Happy Birthday Jesus!

"And there, in the stable, amongst the chickens

and the donkeys and the cows,

in the quiet of the night,

God gave the world his wonderful gift.

The baby that would change the world was born.

His baby son--

Mary and Joseph named him Jesus,

"Emmanuel"

--which means 'God has come to live with us.'

Because, of course, he had."

--The Jesus Storybook Bible

Christmas Blessings from our nest ~

Tina, Bryan, Bryce, Taylor & Frankie

Brady, Brogan & Teddi

Full Nest . . .

equals very happy mama bird!

We just came from the airport with Brady!

Blessings from my happy, noisy, reunited nest~

Tina

One Big Home, Two On The Way

My Bryce flew in on Saturday night.

The scoop-ing up of Grinner.

The double scoop-- with happy on top.

Smiling mama with her arms full of birds.

Helpful Grinner.

Heading home with a brother.

Big sis will drive in from Houston tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday), and our Brady boy will fly in at 7:00 tomorrow night-- for more airport celebrating! Come bedtime I will have all five of my birdies in my nest. I. am. so. excited. (Frankie will join us from Houston on Christmas eve!)

Blessings from my nest,

Tina

~ I had a friend ask me on Saturday morning if my little ones were "beyond excited about Santa". Happily I told her that they were waaaaay more excited about seeing their big brothers come home. I love that.

The Newlys Need Your Vote {pretty please}

Taylor and Frankie made a video

titled {give more} and entered it

in a contest that Advent Conspiracy is having.

The winners will get to go on a well drilling trip

with Living Water--

a dream of the Newlys!

If you would like to watch the video . . .

and V-O-T-E

please click here.

Last weekend the Littles and I got to

help the Newlys deliver this

wonderful mountain of fun

(that my sweet girl thriftily shopped for)--

to some of their Houston neighbors

who are recently arrived refugees.

We learned much that day

visiting with many families

who are brand new to America.

We were so blessed

and pray that these new families were too!

You can read more of the story

(and see a cute video of my littlest elves)

by visiting the Newly's blog . . .

and looking for the two Toyland posts.

If you can take a minute to go vote

the Newly's would be tickled!

Blessings from my nest~

Tina

My Bryce bird will be home in less than 24 hours . . . you will probably hear this mama bird singing!

Can't Wait . . .

One week from today--

This big brother,

who we haven't hugged . . .

or climbed on . . .

or laughed with . . .

or read with . . .

or been tickled by . . .

since last Christmas--

Will be HOME!

To be followed three days later--

By this big brother,

who we miss dearly --

and love to hang on . . .

and hang out with. . .

and be loud with!

And then . . .

Mama's Christmas nest will be full . . .

and mama will be

ohhhh soooo

happy!

Blessings from my can't wait nest ~

Tina

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Camping . . .

Happy camper dad.

Lots of helpers.

French toast and smoked ham on a chilly morn.

Delightful!

Loving the slow pace . . .

and enjoying God's handiwork.

(Including these smiling masterpieces!)

Bigs and Littles and Crazy Eights.

Amazing nature . . .

and football fun.

And more amazing nature.

Peek - a -

boo girl!

So thankful . . .

for such a beautiful . . .

memory making time.

Blessings from my nest~

Tina

Love letters . . .

We went camping for a couple of days after Thanksgiving, we had a wonderful time and I will share some of those pictures soon-- but today I really just wanted to pass on a little love.

On Saturday afternoon we had gone for a walk and we happened upon this tree, beside a quiet little lake. The sun was shining, and there was a slight breeze blowing. As I looked up I couldn't help but notice that the red leaves fluttered in the wind like tiny paper hearts. It was if they were love letters straight from the Lord.

He loves us so deeply and creatively--

after all, creation is His!

Love letters . . .

"I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

Jeremiah 31:3

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

1 John 3:1

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Psalm 108:4

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:7

"Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him,

for he shields him all day long,

and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders."

Deuteronomy 33:12

So today . . .

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

His love for you is wide and long and high and deep--and it is everlasting. Take a look around, He's just waiting to show you His love letters!

Blessings from my nest ~

Tina