HOLIDAY CHEER!

I can hardly believe that the holiday season is upon us already! I think I am the furthest behind in shopping, cards, cookies, and decorating that I have EVER been! But hey, I just remember when I am stressed out what the true reason for the season is!

I have been super busy with Kaitlyn's school functions! I headed and worked the Santa's Secret Shop at her school, which meant I was there for 6 hours every day....WITH KYSEN! I was a champ and all the students were so excited to buy things for their moms and dads! It was a lot of fun to see those smiles on those kids' faces!

I had a cookie exchange with all the ladies on my block....9 dozen if you are wondering how many! Lots to bake, but hey you get that back in return! It is a lot of fun!

I had my MOPS Christmas party today...what an inspirational time...It is the first event that TRULY got me in the Christmas spirit this year! Our leader, who happens to be a friend of mine, spoke of Mary! I think that Mary gets fortgoten about during this time! Katie made the point that this young woman was 12-15 years old when she was approched by an angel telling her that she was pregnant with the Savior...and yet her words were OKAY I will do this with honor! Can you imagine being that young having a child having not been with a man! I know I would beg for mercy and plee that it was not me that this was going to happen to! Under the circumstances that they were in, poor, young, and kids themselves can you imagine what was going through her mind! What a strong woman she was...a woman that I would love to be like! In our daily lives, we may not be approached by an angel telling us that we are going to be the mother of a Savior, but we are faced with other challenges that God places in our hands and we must handle them like Mary did...without hesitation! God challenges us to make us stronger people, he challenges us so that we may grow in faith just like Mary did! So this Christmas season I challenge each of you to be a Mary!

I hope all of you have a blessed Christmas season and a blessed New Year! Safe travels to all and God Bless!