A Life of Gratitude

This has been an eventful year to say the least. I started off the year with whooping cough. We got hardwood floors and repainted our entire house.We had a wonderful family vacation in Williamsburg, VA. Dylan turned 4 years old and started homeschool with me. Bryan and I celebrated our 8th year of marriage. Bryan's job changed unexpectedly. I spent 4 days in the hospital and had my gallbladder removed. I turned the big 3-0 and Bryan threw me a amazing surprise party! We watched our littlest boy turn into a toddler. I spent 3 weeks on bedrest due to a horrific spinal headache. We attended several funerals. We traveled to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful Christmas together as a family and added 2 little furry critters to our home (guinea pigs, Tippy and Chester.)  Because of all those "big" things that occurred this year, I have seen God at work in amazing ways! God's provision has been wonderful, His comfort has been constant, and His presence h...

Evan and I took a trip to the grocery store this evening. On the way home, I was singing "Carry Your Name" by Christy Nockels. I looked back at Evan and he was "singing" along and had his hands raised up in the air. As I watched my 14 month old son mimic me, I was filled with joy. It was absolutely adorable. My favorite part of the song says, "I will carry Your name, carry Your name. Jesus, Your name forever. For all of my days, in all of my ways, forever." As Evan and I sang these lyrics, I became abundantly grateful for the opportunity to raise the sons God has given me. Although I mess up in so many ways, I consider it a privilege to be Evan and Dylan's mommy and an even greater privilege to teach them about our great God! I accepted Christ as my Savior in 1996 so I have been a believer for over half of my life but it wasn't until about 4 1/2 years ago that I decided to go "all-in" for Christ. The timing couldn't have been...

Dylan has been saying that we have 3 babies at our house now...Evan, Tippy and Chester. He received Tippy and Chester for Christmas. They are the guinea pigs he kept asking for and he is absolutely crazy about them! It's a good thing too because until he got these guinea pigs, he had been begging us to have another baby. Now he says we can wait awhile since he has two babies living in his room.  It is so much fun to watch Dylan with the guinea pigs. He is so excited to be their "daddy" and to take care of them. He is even eager to help clean their cage. He is learning a lot of responsibility and how to be gentle and calm around them. He loves to "exercise them" (as he calls it) by letting them run around in his room for a while. He giggles uncontrollably as he watches them run, hop, and tiptoe around. He also enjoys holding them, listening to the noises they make and feeding them. He calls them his babies and is a fabulous caretaker! Dylan holding Tippy...

On Christmas Eve my brother's best friend was killed in a car accident. He was only 29 years old. He has a two year old little boy and was about to ask his girlfriend to marry him. Ronnie was not only my brother's friend, they also worked together and spent tons of time together. My brother and his wife are also the god-parents to Ronnie's little boy. It isn't hard to imagine how brokenhearted my brother and his wife are right now.  Romans 12:15 says to "rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." For most of us, no one needs to tell us to mourn with others; we just do. But I believe the Bible reassures us that it is ok to mourn with those who mourn because those who mourn often feel so alone, they need the people around them to mourn with them. Every time this tragedy has crossed my mind today I have wept. This is just so hard for everyone involved. My heart breaks for them. I wish I could make it all go away but, I can't. I can, however...

"The Word became flesh  and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,  the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace  and truth." John 1:14 This time of year it is pretty easy to get caught up in the gifts, decorations, parties, and even the food. I think we often look past the real meaning of the Christmas season. I've been thinking a lot about what the "real" meaning of this season is and I believe I came across it yesterday. Our Pastor shared John 1:14 in his message. He spoke for a few minutes about one very important word in that verse. The word is DWELLING or to DWELL. I've never thought much about what the word means but knowing the meaning really makes the verse stand out.  The word in Hebrew is  kataskénoó. Its literal meaning is to pitch a tent. Ok, so just hang in there while I try to explain why this blows my mind! To John's readers, pitching a tent would have had a lot of significance. Througho...

With all the hustle and bustle that comes with the Christmas season, it is rare to have a relaxing day with nothing to do this close to Christmas. So, needless to say, I really enjoyed having a whole day to enjoy with my little family. Our church service didn't start until 11:00am so we spent the morning playing ball and laying on the floor while Evan crawled all over us. We went to church and then to lunch together. While Evan took his nap, Dylan and I made Jesus' birthday cake. He insisted that I make Jesus a cake since I always make his cakes. He designed the cake and told me exactly how he wanted it to look. He was  very "helpful" and very excited! Once the cake was done we ran some errands and then went to see Christmas lights. We topped off the evening by lighting our Advent wreath and discussing the Christmas story. Putting the icing on Jesus' Birthday cake He is such a big helper So, does it look like the blue print? We'll add the can...

"Those who trust in the  Lord  are like Mount Zion,      which cannot be shaken  but endures forever.  As the mountains surround Jerusalem,  so the  Lord  surrounds  his people      both now and forevermore." Psalm 125:1-2 I came across this verse during my quiet time this morning. I was really amazed by the words "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people." I pondered this verse for a bit and thought about how strong and enduring mountains are. They are not easily moved. They are not wavering. They are not here one day and gone the next. Mountains are constant. The verse says that the Lord surrounds us just the way the mountains surround Jerusalem. There are actually 7 mountains surrounding Jerusalem. So, the city isn't partially surrounded, just as God doesn't partially surround us. We are fully covered, fully protected by His love and His presence. Whe...

I came across an article this evening about Ana Marquez-Greene. Ana was one of the 20 students murdered last Friday in the Newtown mass shooting. The article shares about the little girl, her brother, and her family as a whole. They are a family with a very strong faith in God. The parents said this about their daughter, " Ana loved her God, loved to read the Bible, and loved to sing and dance as acts of worship."  The video below shows Ana and her brother, singing a hymn of praise to their Heavenly Father.  Seeing these types of articles and videos allows us to get to know the children better. It helps us to sympathize with the families more. It also helps us to focus on the lives instead of the tragedy. While hearing that precious voice singing, I can imagine this sweet little girl worshiping her Heavenly Father while sitting on His lap.  Matthew 19:14 says, "Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of h...

Life is hard. Life is scary. Life is sad.  I have recently become abundantly aware of how hard, scary, and sad life can be. It seems like sadness is all around us. I see it in the tragedy in Connecticut, the mall shooting in Orgeon, the 2 unexpected deaths in our church family yesterday, the 8 people that we currently know that have cancer, all the health problems I have faced in the past year, the 3 facebook friends I have that have lost family members unexpectedly this week and the passing of my uncle Bill this morning.  All of this sadness could lead to the question,  "Where is God?" Well, I will venture to say that God is right here! He is right beside us through the tragedies, the tears, the questions, and the pain. The problem is, we don't recognize him. We are often so self absorbed or ignorant that we don't even realize how much we need God or that His presence is constant. Our Pastor told a story yesterday morning of a man who bought a Mo...

Grandma Davis and Dylan making Moravian cookies last year Every year since I was a little girl, I remember going to Grandma Davis' house during the Christmas season to make Moravian cookies. Once Dylan was old enough to help, I took him. He really enjoyed it.  So, this year, in memory of my Grandma, I decided to make her recipe. Ask anyone.....Grandma has the best Moravian cookie recipe! My mom helped watch the boys while I rolled, cut, and baked all day long. I knew the cookies would never be as good as Grandma's but I was able to use her rolling pin, board, special molasses and even her cookie cutters. I was very pleased with how they turned out. Dylan had so much fun helping me. Evan helped a little too but mostly, he just enjoyed eating one or two. When I started making Grandma's cookies, I couldn't help but wonder if she was watching over me. A little while later, Dylan said, "Mommy, I bet Grandma Davis is so proud of us right now. She is with God a...

Our little family attended the FOX8 Holiday Concert tonight. It was a nice event with the Greensboro symphony and Summit Figure Skaters performing. It was so sweet to hear Dylan singing along to the Christmas carols. This is the first year he has really picked up on the lyrics. His voice is precious.  Close to the end of the concert an Elvis impersonator sang "A Blue Christmas." I was holding little Evan and rocking him as we listened to the song. I looked over at Dylan and then back at the little baby in my arms and my heart immediately broke for the families in Connecticut. It wasn't until that moment that the truth of the tragedy really "sunk in." For those families, they will be having a blue Christmas. The little ones that they've been wrapping Christmas presents for, are gone. Their families will never be the same. I sat in the coliseum tonight making memories with my family but my heart was breaking for those who no longer have that privilege. ...

I love the quote by Raymond Hitchcock that says, "a man isn't poor if he can still laugh." Its true, isn't it? No matter what is going on in life, laughter is really good medicine. Whether its the worst day of your life or a day full of joy, laughter just feels so good.  My precious little guys keep me giggling lately! Today I was laughing continually because Dylan kept calling me "Your Highness" in his robotic voice.  Apparently, I have been deemed the Queen of the Robots, according to Dylan. Evan also keeps me chuckling. His laughter is contagious. I dare you to  watch this video and try not to laugh! Psalm 126:2 says "Then our  mouth was filled with laughter,  and our tongue with shouts of joy;  then they said among the nations, T he  Lord  has done great things for them." That is how I feel with all this laughing going on around here! God has done great things for us and we have so much to be shouting about! Today I am thankful ...

This year our family has started a new family tradition. The morning after we put our Christmas tree up, a special little elf arrived on our tree. He had a book with him, The Elf on the Shelf . We read the book together as a family and learned that the elf was sent by Santa to watch over our children. The elf flies back to the North Pole each night to report back to Santa. In  the morning, he lands somewhere in the house and the boys get to find him. I think Bryan and I have had as much fun with this new tradition as the kids! The book also says that the family gets to name the elf. Dylan picked the name, "Ernie." He has been a pretty clever little elf so far! He has been found drinking milk, crashed into the tree on a paper airplane, hanging from the ceiling fan, caught in the bird cage and even decorating our family portrait! Yesterday I overheard Dylan talking to Ernie. He said, "Ya know, Ernie, Christmas is really about Jesus. He was bor...

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden."  Matthew 5:14 This morning when I checked my email I came across a very rude anonymous comment from a reader of this blog. This person had very strong opinions about how I should raise my children. This person even said, " So for god's sake, layoff the Jesus stuff. Let him make up his own mind. Cause it's going to come back and bite you in the derriere." I have to admit, as soon as I read this comment, I got angry. My first instinct was to respond and defend myself but, God had other things in mind.  As I drove to church this morning, I couldn't stop thinking about what had been said regarding my blog. I just kept thinking, "if you don't like it, why are you even reading it?" Then, I felt God whisper to my soul, "Tori, stop worrying about what others think. When that person was reading your blog, he read truth about God, Jesus, and the Bible, whether he lik...

My back has been giving me a fit the past couple of days. So, today while my boys napped, I took a long hot bath. For a while I laid completely submerged in the water. As I laid there, I could hear my heart beating in the water. It was so strange. While I listened to my heart rhythmically beating, I recalled learning that a human's heartbeat is an involuntary process. Involuntary processes are those that take place whether we focus on them or not. Some other involuntary processes include breathing, blinking, digestion, and blood circulation. We don't think about doing these things but they happen anyway. Without these processes, our bodies wouldn't function correctly. Many scientistswould say that these involuntary processes are controlled by our nervous system but the Bible says that these things are controlled by God. Job 12:10 says "In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." As I listened to my heartbeat today, I was amazed...

MOMS ( Mothers of Many Seasons) is a group of ladies from all seasons of life that gather together to learn about our Heavenly Father, enjoy fellowship with other mothers and eat a lot of yummy food! I had the pleasure of attending MOMS today, as I try to do every Thursday. Today, however, was a little different. At the end of each semester we have "Taste and Tell" at MOMS. Everyone brings their favorite brunch dish and lots of women share what MOMS has meant to them throughout the semester. I always enjoy "Taste and Tell" but today was extra special. As I listened to my sisters in Christ share about what has been going on their lives, I was amazed by their stories. These ladies have awesome testimonies of God's faithfulness! Some of these women have suffered through divorce, the death of children, spouses who have committed suicide, losing their eye sight, job loss and even abuse. Yet all of these courageous women shared how God has carried them through their ...

I witnessed one of the most horrific things I've ever seen today. I went to the post office around 11:00am and there was an ambulance there. While I was putting Evan in the stroller, I overheard someone saying that a man recently passed out inside the post office. That explained why the ambulance was there and I didn't think much of it so, we went inside. As soon as we walked in the door I saw the EMT workers giving the man chest compressions.  It was obvious that he wasn't just passed out. Everyone was starring as they worked diligently to save his life. I was in shock. I just stood there and watched. I've never seen anything like that before. A man was dying as I watched and it broke my heart. All I could do was pray. Once I finally realized that I was starring, I decided to leave and come back later.  Thankfully Dylan spent the day with a friend so he wasn't along for this horrible experience.  Evan and I ran some other errands and then went back to Post Off...

I am constantly sharing the sweet things Dylan says which always seem to melt my heart but tonight, I have to share something Evan has started saying.  Anytime Bryan hugs me when Evan can see us, Evan starts shouting, "mine, mine, mine!"  Of course, Bryan taunts him by saying, "my mommy, she's my mommy." Evan gets angry and keeps right on shouting, "mine, mine, mine!" It is so cute! I guess I'm pretty special to my little guy!  To the world I am just a mother but to my family, I am the world! Tonight I am thankful that Evan is starting to express himself and is becoming a very vibrant part of our family. When you have 2 kids, it easy for the oldest to steal the show. Evan has started making sure he gets his fair share of attention! I am also grateful for the relationship I have with my children. I think they love me about as much as I love them! Being a parent is such a wonderful blessing. I am so thankful that God has allowed me to be Evan...

Today was such a fun day! We started December off with a bang! Its become our tradition each year to visit Santa with the Almodovar family. Little Hugo and Dylan were born only two weeks apart and they've been friends their whole lives. We've been visiting Santa together for 4 years now. This was probably the most fun we've had so far because Dylan and Hugo are the perfect age for this!  Evan and Dylan with Santa The whole gang After telling Santa all they wanted for Christmas, the boys (and their parents) went for lunch at Mimi's cafe. We had a yummy lunch and a great time laughing and talking with one another. Next, we rode the trolley around Friendly Center. That was, of course, the high-light of the day for the 4 year old boys! Playing a game together Amanda and me at Mimi's Cafe Dylan and Hugo...Best Buddies On the trolley... This evening we went to a family reunion. Dylan and Evan had so much fun running around and playing wi...