"I love my life." Sunny Rich 10 years old 12/11/13

Well, here I am for my yearly blog;) I'm terrible. I know. Thank goodness for Instagram...for all of us sporadic scrapbookers, random bloggers & spotty journalers;) Just plop that pic up on that phone, hashtag that thing & voila, my kids will have a KODAK moment type memory of this crazy, busy childhood of theirs. Hence the name of my post. Sunny said that out of the blue last night while I was cooking dinner. Warmed my heart & stirred my soul just like the veggie soup I was standing over. Made me tear up & take a little time to stir a little slower & savor the moment. Hence me taking the time to type today. As I slowed down I thought about how fast time can get away if you let it. In the past 9 months the sis & the parents moved to town (!), Bella & Sarah Claire turned a year old (!!), Christian finished elementary school (!!!), Sunny started piano, us girls went to a Phillip Phillips concert, paid a little visit to Savannah & San Diego with my favorite boy, coached a soccer team, started teaching yoga, sent my Sunny to the vegas strip (with Mimi & Grandaddy of course), sent my guys to Guatemala, jumped in the pool with all my clothes on with some frans, fell in love with HeArT shaped sunglasses all over again, went to the Fox to see Jack Johnson & the Nutcracker (not at the same time), decorated a wedding with the bestie, saw the HOLLYWOOD sign, shot a gun, & ate a steak, all for the first time but, again, not all at once:) Now, here I am eating some of last nights better-the-next-day vegetable soup, excitedly wrapping the variety of presents for next weekend & watching for this afternoons yellow school bus to drop off my favorite 5th grader. I'm so happy for Christmas as always. This year is bittersweet because we will be missing some who can't be here celebrating with us because they'll be celebrating Jesus' birthday with Him instead. So thankful for reminders that our days here are numbered and that once over, we will spend our days there with Him. Some days are tougher than others but if we are still here to see the days that's a blessing in itself & means God has more to add to our story & He'll see us through...whether it's one of those tough or terrific days. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3 I've been reminded of this verse lately, one of my favorites. Our seasons differ, we move on to the next chapter, friendships change, we lose family members, we lose confidence but can get it back, only to lose it again, we find ourselves on the mountaintop and in the valley. Change is inevitable. And, therefore, so is our need for Christ. The only constant. Justin tells me I am the 'most ever-changingest human being" he knows:) Whether it's a furniture rearrange, not being to sit in one place, or shuffling around the dishes in the cabinet and giving them fresh new shelf homes. The mercy in God calling me to "be still and know" is such a precious gift to me because it's so difficult for me to do. I'm so reminded at this time of year especially of the beautiful way He loves us. Unconditional. Constant. Completely. Never changing:) I'm glad I got to take this time and catch up with all of you! Don't count me out completely BUT there is a chance it will be 2014 before we talk again. So, in that case I hope everyone has a joyful, healthy, thankful, relaxing, very Merry Christmas and a wonderfully, exciting Happy New Year!!! <>< april