2009 is here...will I ever be ready?

Every year around this time, Joseph and I set new goals and try to start good habits and hoping to eliminate bad ones. We usually take the week before the new year to do this, but things just haven't paned out that way. We have all been exceptionally sick this season and has made for a rather exhausting adjustment with 4 kids. I don't think that having 4 kids is any more difficult than having 3, unless your sick and not getting sleep. Having 4 children under the age of 6 is extremely difficult when you are getting between 2 and 3 hours of sleep a night at different intervals...3 all at the same time is great! So, needless to say, we are behind...as we find we are on most things since Kaleyna has joined our family.

However, now that I am better and she is sleeping more and the kids are mostly better, I think I can finally begin again...at least that's what I'm pushing for this week. Here is a quick rundown of our holidays...it was too fast as always and not near enough rest for my husband. But here it is:

Christmas was great! We did things a little different this year, mostly because we've realized that our children don't care a whole lot about their toys that they've got, we decided to buy them each 3 gifts to represent the 3 gifts of the wise men who came to give praise to Christ when he was born. This was wonderful on so many levels - they didn't fight over who got more than the other, they all got big things instead of lots of little things, and there was so little mess and it didn't take forever to open, it will definitely be a tradition we stick with! Then we opened stockings which were from Santa and they each got a little toy from him and a slew of candy. And then, since we had Joseph's parents with us, they gave them the biggest present of all...a playset for the backyard...which is not surprisingly still being assembled in our garage, thanks to the lovely rain that we've been blessed with. Joseph ended up having to work Christmas day (in the middle of the night until 5am) and then the day after, so he wasn't really around, but all in all, Christmas was fun and more centered around Christ...which is truly what it's all about anyway!

Shortly after, Joseph had to go to Florida for some work training and he was gone until New Year's Eve day. We had a small get together with some friends and their families...The Clarks and The Fernandes. It was rather chaotic, but when the kids got tired, we celebrated the New Year early - like at 9:00pm and they were off to bed and we played a couple of games. It was a wonderful evening.

So, just like that, our Holidays were over and life contiuned without so much as a request or an "OK" from me...but, we are glad the New Year is here and we are looking forward to all that is in store. So much will happen this year and we all have so much to hope for. We pray that your year will be filled with love and laughter to help get you through the hard times and that we will all remember the Lord's hand in everything especially during the good times. May we all strive to keep Him the center of our lives this 2009, is our prayer. Good Luck and May God Bless and Guide Us All!

PS: We will have pictures up soon! =-)