looking back at 2010

I can't post another picture today.
If you looked at yesterday's blog, you know why.

Having a hard time taking the Christmas lights down......
think I will leave them be a little longer,
at least until I see more daylight in the evening.
They are comforting on these dark nights of winter......
little pockets of tiny lights dispel much gloom.

2010 went by very quickly.
We lost Aunt Dottie this year.....
and I found my daddy again.
I lost most of the sight in my left eye,
but learned to trust God in a whole new way.
We have a new granddaughter
that we hope to be able to hold in our arms very soon.
Much good....all good!
A year overflowing with blessings beyond measure.

If you are a Christian
these are the important questions
to ask yourself at the end of another year........

Am I closer to God than I was at this time last year?
Do I know Him on a deeper level?
Have my trials made me stronger?
Have I reached out and shared the good news with others?
Do I trust Him more?
Has my faith increased?
Do I spend more time in His word and in prayer?

Nothing is more important
than our relationship with Christ

One of my greatest blessings in life is writing this blog.
I am constantly amazed by you who read....
who send me a quick e-mail
or call me on the phone
or stop me at church
to tell me what it means to you.
I hear of tears and of laughter.
I couldn't be more thankful
or feel more overwhelmed that you read.

Blessings to all of you for the year 2011.
May you know the true JOY that only comes from knowing Him.

I Love You....
cathy

one more picture post (#6)

an opening frenzy

christmas breakfast

lucy in her new vest and her christmas pajamies
i love christmas morning
amanda's cute new shoes...i bought these for myself, but decided to give them to her
bubba surprised me with this new red purse (note the bow)

That's all folks!
cathy

christmas afternoon (post #5)

just cuteness ~ this was the last picture i took on Christmas day.

robbie ~ toward the end we all started acting a little silly

mitch and rita (love that look you are giving her mitch)
lisa showing off her mickey ornament
Jeff....always handsome/always mysterious
eli came out in the middle of the fun and announced that he had gone to the potty standing up for the first time. we all gave him a round of congratulatory applause.
mitch got the gag gift and handled it beautifully
lisa riding on the plasma car
estelle's antique rocker (in the process)
opening gifts again

christmas morning (post #4)

the gift pile

david "modeling" his new jacket
erika and lucy looking at the gifts
grammy riding on the plasma car
" santa baby"

christmas morning (post #3)

lucy's first glimpse (notice that she is holding her own baby mae)

harry and lucy also got "the zoo"

lucy in her new sleeping bag named "rudolpf"

harry riding his "plasma car."

christmas morning (post #2)

just downstairs ~ first glance

christmas morning in full swing for a while (notice that it is still pitch dark outside)

a tube of tiny pandas (Eli loves them)
"the zoo" mentioned in the previous post

posting pictures........

all day long.

In between posting
I will be fulfilling
my need to "clean and organize"
after the holidays.
I have already been to Target
to purchase a few baskets.

One more noteworthy shot of Christmas Eve
before I begin with Christmas Day.

At 10:30 pm Amanda and Mark
found themselves faced with
putting together "the zoo"
which consisted of thousands of tiny, intricate objects.

I finished my preparations
for Christmas morning things and left them to it.
Miraculously, the next morning it was put together perfectly.
Oh to be young parents again..... :0

Anyway.....
here we go.

memories of christmas eve

Christmas Eve dawned bright and early....

a beautiful day.

I met my Dad and Frankie for breakfast

and then out to put poinsettias and a wreath on my mom's grave.

~

Our Creator makes everything beautiful for the seasons, doesn't He?

It is no accident that this brilliant red flower

blooms just in time for Christmas every year.

Probably He was thinking ahead to when Jesus would die

and shed His precious blood on our behalf.

~

Walking into our church

for the Christmas Eve service took my breath away.

The front was filled with poinsettias....

again that reminder of what the

tiny baby Jesus born in a manger would do for us.

~

Our pastors read Scripture and we sang Christmas carols.

It was simple and beautiful.

Words about our King....

the glory and the majesty and the wonder of Him

who came to this earth to die.

~

Dinner with our family at Johnny Harris

and then home to put out a few things

that would thrill Jake and Eli and Lucy and Harry the next morning.

~

What a beautiful, God-honoring day it was.

I went to bed filled with thankfulness

for the overwhelming blessings that He has bestowed on us.

~

In the afternoon

while I was getting dressed for the service,

my windows were open letting in fresh, cool air.

I heard a loud shout and then another.

I paused and thought to myself,

could it be, could He be coming back today?

I Thessalonians 4:16

~

Even so Lord, come quickly!

Revelation 22:20

cathy

more memories

mary and the angel eli

amanda with her snowman doormat gift.
lucy and harry with their "mickeys."
harry the shepherd
my brother frank and bubba

the heavy laden table

Okay....

the guests are gone.

Bubba had been musing about Jacob of biblical fame today.

He decided to make a "red stew" tonight

and he invited the "other Clelands" over for dinner.

That went well and now I am back to the tedious task

of downloading more memories.

~

Be sure to see the ones I posted earlier.

~

maybe more tonight....maybe not.

~

This is the first evening in recent memory

that I remember having time on my hands.

cathy

looking back at Christmas 2010

Emily and nathan

Sally opening her gift

my dad

amanda and mark

These are pictures from the party at Frankie and Sally's house

on Christmas Eve Eve.
I'm not done, but it is time for our guests to arrive.

More in a little while.

it was very merry

I have lots of pictures to share and a few stories to tell......later.
cathy

for mae on christmas eve 2010

The miles that separate us are many,
but you are held very close in our hearts.

Last night
we had our traditional manger scene reenactment.
We all wished you could have been here
to be the real live baby in our play.

Lucy, your sister, was Mary,
and your brother Harry was a shepherd.

Your cousin Jake was Joseph,
and your cousin Eli was a beautiful angel.
Nathan, another of your cousins
who lives far away in Oklahoma,
was a stately Magi.

Tonight is Christmas Eve.
All of your family will be rejoicing over the birth of Jesus.
We will teach you all about Him when you come home.
There is a present under the tree that is just for you.

Darling little Mae, we all can't wait to see you.
God will make sure you are okay until you can be with your family.

Merry Christmas everybody....
love cathy

In case you don't know,
Mae is David and Erika's little girl
whom they are adopting from Ethiopia.

it was a lovely day....

down by the river and all.

Got to spend time

with my friend and relation Emily Mitchell

and her sweet little seven year old Nathan.

~

We ate,

rode the ferry across the river and back,

and then did a little shopping.

Lucy was in hog heaven.

Totally as animated as I have ever seen her.

~

I am so thankful for the people in my life....

~

Very tired tonight.

I may go to bed at 8:30 instead of 9:00.

I was going to say 8:00,

but I would only have two minutes to get in.

~

cathy