Noel's Birthday Poem

happy birthday to a beautiful woman

with a beautiful smile

who one day

looked at me

a bit differently

and considered in her heart

what was going through my mind

which eventually led her

to put her hands in mine

as we began our adventure

to last through all time

and little did I know

the fates we'd befall

and the ways

in which we'd change our selves

adapting

to accommodate each other

the other's comfort

increasingly more important

than our own

Happy Birthday Noel,

Love Joe, your proud husband

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today my AMAZING mom turns 60! WOW! I'm so lucky to be your daughter.

A Pink Rose

My mom and I share a birthday. When I was little my dad would buy my mom a red rose and me a pink one. It was our tradition. Well today the flower delivery man dropped off my pink rose. It made me feel so loved and connected to my parents even if they are a country away. Thanks Daddy! I love my pink rose.

They also sent me this beautiful bouquet. I guess when you turn 40 you get extra special treatment. Totally worth it.

The Santa Picture

Every year we try and get a picture of the boys with Santa.  These become a part of our Christmas decorations.  It really fun to see how the boys have grown every year.  This year we took the picture at the Church Christmas Party.  (Free is free!)  The only problem is that look at what I go.  Half of Nicholas's face or Santa's finger in Matthew's ear.  What is up with that anyway? 

Cat Empire

Who has the best husband in the world? I do. That's who. This morning my favorite band in the world posted their North American tour dates on FB. I got so excited that I called Joe to tell him that we HAD to get tickets and go. Ends up that he had already bought tickets AND arranged for babysitting as a birthday present. So, we are headed to Boston in March to see the band where hip-hop meets reggae, where jazz is played with dirty hands, where a Cuban line meets an Aussie rule, where nothing seems in place but sounds like many places played in one earthly chord. (I totally took that last part off their web site.)

If you want, you can join us. Tickets are on sale but they are going fast. You can only come if you agree to dance your tush off, sing at the top of your lungs, and comment often that Felix may the coolest man alive (Joe excluded, of course.)

Santa Picture

Santa has a new technique to check the naughtiness of children.
Finger in ear.

Add caption

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Christmas Card

Does everyone have a hard time getting the picture for the Christmas Card? We do. Here is our card, followed by our various attempts at getting a picture.

Poem

The Comforter

by Joseph M. Metzger

Waking before the morning light

long after the cold has settled in

having taken over from where

the warmth once had been.

Closing my eyes again

wanting the day to disappear,

pulling my covers tighter still,

a temporary reprieve

from everyday routines

offering no comfort or relief,

affording no place for my dreams,

leaving me little strength or peace.

But soon I realize I must wake

and place one foot in front of the other

to make my way through the day

leaving the safety of my bed behind.

Wondering what I might have to look forward to,

wondering what I might find

to get me through the day

and through my life.

About to lose all hope and give up once more,

when the kindness of a stranger finds me

and personally reveals to my heart

a wholeness I haven’t felt before,

that I somehow recognize

as the love of the Savior

and finally realize the strength in his name

as Comforter.