This is my favorite Christmas song.  I especially loved listening to it yesterday while lying on the couch and hearing the kids sing it in their tiny voices.  I kept on rewinding the song and asking them to sing it to me again and again.  It was so relaxing and the words were piercing my heart and saturating my soul. 

This Christmas hasn't felt like Christmas to me (for obvious reasons).  I haven't been listening to Christmas music like I normally do, I am not cooking, I am not baking, I am not decorating the house much, and I am not shopping for much.  Instead, I am wishing it all away. 

I felt so convicted yesterday afternoon while listening to this amazing song.  Jesus is worth my full attention.  He IS the reason for my joy and my eternal life.  I need to slow down (as much as I possibly can) and reflect on this amazing time of year.  It is a season filled with joy, hope and peace.  I hope that you are slowing down and enjoying this Christmas.  Merry Christmas!

Dan and I decided to give the kids a going away party at a local bounce house called "Jump 4 Fun".  We invited old friends and new friends and "let the cards fall where they may."  We only had one "shiner" (that would be on my daughter), one foot injury (which healed after a little ice), and two head bonks (that we know of).  Not bad for 30 kids running amuck and bouncing down slides. 

Sophie was so happy to see her old friends from pre-school.  They go way back. LOL.  Check out her shiner on her cheek.

How do you get 30 kids to sit still for a picture????  You don't! 

Lining up to go to "the party room"!

Max and Sophie, you two rock!  I couldn't be any happier or prouder to be your Mom.  You are the spring in my step, my sunshine on a cloudy day, and the best gift I have ever been given (besides your Daddy). 

Dan my man, you were a rockstar.  Thanks for all of your help and the way you love our kids and the way you love me.  I love this crazy life of ours and I love you! 

The kids had their last day of school and their Christmas party yesterday.  I know I go on and on about Texas and the amazing people but............THEY TRULY ARE! 

Miss Norris secretly compiled a special book for Max and Sophie with photographs of every student.  Each classmate drew a picture and wrote a special note.  I think 90% of the pictures had Max and Sophie standing next to each other holding hands.  I had to stop looking because the pages were becoming blurred by my tears.  All the Mom's and Dad's encouraged us and wished us the very best. 

I am just a little speck on this earth but God makes me and my family feel so special and so loved.  I deserve so much less, yet I ride "the gravy train" day after day.   

Thank you Durham Dragons.  We will see you in a couple of years!  D U R H A M.....
D R A G O N S!!!!!

Sophie loves the crazy boys!  One of the Mom's cornered me and told me that when her son heard the news of Sophie and Max moving, her son said "Oh man, Sophie laughs at all my jokes."

                                                                  My boys! 

We love you Miss Norris!  The sweetest, prettiest, kindest, most supportive, most    encouraging teacher in the whole wide world!

The kids each had a friend over for a playdate yesterday.  Oh, the differences between boys and girls.  

The boys were bouncing off the walls; playing police officer, shooting each other with their pretend guns (their finger), running around the backyard playing soccer (intentionally tripping each other), playing sword fights with our swimming pool noodles, and then chasing the girls around and trying to arrest them.

The girls were holding hands skipping through the house and backyard, playing school together, pony, and kitty.  They were running around our neighborhood helping me distribute our Christmas cards hand in hand. 

I don't know what I like more.....boys or girls........so glad I have one of each.

 I had my last book club meeting last night and I wanted to bring a little something.  I had some darling little calling cards printed up with our new address, email address as well as my blog address.  I found some Eiffel Tower lollipop molds online and bought a few bags of chocolate chips and voila.  I punched a hole in the calling card and tied it to the lollipop stick with a cute ribbon.   I loved the way they turned out. 

The kids enjoyed helping me with this messy, sweet project.  We were like an assembly line.  I ended up making one for each of their classmates as well.  I am secretly hoping that  maybe just one of their friends will end up being a pen pal to Max and Sophie.  Wouldn't that be fun in this day and age of technology?   There is nothing like a handwritten letter. 

I must confess that I have never watched one of "The Real Houswives" programs but I have heard of the drama that is involved.  There is no drama here, only love baby. 

These Southlake Housewives are  the "real deal".  They are women that love their husbands, children, family and friends.  These women value friendship and will make any excuse to get together.  The beauty of this group of women is that they include everyone which is so rare now-a-days.  I have had the honor of sharing our neighborhood with these gals and I am all the richer for it.  

Thank you "Foxborough Ladies" for an amazing "Au Revoir" luncheon.  You outdid yourselves and I felt so honored, so embarrassed (standing up in a crowded restaurant donning my beret and signed apron for pictures LOL), so special and oh so blessed. 

Max came home from school today and said "Mom, I have something for you".  He proceeded to dig through his pockets and pull out pieces of leaves, dried up dandelions and weeds.  He said "Mom, I picked this bouquet for you at recess but it got smooshed". 

Isn't it a beautiful mess?

As you probably guessed, there are many American foods that me and my family love yet won't have available to us in Paris.  I perused the grocery aisles last month (while apartment hunting in Paris) to take stock of what the french have on their shelves and noticed they were missing so many comforting American treats.  I asked our mover if I could pack a "box of comfort" for my family.   He said "no problem".

My "comfort box" is full to the brim with Bisquick pancake mix, maple syrup, kraft macaroni and cheese, stove top stuffing, brownie mix, muffin mix, wheat thins (my favorite), goldfish crackers, peanut butter, fiddle faddle (Dan's favorite), and microwave popcorn,   

Did I miss anything? 

Our international movers are arriving on Monday.  Dan's company has allotted a small "air shipment"  which will arrive in Paris in approximately 2 weeks.  We also have a large "boat" shipment that will arrive in Paris in 4-6 weeks.   

My day was spent making piles for "air" and "boat" shipments while Christmas music was piped throughout our house.  Our apartment in Paris is furnished and we are not taking any of our furniture.  It also has all the necessary kitchen essentials including plates, cups, utensils, pots, pans, coffee maker, toaster, etc.  The apartment also has linens for the beds, towels for the bathroom, etc.  Although, they do not have washclothes.  (If you have never  traveled to Europe, be aware that they do not use washclothes, you will have to bring your own.)

Reading the above you may be thinking, "Well, Gina really doesn't need to bring a lot of stuff other than clothes, etc.".  Ha, that's what I thought but I was so wrong. 
 
My piles consist of clothes, toys, comforters (the kids have had the same comforters since they were two and they love them and I am a Mom and am packing things that will help ease the transition), blankets, pillows, books, dvd's, cd's, extra casserole dishes, large bowls, my good knives, baking sheets, measuring spoons (everything is metric in Europe), boxes of our Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decorations (very tricky since our Christmas stuff is still up.....I will explain that in another post).  A couple of pictures, lamps (we have converters).  A few fans since our apartment does not have air conditioning.   Dan has been getting a small toolbox together, we have a huge box of converters,  roller skates, and the kids scooters.  We have our printer and scanner to bring along with printing cartridges, paper, etc..  I also couldn't live without my "swiffer" for dusting.  (Well, actually I could but I  love it),  I also have a dustmop for hard wood floors that I love and that is coming with us.

What are we going to do with our "leftover" Christmas decorations and all the kids Christmas presents, you ask?  I will get to that and my brilliant husbands plan in another post.

No one said this would be easy............
   

Can someone please tell me when six year olds started giving their parents "attitude"?  I thought I had at least six more years before I had to deal with the roller coaster of emotions.  I was a moody "sun of a gun" when I was a teenager but not at six. 

Dan is so patient with Sophie while I want to tell her to "get a grip girl".  The following three pictures were taken within 3 seconds of each other. 

This is my life with my adorably charming, sweet, loving, funny, moody six year old daughter.  God bless her!  and me! 

She has two amazing boys in her life that love her to pieces. 

As I type this, my sweet curly girl has fallen asleep on the couch.  I glance over at her and I couldn't love her any more if I tried.  I have ALWAYS felt that we "get"  each other.  I love having a daughter like Sophie and at this moment, as I look at these pictures, I even love her moods.  She is never boring.

Sophie girl, be gentle to your Mom.....especially the teen years.