New Years re-cap/night-cap

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Happy New Year everyone!  Today is the first day of 2015 and I hope it is an indicator of the year to come.  We had such a great day.  We lounged around at home until noon and I mostly just enjoyed watching Roger playing with the kids which he doesn't always get to do.....then we went to Sioux Falls and did some shopping, connected with some of Joe's birth family, and got Precious ears pierced for the third time in a year.  Hopefully third time is a charm!  Claire got to relive her childhood a bit by helping Precious choose a stuffed bear from Build-a-Bear workshop and then deck the bear out with Christmas money she had to spend.....it was sweet to see the sisters working on it together and noticeable that Claire was pleased and proud.  These are rare moments with a teen in the house!  We spent a long time in Scheels and just didn't rush which is uncommon.  Precious and Jeremiah rode the ferris wheel in the store and we did lots of trips up and down the escalator.....and the boys spent their Christmas money.  Then we treated the kids to a fun restaraunt called Carnival Brazilian Grille......thanks to Christmas money sent from Auntie Lois and Uncle Dale with instructions to do something fun with the kids!  We had a great time there.....and won't soon forget it.  We dropped Claire off at her friend Micah's house for a couple of days and made it home before 9pm.  My puppy was a bit crazy from being in the crate all day so I am staying up extra long to give her time before she has to go back in her crate for bed.....and because I am sitting up in a quiet house, watching the news alone, I can reflect on what an amazing day we had.  

I am choosing to give myself grace and forgiveness for the times today I was snappy and impatient and grouchy.....and I'm hoping that my family will do the same when they think back to how we celebrated our new year together today.  

Lord Jesus, thank you for today.  Thank you for the love and affection and deep joy that live in this family.  Thank you for Roger.  Thank you for health and resolution of certain yucky and unexpected interruptions that occurred earlier in the week and seem to be cleared up.(  Don't ask.  It will make your head itch if I tell you.  Just don't ask.  )  Jesus, forgive me for being a sometimes impatient and sometimes overwhelmed mama who doesn't always use such a nice tone with my family.  Help me to change that, Lord.  Please.  Grow in me the fruit of your Spirit and give me courage and strength to continue to contend for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Let 2015 be a year of seeing more of all of them, Lord.  Lastly, dear Father, please protect us in the year to come.  Protect us from harm and from the work of the devil.....set your angels around us to gaurd and defend us and help us to always be seeking your will and not my own as we move into a new year.  Lord, your are good.  You are so, so good.  Thank you for being a good, good God and thank you for this life.  Amen.

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