New Years Reservations

2009... on the way. It's about time. This past year has dragged by. Ok, not really, but everyone talks about how quickly time flies, I thought I'd be different. We had stromboli for dinner - one of our favorites - which Madison made all by herself while I ran a few errands. She did a super job.

During dinner we talked about what resolutions were and how we could use them to glorify God. We all went around the table and shared what we thought our resolution should be for the new year. Ally kept calling them New Year's "reservations." Here's what they are:

Madison: to take better care of her stuff and do a better job at cleaning her room
Carson: to react better when his siblings are annoying him
Ally: to not tattle so much but instead help her siblings do what is right
Colson: to behave more like a big boy than a little boy
Wilson: to not annoying his siblings so much (Will thinks it's really funny right now to be annoying - and in case you think that's kinda funny, let me assure you, it's not)
Tyson: to try and not scream and yell when he gets frustrated
Mommy: to be more organized with school
Daddy: to continue his good habits of rising early to have quiet time and leading the fam in devotions every night

We prayed together and asked the Lord for His mercy in assisting us to reach these goals. Jason also helped the kids identify how their resolution was pleasing to the Lord.

Here's Piper having reservations about our resolutions!

After dinner, our new friends, the Duncans, came over to celebrate with us. Here's Nesli (so pretty!) and Anna-Lea Kate. I thought Little Bit (her darling and fitting nick name) was winking at me for the picture. Evidently, this is just her smile (how cute is that?!) and they call it the "stink eye."

Here are Jason and Piper giving the camera the stink eye.
Here's Chad pretending that Quincy (beloved Little Einstein character) is Barak Obama. Watching the ball drop. Since we are in central standard time we don't get to watch the cool ball dropping in Time Square - we have to watch the Oklahoma City ball, which I don't think even dropped. The kids were still excited though.

And once the new year was officially rung in, Wilson went running in hopes to avoid being sentenced to bed!

Better luck next year, Will. It was off to bed for the children while the adults told a few more stories... the kind that make you laugh so hard you cry. Then the Duncans were off and we went to bed. Within the first hour of trying to get to sleep we had to deal with a crying Piper, a crying Ally, and a "pull-up-less" little boy.... ahhh... new year, same old stuff.

Lord, help us use this year to advance Your Kingdom better than any previous. Help us be willing to do whatever is required of us to do that. Give us hearts for you and your renown in the world.