Florida Chirstmas

It was another wonderful Florida Christmas....well.....beside those HOURS in the car with a toddler and Beach, Zoe and I all being sick. It was however, a great time to see family, rest and remember the reason for the season.

Beach didn't take anytime to get some rest in!

Walked in to see his funny position for a mid morning nap....he works so hard I'm glad he finally got to rest! Meanwhile some of us got to enjoy the warm outdoors!

We spent Christmas Eve with Mom's side of the family with our awesome host (and bestower of many gifts for Zoe!):

Zoe got to spend some good time with her family and seeing GiGi again (great grandma)!

Danielle and I finally remembered to take a sister pregnancy picture! The bumps are growing!

Christmas day brought yet another feast with Dad's side of the family.

Amazing decor and a time of sharing favorite memories of Christmas past.

Then finally....the little ones awoke...it was nice that they let their mama's enjoy their meal in peace.

This picture cracks me up! I'm glad Zoe does not normally look like this!

One beautiful day we got to see some manatees. They have an exhibit by a plant in Brandon.

There were tons of them and some came pretty close!

We even got to touch a couple....Zoe was not impressed.My little Zo was not feeling well at all and wanted to be held...a lot....by just her momma. (She does not seem to care that I was already caring another little one!

Four generations of love right there!

In visiting my cuz with her own son just a couple weeks younger than Zoe, she suggested going by the beach....and so glad she did!!!!

I think my girl loves the beach just as much as I do!

Running without a fence to keep one in.....how awesome!

Time to make aunt Lauren run, too!

They also had a park right off the beach that the kids loved....they esp. enjoyed staring at the ground while swinging.

We got to spend a few days at my mom's side in her retirement community. Zoe learned quickly how to fit in.

She loves her Grammy (and getting to spend days on end with her!)

Off to the park for some fun:

Dad didn't want to be outdone.

Gotta love those FL sunsets and winters!
And Zoe holding my hand and not crying that her Grammy wasn't there.
Aunt Lauren is pretty fun too!

All good things must end, though. Poor Zoe, she just didn't understand why she had to be restrained in a seat for so long and let us know with her crying and screaming (and I thought several times that I could never do this again!) She finally was able to get some rest but the only way that could happen was if momma held her head. With a face like that, how could I not!

Entitlement

We live in a country that is full of the feeling of entitlement (or perhaps it's just our fallen nature in general)....."I deserve this!" "It's my right!" "I've worked so hard!" I know I struggle with this concept a lot. Feeling frustrated when at work, yet again, we do not get a Christmas bonus, and what we did have to celebrate taking more from us or when I feel that I should be treated a certain way, perhaps because I'm pregnant or have worked so hard at something. The list really could go on! Hummmmm.....I'm seeing a lot of "I"s here.

So during this time of year, focusing on what truly matters in Christmas, my thoughts have turned a lot to Mary and Jesus. What it must have been like to be caring the Lord of the universe in your womb? What she wondered, thought and feared? Knowing that I've been thinking a lot about my own pregnancy and birthing options it has brought my thoughts to hers.

Then I thought about Jesus' birth, in a smelly stable, with animals, in a strange city (not so much the beautiful nativity scenes we celebrate but more of what it really was like). I'm thinking this was not a relaxed comfortable labor for the mother of God. I'm sure if I was in her place my thought process would go something like this, "Lord, don't you think I, the one caring the creator, should have an amazing place to give birth? or Why couldn't you have waited until we got back home, where I would be more supported by friends, family and a midwife? Why, at least, couldn't you have saved a room in some inn for us...you are God....you can do all things! Don't I deserve this (I mean you did pick me to be his mother), I mean doesn't Jesus deserve this at least?"

I suppose this just reveals more of my sinful nature and how much I need Him in order to understand His perspective, His timing and doing things for His glory....not so much how I think things should be done and MY entitlements. May I remember this in giving birth, as well as around Christmas time when we look to celebrate His birth and throughout the year as more of these feelings arise!

Faith and fear

I've always thought that I was pretty good on the faith department, at least with the big things. We have had some major things in our lives that we have had to depend on the Lord for (Beach making it through school - trust me this was a big one - and supporting things without debt, Beach finding a job before our first baby made her entrance, and then a couple of months latter selling and buying another home - yeah we closed a couple of days before Zoe was due - and moving in after her due date). They were never really that stressful for me. I know God was going to take care of things and I was going to work as hard as I could to help.....hummmm. Well, perhaps that was not completely all bad, but looking back I did feel that pride creeping in.

However, I had no idea that that was the case....until more recently when my faith has had to look a bit different. We are coming closer to situations that I can't "help" out as much as I have in the past. With the coming of a new baby brings a lot more decisions and of corse needing of money. Money has never been big for me. I much rather find a great deal than get an expensive item, and we had learned to live on not buying much more than the necessities. However, it's hard to cut back when there's not much left to cut.

However, God is growing my faith and seemingly giving me passages to read that deal with just that. Today reading in Luke 5, where Jesus told Simon to put his net over the boat, and how does Simon reply? “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” Then their boat could not even hold all the fish that they caught.

My prayer is just this....may I be able to know that it is not my striving, even if I work as hard as I can all night long (which could just produce nothing) but trusting in the Lord, in his timing and his provision. May I look to Him completely, trusting whole heartily, that he will give me all that I need, even when it just does not make sense to my human mind. Lord, here is my net, I will let it down because you say so!

So much to be thankful for!

No traveling...Yes!...not really much shopping...Yes! This was the first year that we had Thanksgiving at our own home! Ever since we moved into our house a little over a year ago Beach has wanted to do family gatherings and this was our first one yet. Even going to bed the night before at midnight from all the preparing and cleaning the day before, he stated, "I'm so excited about tomorrow!" Now it was only our family and my parents and sister this year, but hopefully more to come in the years to come, but it was great.

Beach smoked his first Turkey, another thing he greatly loved, and so did everyone when they got their first bite! Man that is good stuff (this will sure to be done every year)!

It was a long process, but thankful for nice weather!

Smells amazing...

And the taste test!

Zoe got to be a big girl and help with the cooking.

She loved getting in on the action....of corse she wants to do whatever mom is doing.

I love traditions but we don't really have any (beside the traveling) for the holidays, so I decided to start a couple this year. The first was everyone wrote on our new thanksgiving tablecloth of something that they were thankful for. Then in years to come we will continue to add on and get to remember the past years.

The next tradition was to collect beforehand from those that were coming things that they were thankful for, write them out, wrap them in aluminum foil, and place them in the middle of a crescent role. (This was my first completed pininterest by the way.)

Zoe helped get them ready!

I didn't let our guests know and wanted to it be a surprise. After we started eating I happened to look at my dad's plate where I saw most of his role was gone. "Oh no," I wondered, "Did he eat it?"

(OK, this may or may not have been posed afterwards!)

Nope....he had politely just stuck it under his plate, as he thought it was just part of the roll wrapper and he didn't want to offend his hosts. After the laughter lessened, I explained the idea.

We each took turns reading the thankful notes and trying to guess who said what.

Looks like Lauren found one too!

Zoe did not enjoy her bread as much and for some unknown reason bursted into tears while eating hers.

No worries though! Short lived....esp. after we busted out the cheese for her.

We also enjoyed some outdoor time. I want a tradition for the outdoors but don't know of any....got any ideas? With a turkey foamed shaped cappuccino and a cutie toddler running after a ball, it was good to enjoy the warmth left from the end of the day.

The Lord is so good, his blessings and mercy so amazing. Thank you Lord for a great day, for family, for a hard working husband that loves and serves us, for health, joy, Zoe, new life, and growing me in my faith daily to serve you!

Double Trouble!

How is it that some minutes can feel like they take FOREVER, especially when the anticipation for something has been building for some time. Probably because I already have a daughter, who I love dearly (that and the fact that I already have all the "girl" stuff), that I wanted to stick with all the pink parade. I thought it would be great for them growing up not even a couple of years apart. AND THEN when I found out that my sister (who is just a couple of weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy) was having a girl, oh I just wanted one so badly.

Finally, halfway through the pregnancy and the day came for the ultrasound. I prayed that God would allow me to be excited if we found we were having a boy and was touched by God's peace. Knowing that His sovereignty was greater than anything I could ever hope for, knowing that He was in control and had the best for our family and our outreach, I was ready for what was to come.

But why oh why does the ultra sound technician seem to take forever, and save the gender for last. I know, I know, I should be supper thankful that everything else was fine (I guess it my heart I already knew that it was), as she went through each body part. And it truly is amazing how something so small, so knit together, and inside me would soon be a major part of my life....but what was it already????

Then baby just wouldn't corporate and show its self, no matter how much we tried. "Would it helped if I moved?" I was willing to do cartwheels right there in the small room if it would have helped.....just don't make me wait to come back another day! Finally, baby revealed itself. The technician asked me if I could tell what it was...ummmm...really, well I don't see the three lines. You don't? Well she pointed them out to me and explained that we were having a girl! The smile broke across my face and I could not believe it....are you sure? Yes, it was to be. The Hughes girls blood runs strong, as we continue to fill the next generation.

The only hard part of it all (at least for now before all the extra hormones hit and I wonder, why did I want girls?)...coming up with a name. We had picked out the prefect boy name before Zoe and where ready to use it....but now, left with nothing...haven't even talked about it yet....but confident that God will give us that one too!

Pray...Dada...Pray

It's amazing how much children can remind you of the basics and what is really important. Lately Zoe constantly asks to pray. I'm not sure why, other than the Lord tugging at her sweet spirit.

Especially at night and when in the car, she will often say, "Pray," repeatedly until I do so. Usually when asked what she wants to pray for it's Dada. What a amazing reminder of how I truly need to be lifting him (amongst so many other things) up in prayer throughout the day. Whenever I stop praying, she almost always asks for more, and continues to ask until I start again. It's made me think of the broader and deeper things to pray for other than the normal "surface" stuff. I never expected my prayer life to grow from this manner. May she always have a sensitive soul that yearns to talk to her Heavenly father!