We have a baby!

Baby bulldog , that is! :)

John has wanted a bulldog since he was a kid...

dream realized! :)

Her name is Penelope Winifred.

She and Daisy are getting along well so far.

She likes to cuddle and nap on her back.

She is the cutest little pup!

Check out those baby-bully-rolls.

Cuteness cannot be denied.

Yep, its puppy-love.

Merry Christmas 2011

Well, Merry Christmas!

This has been one of our best Christmas'... on our own that is. 

We would have preferred to be with family but it wasn't to be this year, so, that set aside, we did good! 

We made cookies, butter cookies, sugar cookies, and Russian Tea cookies(YUM!). We visited friends and sang carols with the Dighans which was a very lovely evening. They are dear friends and we enjoy time with them. Luke played guitar and we all sang. 

John and the kids took cookies to the Bulocks and got to have another visit with the bulldog pups, and got to find out which one would be ours in a week or two. 

We skyped with McFam Christmas Eve and ended up opening presents with them all on camera! Which was quite fun, the kids kept running to the living room to get another present and then back to the Loft room, where the computer is with the skype and cam on it, to open the gift. Funny. 

Christmas morning they got up and opened Stuffed Stockings. We went to church and got hear Daddy sing for offertory, which was wonderful! Home to have a delicious Christmas Day Dinner, actually it was Linner/Dunch, of Holiday Ham, Roasted Red potatoes w/onions, sweet corn, and croissants. Cookies for dessert! 

After dinner we did our Advent Service, it was missing the rest of the McNamaras, but we did it nicely, and video-taped it! :)

Then we got to skype with Nana and Papa and Mimi, Nick, Madi and Mason! (and Pepper too!) It was so lovely to see their sweet faces and chat and be silly and push past those slightly awkward cam-silences -haha! 

We miss our family with a deep ache, but counting our blessings we find our cups runneth over. 

A delightfully relaxing day followed. 

Thank You Sweet Jesus for this family, in this time, in this place. You alone are able. You alone are worthy. We praise You for where You have brought us. May we be a blessing. 

Timer pic # 6 out of 8 or 10...Say BEEF AND CHEESE!

The Kids. Oo, I love them -they are SO cute, aren't they?!

Luke Dighans on guitar, Jacob to the left of him, Summer to the right and Jayna, far right.

Nate and Ellie

Phoebe and Alena

Elisha, Christmas presents abounding!

Pheebs made a good haul too!

Jam the Man

Nate and the croissants.

Phoebe and Ronnie.

PICTURES

 Nathan had his birthday and here is, officially at 16 years old. :)
He got a cool coffee mug, coffee and a whole bottle of Hershey's to himself for mochas.

He got a hilarious unicorn card from Uncle Mike and Aunt Amber, it sings about unicorn magic.

 First attempt at a blowing out the candles pic...





and re-staged for another pic.

 He went to formal last night with a friend named Lauren.






Doesn't he look just spiffy?!!

And Lauren seems like a very sweet girl, if she is as sweet as she is beautiful she'll make someone very happy someday.

 We told her she looks like a Disney princess.
Ellie said where do you get dresses like that?!


They had a lot of fun and laughed much.

 Here is my JAM the man. I adore him!

He went to his first school dance on Friday. I had eyes there at the dance so I didn't chaperon this one. He said it was a lot of fun.
I keep saying to them that its so hard being the mama, as good and right and healthy things happen that signify their growth into manhood, my heart at once is thankful and ...happy, but also grieved at the loss of their childhood. The mother-son thing is so inexplicable, the good and right thing is for them to grow out from under me, so to speak, but the detaching pains me. No one warns you that cutting the apron strings actually does hurt the mama, they aren't just strings tied around her waist, they are strings that are woven deeply into the mama's heart after cradling, loving, nursing, tending, singing, teaching, growing, raising up this little wild boy creature. All of this in a healthy way, I am talking about. They must grow into men, still loving me, of course, still having a tender place for me in their heart hopefully, but I musn't hold them too tightly and hinder their man-hood. Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, or Bringing Up Boys by Dobson, one of them talked about mothers who damage their boys by not letting them grow up and  away. If this is all done well, the son will still adore his mama and be able to leave and cleave to his wife. Much prayer, always much, much prayer.

And there was another visit to see the bulldog pups! Aren't they SO CUTE!

Ellie said they got there and the pups were ready to play and play and then then were done and they all fell to sleep! :)
We are so looking forward to having one of these cute little things in January when they are ready to separate from their mama!

My firstborn is 16!

I know its cliche, but seriously, 

WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?
I couldn't find a new current pic, the most recent are in the post before this. 

My baby is a man. 

My. baby. is a

man.

He is so great. I am so thankful for the sweet gift God blessed on me. Oh, my. 

Father God, thank you for this child who is now entering manhood. Thank you for the things you have taught my heart through being his mother. 

I pray for him. I pray he will love you, and that his heart will be pierced by Your love, that he will have a hunger and deep love for You and Your precious and powerful Word. 

I know You have good works for him and I pray he seeks You and Your ways. 

I pray he would have courage and strength to stand against the enemy and his snares. 

I pray that he would have a powerful testimony in whatever he does in life, that others would see his love for You. 

I pray that he would love You with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength. 

I pray he would love others more than himself, 

as these are the two greatest commandments. 

Thank You, Lord for Your faithfulness to pursue his heart and bring circumstances into his life to draw him to You. Thank You that You are faithful to continue the good work You started in him to completion. Thank You that Your plans for him are to prosper him and not harm him, plans to give him a hope and a future. 

May Your word bring healing to his mind, body, and soul. 

Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

What's for dinner?

Shepherd's Pie(click for link to Food Network recipe)

Oh my, its Shepherd's Pie.
And it was delicious.
I had a batch of mashed potatoes in the freezer from Thanksgiving and this was the perfect use for them!
I skipped the lamb part and substituted white corn for the carrots and peas, for the kids sake... and mine. :)
Definitely a keeper.

Grandma Katie and DadDad

LIFE

SO blessed by this Lady.

We went to visit the bulldog pups again.

MomMom wants one too!

Look at those faces!

Later ...Mom and Dad took us out to dinner, a delicious dinner, at Rib and Chop. I don't remember enjoying dinner there this much the other times we have dined there.... hmmm, I bet it something to do with the sweet company! :)

THEN in grand DadDad fashion, he proposed we head to the dairy section of the grocery store and EACH pick out our OWN pint of ice cream?!?! FUN! 

Too Sweet and so fun! We are so blessed and thankful, thankful, thankful for the time with them. Thank you Mom and Dad, for making the trip. It is a bear, and we do appreciate it. Wonderful to see you!

We really miss the rest of the fam too. 

Now, about the title to this post.

Gran told us that she had never really 'felt' like a Brenda. She grew up going by her middle name which is Wyn, but not everyone knows her by that name. She said when she grew up she thought she should have had red hair and been called Katie. Yep.

That is what she said. 

So we saw a few glimpses of Gran's alter ago, Gramma Katie, 

and she is as endearing as GranMomMom herself! :) 

Most of us were happy to embrace Gramma Katie, but the new name and wished for red hair was news to DadDad and he had quite the quizzical look on his face when he heard. 

Last night the kids were showing there flexibility skills and exerting themselves trying to put their feet to their head or behind their head, etc. And as you might expect, I know I wasn't surprised, one of them... uh, released some pressure? You know what I mean - passed a bit of gas. Well, there is a whole backstory from Gran's last visit or our visits there about practicing our Gran Manners. So, now we have committed a manner faux pas! But, not to fear, Gramma Katie is here! Chuckle, chuckle and Gran declares, 

"Gran would have been offended but Gramma Katie thinks its funny!" 

Wha? Whew! Hahaha, laughter ensues. Much laughter. Always laughter.