Cherish Each Moment

There is something magical that happens when I begin to pull out our Christmas decorations each year! 

I don't even mind the mess or chaos.

These pictures do not do justice to the mess I create each year, trying to get everything together and take fall down lol!  

No matter how feel, I can find the energy to push through to get it done. It's been a standing tradition in my home for years to put up and decorate our tree on Halloween! 

I love this tradition, to be able to take a day that is truly meant for darkness and celebrate the King of Kings.

In preparation of celebrating His Birthday.

Still, at the same time as placed each piece in its home, it always brings back a memory. A reminder of why this time is so special to me!

Probably my most favorite piece other than my tree is our Mickey ice skating rink, We bought the year Amber was born, my oldest! Each year when I plug it in and hear the hum of the skaters, my heart burst with joy.

I decided to make this our tradition the year Amber was born, I had a traumatic childhood filled with satanism and was taught Jesus was bad and satan was good. My poor Momma didn't know who she was really married to for many years, and when she did everything, she could do to get me away from him.

It was Jesus who truly showed up and saved this girl. Knowing the true meaning of halloween, what it stands for and what takes place every year on that day. I wanted to teach my kids the gift of family and love. The gift of thankfulness. Because it should never ever matter the day we decide to celebrate or be thankful. 

It's so important to embrace the moment and the time together. No matter what day you choose to do it! Put your phones away except for a camera and embrace and engage the ones you love the most!

Remember it doesn't need to be perfect as the picture in your head. This year is the very first year my grandboys were able to help decorate the tree!

I went through ornaments and made them a big tin of unbreakable ornaments and they helped and did a beautiful job! Even the littlest made his personal touch at the bottom when he rearranged the rag garland. You best believe Granny left it right where he put it, 

I had a horrible lupus day that day and I could barely get myself together. When they came through the door, it's like I found a reserve of energy to make memories,!

That evening was perfect we laughed, had dinner together, decorated the Christmas Tree, and had cinnamon rolls afterward! We have had the cinnamon rolls tradition for as long as I can remember.

I love that each year my home becomes a winter wonderland I, would not have it any other way.

I want the memories we create, to be filled with love, laughter, and quality time that isn't chaos. Jesus would not want us to be so chaotic that we dread doing it. He would want us to just enjoy the time together and make it simple and light not getting carried away that the preparation kills the times we should be so thankful for.

Each year we try to add to our collection of Christmas decor! My amazing husband surprised me with an amazing new piece! 

I am over the moon with it!

I  absolutely could not bring myself to put it outside! Because I would never see it! I can not have that.

I want to fill as much time up in November - December with as many activities as I can to make as many special holiday memories as possible! 

I look at life so much differently than I did twenty years or more ago.

However, these past few years have really put a whole new perspective of being thankful and intentional with my time and doing my very best to lasting memories for my girls to share with my grandbabies when the time that comes to go home with Jesus. For me, that is super important! My plan at for the new year is to daily write in a journal about my day. I love when I watch documentaries and they were able to find important clues through a journal someone left behind. 

I still very much want to finish writing the book about my childhood.

I  know this gonna sound super crazy! I am thankful for what I have been through. It has made me the woman I am today, also when I look back oh how I see Jesus all over it!

When we have those moments of being together one of my favorite things to do is, When we share holiday memories from the past.

I am a victorian girl at heart, I am torn between the pioneer prairie girl and that girl who would love to wear those beautiful dresses and have tea parties and balls!

We would never know what that is like without someone documenting their days.

Same as the most wonderful book ever written and my favorite

the Bible was written to share with us all of the amazing things wanted His children to know about!

Still, each is filled with memories they have chosen to share and allows us to see a glimpse of who they were!

I love looking to history to find new ideas to make memories, To keep something someone else did. still going! 

Memories are meant to last a lifetime! Take time as often as you can, leave behind a legacy worth reading!

Thank you for allowing me to share my heart with you! Having you come by and share a part of your day with me! I am so aware of how precious time truly is! 

Before I close completely, For those who follow my health issues. I want to update you! 2 Sundays ago I ran a fever of 104 all day. My PCP sent me to the emergency room to be evaluated. We never could really find the culprit. Just insane blood work. When I followed up with my PCP he expressed he thinks we missing something, I have a pericardial effusion on my heart again, The fevers have caused me to miss my benlysta again. My lupus is totally out of control. He told me he really thought to be advantageous to either go to the Mayo Clinic or John Hopkins,. After some research, I have chosen John Hopkins. Please help us pray that am accepted and we find the missing link and I can begin to treat the problem. Begin to feel more like myself. I also made a bold decision after dealing with my hair thinning and balding. Fighting it trying to cover the bald places. I asked my husband to please shave my head, I love it! I have embraced my bald head, big bows, and really cute wigs! I am learning the importance to embrace change and love me through the changes!

Again thank you for stopping by! Share with me one of your favorite ways to make memories during the holidays? I can't wait to hear what your ideas are! Who knows I may adopt to be a part of our traditions! 

I pray you to have an amazing day I am praying for you always and I hope you have a blessed day and you walk in Foot Steps of Grace.

Prayerfully Yours,

~Shellie~