a lot of other presents but after the first couple, he started asking "is that for me too??!". It wasn't the excited glee you might have figured and to be honest, he looked a little confused. I think he really thought that 4-5 presents would be ok. The more I thought last night (after a wonderful day spent with my mom and sister's family and phone calls with dad and more family!) the more I realized how true of a spiritual concept that is. We so often don't want to ask for too much from God. And I think that we sometimes set ourselves up for diappointment when we ask for things that are only for our comfort and not really seeking the heart of God. But either way God has the resources of heaven ready and waiting. This next year I want to ask for too much. Too much of His grace and power and peace. And wake up expecting all of it to be available to me. What a gift to open that every morning!

A Lesson Learned

I still need to post pics from IN but something that happened yesterday has been on my mind and with Christmas just a few days away - wanted to share this. We live in a world that is very different from the one my parents grew up in. A very cynical place where you can't trust anything or anybody. Where this past week after the Mitchell report, one famous ballplayer insisted that another needed to prove he DIDN'T do something (whatever happened to the presumption of innocence - how well we know!).
Last week we went to IN. I purposefully didn't have my mail held since I had asked my mom to check it for Christmas stuff, bills etc. She checked it a couple days after we left and there was no mail. This continued for the entire time we were gone. I was getting quite upset about this since I had no idea of what was going on. We thought maybe our mailman had held it noticing that we were gone (even though they aren't supposed to do that). We arrived home and Tim went to check at the post office. They had none of our mail there but thought that our mail man might have it on his truck. TWO pieces of mail arrived that day (it was now 12 days). The next day - nothing. Tim went to try to track down (literally) our mail man. Then I noticed something strange. Friday is our trash day and we had put our trash can out. I heard the truck and got up to pull the can up to our house when I saw our neighbor from across the street (the same one who stood and just watched while we were moving in with the help of 3 trucks and 4 vans and about 25 of our friends "Exactly HOW MANY people are moving into that house??!! he asked Tim!) pulling our trash can to the side of the house. Hmmmm! I called Tim and told him what I saw "Do you think...???". He went over to our neighbors and sure enough - he had collected all of our mail - bundling it nicely for us. He told Tim - well you told me you were going to be away and to keep an eye on the house - so I did. We still had the rental vehicle that we had taken to IN and he had actually walked over and written down the license plate because he was concerned that someone was in our house that wasn't supposed to be! It's weird now days to have neighbors that watch out for you - that care enough to collect your mail and even write down license plate numbers. But we have neighbors like that and we are blessed! This man doesn't attend church or claim to be a Christian but he exemplified what it means to BE a neighbor to us. I have really been struggling lately with a desire to BE the church - not to DO church anymore. Ty memorized the verses that talk about "when I was hungry - you fed me" etc (thanks to Mr. Bruce and Miss Karyl!). Those words have resonated with me more and more. I want to be a part of a congregation that serves Christ by serving people - anybody know where I can find one of those?! A few weeks ago at Common Grounds Cafe' - we served our first homeless person. He was probably 70+ years old and rode up on a rickety bike carrying all of his possessions. He walked up slowly and just stared at the muffins and said "Do you think I might could have a muffin". I anwered "Absolutely!" and Steve (the guy helping that day) said "Could I get you a cup of coffee to go with that?". I am sure that some people were concerned and not happy (or would be if they had saw). And I know we need to be careful but I am more concerned that people aren't BEING the church anymore - just content with DOING it. My family has experienced the "fellowship of HIS suffering" this year in a very small measure and we are doubly blessed because of it. We can't be Christ like without understanding sacrifice and suffering too. I think my "resolution" for 2008 is to stop "doing" and start "being". I hope that yours will be too.

Let it Snow! NOT!

Got home Tuesday night after a wonderful time in IN. Even if our return trip home was delayed by snow. Will post pics soon. But we should have known - Tim told Ty to pray for snow. (his prayers usually get answered!) Soon we were asking him to pray that it would stop! Ty had a blast sledding and playing in the snow. We are concerned though - he also prayed for a baby sister and informed Nana it would be here by next Christmas!! He has "named" the baby as well. That is certainly not in our plans - I guess we'll have to wait and see if it is in God's!!

It's beginning to look a lot like ... Christmas - even in Florida!

Tim , Ty and I headed to Disney on Monday and checked into the Port Orleans French Quarter hotel. Ty received his birthday "button" and we were off. We have stayed at this hotel often and Ty knows his way around so as soon as we dropped our bags we were headed to the boat dock to take a water taxi to Downtown Disney. Ty had saved his birthday money to spend. (It was almost hilarious - he is very frugal with his money - but was finally ready to spend it!) We headed to Ghiradelli to get our free sample of chocolate and then to Ty's destination - Lego World! After playing and shopping we then headed to Once Upon a Toy where Ty (with LOTS of help from Tim and a salesperson) proceeded to make a double light saber. They had a "gift" of a complete set of commemorative coins celebrating Star Wars 30th anniversary if you would buy $50 in Star Wars items. Ty only wanted a light saber ($20) and wasn't about to part with any more of his hard "earned" money - but the salesperson told Tim he was just going to throw them in our bag as a gift for us! It was a really nice set and we were just beginning our days of "free" stuff! We took the bus to the Grand Floridian to see the life size gingerbread house (which was underwhelming for Ty!) and then the monorail back to MK to catch a bus to our resort.We thoroughly enjoy meeting all kinds of people especially ones from other countries and it is fun to hear other accents and info from them and be able to pass on some good American hospitality. I am slightly (??!) neurotic in terms of planning and figuring out how to get the most for our money and out of our experience so am usually able to pass on some info. We ended the day in the pool and hot tub after some jambalaya and beignets as Ty anxiously awaited the arrival of Nana, Aunt Roxanne, and Kamen the next day!

Once they arrived, we hit Downtown Disney again for a little shopping at World of Disney and then back to the resort to catch our bus to the Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom. We had a blast! Even with the rain - made all the more memories. One highlight was watching the Mickey's Twas the Night Before Christmas Show. Last year we arrived late and stood at the back next to a very nice couple. We noticed them "signing" along. Ty and I had been studying some signs so he showed them what he knew. They were actually impressed and told us that they worked full time for Disney signing for hearing impaired guests. They work in a variety of situations but that night they were practicing the show. This year we looked up on the platform and saw the same couple signing the show for a big group of guests. They were incredible! Mom & Rox remarked that it was almost as much fun to watch them since they put so much expression into it. We ate more than our share of free cookies, apple slices, and hot cocoa! We enjoyed rides like Buzz Lightyear and Peter Pan and the Jungle Cruise. And things like Mickey's PhilharMagic and Snow White ride, the race cars, the fireworks (in the rain!) and more. All in all a great night and as we left the parade to snow falling on Main Street - it really did begin to look a lot like Christmas! The next day was spent at the pool, hot tub, more Downtown Disney and a boat trip to the sister resort Port Orleans Riverside where the boys had a blast at the playground. We did really get a lot of "free stuff" too! Ty got a banana at dinner the first night; I noticed I had been given extra money in change and when I returned it the gift shop manager awarded me an exclusive pin(s) (1 to keep and 1 to give) that aren't sold - they can only be gifted; Rox got a pin on the boat ride from the captain for having to put up with Tim giving her a hard time!; the boys each received giant cookies with icing and mickey sprinkles to decorate; the food court crew gave Ty a birthday card, Mardi gras beads and coins and Mickey Rice Crispie treats (and Kamen got those too!); a birthday card from Mickey written to Ty; the Star Wars coin set; lots of extra stickers etc for Ty's birthday and lots of special attention - which he of course loved! It was a great time away and we didn't want to leave. Mom & Rox were the funniest parade and pool side (parade in the rain - ready to leave; poolside - just a "few" more minutes Ha!). Hardly any crowds or any wait - our favorite time of year to hit Disney and start our holiday celebrations. We were blessed to spend it with family!