It's Begining To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

WARNING: this may be my longest post ever but for the sake of memories and using this blog as a journal please understand.

First Christmas tradition of the season... cutting down our tree. Well in the past it was more like we went and looked at the trees you can cut down, mom doesn't like any, then we drive to Home Depot and get a nice big Noble Fir, put it IN the Suburban and that is where I get the pine needles you can always find in my car from Dec. - Mar. This year was different. We found a BIG beautiful Douglas Fir at the prettiest little family run Christmas Tree Farm,

while drinking hot cocoa (Mountain Dew if you are the dad),

playing hide and go seek (do you see Kyle and Adison?),

and then we put it in the back of the truck (yeah) to take it home!

Second, we have our annual Family Christmas Tree Party on the first Sunday of Advent. First everyone opens a present, which just happens to be Christmas Pajamas every year,

Then we get our new annual ornaments (dad picks one for each kid that reminds us of them... this year this is what they got: Adia-big monkey bathing little monkey, Avery- Princess, Kenyon - Spiderman, Adison- Nemo characters and Kaden got a Superman Onesie)

then the kiddos watch a movie while mom does the lights on the tree, then those who stayed awake got to help decorate with ornaments (normally after the tree is all done we have a slumber party with it but since everyone had already fallen asleep Kyle and I decided not to give up our precious bed which caused Adia to come in our room at 2am crying about how the slumber party wasn't fun since we left her alone... oops!),

Third we invite over some dear friends to celebrate the birth of our King and have a wonderful time eating, playing games, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and just enjoying each other! The families in these pictures are in our small group (some beg to differ that we are a small group due to us having 14 kids between the 3 of us so you could call us a bible study but we need to work on the whole bible part to really take on that term) from church. They are some of God's greatest gifts to our family this year as we so enjoy each and every member of their families and feel so blessed to call them friends! Oh and it is kind of funny that one of their last names is my maiden name (Howell) and one if them has my Grandma's maiden name (Disney)... weird huh?

Okay, now it feels like Christmas! I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful season and finding ways to keep the focus on the Birthday Boy who came to die so that we might live... what better reason to spend a whole month in celebration!!!!

Thanksgiving Week

Thanksgiving week was wonderful and full of much more than just a nice dinner with my family in San Jose. We are so blessed and the week was full of wonderful things to be grateful for. It included...

Kyle and I committing to do our best to raise our kids to know, love and serve God (getting blessed) as well as our church family committing to supporting us.

Goofing off with dad

Learning new games (I rock but nobody took my picture!)

Falling asleep at the table

Teaching our new fondant cookie tricks to the family (thanks for teaching me Glory)

Trying new things

Turning the garage into another play room

Laughing at mom because I learned to walk (at 7 months and 1 week) and made her cry

Celebrating cousins birthdays with them

Eating Thanksgiving dinner

Taking lots of pictures

Ice skating with family

Loving on Papa

Doing some of Adia's favorite things

Catching up with old friends (missed you Kelly, Johnny and Lindsey)

Watching inappropriate movies and getting hurt trying to do what we see("Hulk Smash")

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving week as well and let us not forget that, even though life can be super rough at times, we are super blessed!

Introducing...

Introducing (properly) my newest nephew...

Gavin Tristan Miller

Proud Parents: Daryn and Stacey

Proud Big Brother: DJ

I am pretty sure he is #26 but I don't want to make a list and figure it out for sure.

Washington Moments...

The reason we went to WA was for my precious nephew, Tristan's, services. Although it was a heartbreaking experience it was also filled with an odd amount of joy in knowing how truly in love with the Lord T was and how happy he must be to be with Him. My brother gave the eulogy for his son and ended with such a sweet tribute to T who is a super huge fan of super heroes and a super big mommy's boy. Jr. said (as best as I can remember) "Tristan is my hero and I will spend the rest of my life trying to be more like him. Loving his mom and loving his God." I thought that was super sweet and I too feel like Tristan is a real hero. He wanted to live his life in ministry to the Lord and never wavered through this whole battle... if his cancer and even death would bring people to know and love Jesus he said over and over again he was willing and wanted to do it! What an amazing boy! What a privelage to have known him and had the special title of being his Aunt!

Here is the beautiful baby of Tristan's family... at least for a few more months until J'onn arrives. This is Presley and she was so funny and so not in love with me... whatever! She avoided me at all costs until I would pull out my camera and then she would come close and start posing.

Here is Adrian III (Tristan's best friend and big brother), Austin (my cousin OJ's oldest son), Clara (T's sister), Hailey (T's oldest sister) and my goofy Adia.

This is Adia and Clara. Avery was so jealous when she saw this picture! BTW... Clara is truly a Howell and never ever runs out of things to say. She is so funny and so noisy!

Here is our families first experience with Miracles... Madeline (Goosey... because she is a silly goose) wasn't supposed to make it past a few days and now she is a beautiful 7 year old MONSTER. She looks so cute with her short hair cut and so much older. For some reason her favorite thing to do is fight (ummm.... maybe having 2 big brothers caused that problem) and so if you want her to like you all you have to do is be really dramatic and make her feel like she is truly beating you up. Adia being such a drama queen did a great job!

Here is my skinny sister Tammy and I loving on our teddy bear for a nephew (kind of) Austin. He has turned into the sweetest, handsomest and funnest 16 year old ever! Rumor has it he get's into a bit of trouble at home but we don't believe it! I'm so glad I was able to spend some time with him and his dad.

Here's DJ the new big brother! Can I please have those big blue eyes?

And here is the sweet baby brother Gavin Tristan Miller! He is such a sweet baby and Tammy and I had several spats over who should get to hold him and who he seemed to like the most.

Then he pooped on her and let her know in no uncertain terms that his devotion is to his Aunt Amy! BTW... 5 kids later I have never seen projectile poo. What a talent! And if that was his way of picking Tammy as the favorite then she can have him.

Kaden seems to think he is as cute as I think. This mirror was a highlight of the trip for him.

The circumstances of our trip were obviously not what we wanted but I am glad I was able to see my family and be with them as we all lost a special relationship to an amazing little boy and were able to lean on each other through the pain of saying good bye. Tristan wouldn't have wanted us to all sit around being sad and I think he would love to know that we tried our best to bring some giggles to his siblings who miss him so dearly already!

Thank you again to all of you who have been lifting us all up in prayer. I'm sure for his family the healing process will be a long one and your continued prayers for all of them are so appreciated!

Crazy Kaden

How is it possible for my little baby to already want to be like his big brother. It's not fair to me and considering this is my last time having a baby you would think Kaden would try to act like one. While we were in WA the little guy even took a step and landed... I have witnesses to prove it. I don't think he will walk anytime soon but I still think he is a freak! It's funny because Kenyon was big for his age when he stood so young and walked so early but Kaden isn't so he is constantly drawing a crowd when people realize he is only 6 months and trying to walk. Kenyon is clearly getting excited as this little baby is more and more capable of rough housing with him. We have to keep a close watch on them because Kaden is pretty tough and seems to giggle when he gets hurt so Kenyon innocently might end his life if we aren't careful! Oh and today Kaden found the stairs and got up one...

Our baby bath tub was recently retired as Kaden has decided sitting or laying down in a tub is such a newborn thing to do. His first real bath was so funny. He kept standing and falling. Then he started slipping and once he even rolled over in the water. When he got up and was done choking from the roll he totally started to laugh. I was shocked! Obviously I had to drain some water and now he gets to bathe in about 2 inches of water... I just can't trust a baby who thinks it's funny when he can't breathe.
After a long day of playing he just couldn't wait until I was ready to put him to bed!

Tristan Scott Howell... A real super hero

My sweet nephew Tristan went to be with Jesus a few hours ago. I'm aching at our loss but joyful to know he is no longer in pain and is in the loving arms of Jesus. Thank you to all of you who have kept him in your prayers. Please keep them coming as I can not even begin to imagine what his parents are going through in this darkest hour. So, good bye my sweet sweet little T... I long to see you again and can not wait for you to show me around and introduce me to all the super heros you meet. Aunt Amy LOVES YOU and always will!

Below are the words to a song that is going over and over in my head as I can only imagine...

"I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side...

I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your Face is before me!

I can only imagine. I can only imagine.
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?

Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine! I can only imagine!
I can only imagine, when that day comes, when I find myself standing in the Son!

I can only imagine, when all I will do, is forever, forever worship You!

I can only imagine! I can only imagine!
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?

Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?I can only imagine!

Yeah! I can only imagine!
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?

Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!
I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!! Only imagine!!!I can only imagine.
I can only imagine, when all I do is forever, forever worship You!I can only imagine."