Hello, my cyber-sisters.

I have missed you these last nearly two weeks.

However, having my entire family home– enjoying simple days, meals together, sitting in church, talking late at night, watching movies, playing board games, fighting during the board games, fighting for the use of the washer and dryer, no one fessing up as to who left the milk out or the crumbs on the counter……

Ahhhh….it was heaven. Enjoy the holiness of the simple, everyday, days with your loved ones. They truly are sacred, even if you don’t see it while in the thick of them.

While there was lots of catching up to do for Kenz with her friends and extended family, (we hosted four parties and attended two!), I delighted in witnessing a few more “siblings nights”, as my kids have called them through the years. A movie and snacks in big sister’s room, then everyone crashes and sleeps on the floor- (okay…not the princess. She slumbers in her comfy bed with the electric blanket on, after being waited on by her brothers..you know, since they get the privilege of eating and sleeping in her usually ‘off-limits’ room…)

The last siblings night they  spent together was the night we dropped Kenna off in Charlotte while we stayed at the Swope’s. Miss Renee had prepared a delightful space in their bonus room for the boys and another room for Kenz. They all wound up instead out on Renee and JJ’s upstairs loft area, sneaking in one more siblings night. I snapped a picture on my cell….

Last night, I captured a picture of the crew before they headed down to Kenz’s room for the last sibling’s night for a looooong time. (Kenz has no trips scheduled home until she graduates cosmetology school early next fall )

Seems hard to believe that just a few short years ago I was buying gifts for this gang at Christmas that included baby dolls and Legos and footed pajamas. This year,  more grown-up items were appropriate like Starbucks cards, gas money and even an electric razor for my son. Oh my!!!!

At any rate… it is good to be back here, connecting with you. I leave for the airport shortly to drop Kenna off (sniff, sniff) so this will be short. I just wanted to capture a snapshot of 2009 and let you know a bit what is in store for 2010.

2009 brought many features here to my little ole’ blog.

• We launched Weight Loss Wednesdays in mid-October, and it is not too late to join! Simply click here,then go to the last post listed to leave a comment (you can read the weekly posts since then listed on that page too, if you’d like) and then, join us each week as we check in to report how we are doing on the journey to health (and a smaller jean size!)
• We have met many friends, authors, speakers and women, wives and mothers, just like you.
• We have had deep discussions on serious issues like frenemies, and following God
• And we’ve discussed more light hearted topics like cleaning and cooking.
• And always, there are give aways….lots of giveaways.

I plan to continue the giveaways, as much as I can, this year….. (Ahem…..Dear God….. Could you keep helping me find those great bargains and inexpensive goodies, so I can pass them along, please? You are always so good that way….and thousands more ways too!!!)

Also, in 2010, I want to focus more on a few topics near and dear to my heart, my writing and my speaking. A few of these are marriage, mothering, organization and spiritual growth. (We’re going to start with a series on organizing our stuff and managing our time here in January…)

As always, there will be interviews to introduce you to wonderful people who will help you do life and do it well.

I also want to tackle some tough topics too; Tough topics to be determined later, although I have a few in mind already.

Will you join us?

I so *heart* hanging out with my cyber-sisters….when the rest of my life is in order….

Ah yes…..priorities. We are also gonna chat about priorities.

How to set them.

How to live them.

In fact, one of mine is calling me right now….

So…..I am off to the airport to put a precious piece of my heart back on an airplane, headed due south….

Prayers appreciated…..

New Year’s Blessings