Christmas in the Valley!

I am very excited to announce that my sister has decided once again to to put on a Christmas craft show extravaganza with the second annual Christmas in the Valley event!! Last year was fabulous, and from what I can tell from the vendors she has put together, this year is going to be even better.

If you don't remember from last year, Christmas in the Valley is a one day Christmas shopping event you don't want to miss. Every available space in my mom's house is transformed into a shopping superhighway, with vendors offering a wonderful assortment of Christmas gifts and decorations. There will be a photographer, a massage therapist, children's clothes and accessories, frames, stationary and Christmas cards, beauty products and weight loss wraps, personalized bags and clothes, Scentsy candles, decorations, casseroles to order, jewelry for children and adults, and much, much more! (click here for more details about each of the vendors) The best part of Christmas in the Valley is the fact that every vendor will be offering discounts, and some of the discounts being offered are crazy good. I can't wait to get a huge chunk of my shopping done, and I hope many of you can come as well.

oh the difference degrees make!

I don't ever remember being this excited about the drop in temperature. This past week has been amazing. Everything about our routine seems a little sweeter with the backdrop of pleasant weather behind us. Soccer practice, errand running, free time, school work, you name it! I can hardly think of something that isn't enhanced by a perfect 73 degree day outside. A day filled with no other plans besides trampoline jumping would suit the girls just fine, and in fact, they've already each asked me a handful of times this morning when the jumping can begin.

I've been trying to imagine what life would be like if the weather was permanently like this. Theoretically it seems like everyone would be healthier and happier, but then I think about it more, and I wonder if it wouldn't just be something we took for granted and didn't even enjoy. If there wasn't the heat and the cold, could we really appreciate the perfect in between? Instead, the weather, both the heat that lasted up until last week and the coolness that has just begun, has reminded me a lot of God's faithfulness. He is faithful in the extended, uncomfortable hot seasons to keep us sustained and going, and then He is faithful to bring a time of relief as well.

I've been feeling like we are in a fall season of life right now in that regard. This pregnancy has been so, so good! Everything about it has fallen in place so perfectly. There haven't been any hiccups, but the blessings have been everywhere. Every morning when I get out my cup of water and begin my six vitamin regime, I am so grateful.

To tell you the truth, I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a mom period. Raising these girls right now is so incredible. The fun of it, the responsibility, the challenge, the calling to raise them as God would have me to, all of it is just incredible. I look forward to the days I have with them, and even though some are frustrating and some are hard, it is without doubt the most rewarding, wonderful thing I've ever done.

In two months those girlies will be joined by a brother, and I am sure the experience will only get better. Hard to imagine, but I know it's true! Until then, we will keep soaking up the season.