Of Taking the Family Christmas Photo...

So last night we attempted Christmas card pictures with the boys. You know, the photo that stays on everyone-you-could-possibly-think-of's refrigerators for an entire year until Christmas time rolls around again. We LOVE getting these from people. In fact, one year I made a French memo board to match my kitchen for all of these fun pics. See a picture of it in this post. Ethan really enjoys looking at all of them and learning everyone's names, even people that he has never met.

But this is torture, people. I have 2 small boys. They do not sit well. As it was, I was pleasantly surprised at how willing Ethan was to pose for picture after picture attempt. You see, it was his brother who wasn't following orders this time. :) Simon was not impressed by any of our attempts to corral him near the Christmas tree, i.e. near his ever-touchy big brother. Almost every shot was just a blur of the side of Simon's face as he speed-crawled his way to safety. Here is a funny shot I happened to get in the process:

Almost! (Ethan, look at Mommy, Ethan!!! Ethan!!!)

My blond haired angel (ahem!)

Okay, so it's not perfectly in focus, but it will have to do! (I also noticed a bunch of drool all over Simon's pajamas, but hey, that's true to life!)

So we ordered our pics, and some of you lucky people will be getting them in the mail soon. :) Ha, ha! Enjoy!

And send yours to us too...we love to be able to keep you in mind during the year, to be reminded to pray for you on a continual basis,

"that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:17-21

We're praying that the Lord would do a work this next year in our lives, and in yours too. He's really stirred us up this year to desire and long for Him more, and in the process we've really been impressed to ask Him to do MORE in our lives. This small taste of Him has left us wanting more! And He is always like that, our hunger for Him can never be satisfied with anything this world has to offer. So we pray, for ourselves and for you too, that the Lord would lessen our taste for things of this world. Recently a friend of ours prayed, "Lord, save us from the American dream," and we knew exactly what he meant. We so need the Lord's help in this present day and age. So many distractions.

So if you want to be prayed for...send 'em our way. :) (of course I'm kidding!)