A Very Late 2008 Post

So, I know that it is really the 9th of January, but I am so dating this one the 31st just so that I can print a Blurb book that is nice and tidy and goes 1/1 thru 12/31. I have made a resolution to not stress myself out about anything to do with photos. It's so funny - I love taking pics and love looking at pictures, but I've found that everything that goes along with displaying the pictures that I take and love can easily add stress to my life. And that just doesn't make sense at all, so I'm putting an end to it. So what that I say I'm a scrapbooker but don't actually scrapbook. I really enjoy the thought of scrapbooking as much as I do actually scrapbooking. So what if I am just now finishing the "what our Christmas looked like" post - I should just be thankful that I am sitting here now trying to finish it and enjoying my first homemade iced coffee (thanks, Tomi!) I am so grateful that my life is so full of joyful, picture-taking moments that I just can't keep up with all of them!

Speaking of picture-taking moments, like all of you, we had tons of these moments in the month of December. I would say that I am going to try to be brief, but I would be setting myself up for failure. This is more for my scattered brain...so that I can remember all our fun times. Otherwise, I'll forget too quickly.

First off, here are a couple of pics from our Ministry Appreciation Event that was actually held right before Thanksgiving. The staff had such a good time putting together a skit that included Keith as Jeff Foxworthy, Nick as Howie Mandel, and Douglas as Ryan Seacrest. They were hilarious! The wives even got to get into the fun by being Howie's lovely ladies - keep scrolling to see our sexy outfits :)

Kade kicked off his fun times by helping daddy put up the Christmas lights outside.

Then, we kicked off December with our 2nd Annual Women's Christmas Event. We had to move it to a local hotel this year because we had maxed out at the YMCA last year. We had such a good time. We had over 225 women attend to enjoy a catered dinner and a comedian who wove the gospel thruout her skit. One of the coolest traditions at our ladies event is that the men serve us. Here is a pic of some of the men lined up at the door to escort the ladies to their chairs as they arrived.
Each host/cohost is responsible for decorating their table and providing the dinnerware. Here is the table that my friend, Dawn and I did together.
Then, the next weekend, we went to our city's Christmas night. It is crazy how many people can fit on our main street in downtown Round Rock. We did manage to sneak in a family picture in between losing one of our kids here and there. Our church put on a drama at the main stage two times during the evening and we had one of our favorite photographers taking pictures of families throughout the night. It was definitely a cool way to get into our community.
Some of my friends and I continued something that we started last year - we take our kids to one of the local nursing homes to sing songs for them and say their current memory verse that they're learning. We also have all of the kids take bookmarks that they pass out to the residents after their program is finished. I can't tell you the joy it brings to the residents to see these little ones performing and then to get a bookmark from them. Kale insisted on bringing his guitar and playing for them during the program. Needless to say, he was a big hit!


Brynlee with two of her closest friends, Lincoln and Truly. It's awesome to be babies...they made the residents smile just by being there.

Two of my favorite, familiar sites throughout the holidays...a fire going in our fireplace, and...
my family all snuggled together watching a Christmas movie. Could life get any better than this?We invited our neighbors over one night for a friendly gingerbread house family competition. We had family cheers and everything...so much fun.

Needless to say, this piece of art didn't win. Let's just say that I'm glad I got this picture when I did because I think the roof caved in within two minutes of this shot.

Thanks to my precious friend, Kendall, I finally found a sugar cookie and frosting recipe that made for awesome frosted sugar cookies! I truly enjoyed getting to cook with Kade a couple of different times throughout the month as we baked goodies for the kids' Sunday School teachers, Mother's Day Out classes and neighbors.

E. and Papa arrived with lots of gifts two days before Christmas. All the boys were eager to help them unload all the packages :)

The boys and I took some baked goodies around to our neighbors with an invitation to join us for our Christmas Eve service. I savored every moment of watching them go up to each door and knock on the doors. You'll notice that Kamden has on his favorite piece of clothing, a cape.
I had to intervene when Kale tried to take off with our neighbors plastic reindeer - we might have a little budding thief among us.

This was a sight I enjoyed seeing, a little girl stocking for Brynlee.
E. helped Kade and I make our birthday cake for Jesus. That is one of my favorite traditions we have so far as a family. Christmas day is the only day that the boys are allowed to eat birthday cake for breakfast - in honor of the One who has made our lives worth living.
We were able to get a couple of good family shots on Christmas Eve night. My sweet friend from high school, Megan, began last year sending the boys matching Christmas p.j.'s. She sent them to us early this year so they could get good wear out of them, but this is the first shot of them wearing them that I have been able to get. First off, the kids with their E. and Papa. We were so blessed to have them with us this year. It was different not being at their house, but it was a blessing to not have to travel with four little ones.


Our kids enjoying their Christmas gifts...


Celebrating the birth of our Savior...

We enjoyed a nice, relaxing day with granny and E. and Papa before they headed back to the Dallas area after our dinner. Our good friends, Bret and Tomi, joined us for dinner and stayed to hang out on Christmas evening. We tried to play a game with them, but Kale stood right next to us singing as loud as he could...he is definitely going to be our entertainer. Brynlee and Truly are only seven weeks apart in age, so Tomi and I are hoping they will be the best of friends. Here they are in their matching p.j.'s.

Our church closed down for the 28th since we did such a big Christmas Eve service. So, instead of visiting another church, our family went to Mt. Bonnel in Austin and had our own worship time and hiked together. We had such a nice time and the boys thought they could see the whole world from the top of the Mt.

Karen and Alan, who just found out they are having a little boy this year, came to visit us on the 29th (Mom E.'s birthday!) to do Christmas with them. They got the boys Batman and Superman p.j's with capes. If you know my boys at all, you know those went over very well...so well in fact that I can barely get them washed before they're asking for them again...thanks, Alan and Karen!We ended 2008 with our good friends, Adam and Kendall Brunson. Adam is the Small Groups Pastor at HCBC Pflugerville. He and Keith went to DTS around the same time. We so treasure their friendship and enjoy any time we get to hang out with them. They treated us to homemade pizzas, a party popper with confetti for the kids and smores! Addie is not in these pics, but she is Brynlee's other BFF who was born just a couple of days before Brynlee. Adam and Kendall have three girls now, so we are hoping that at least one of our boys marries one of their girls. Too bad we don't do arranged marriages in our culture...

And that's it....100,000 words later. 2008 over. And 2009 going full swing already. Whew...I just want to enjoy every minute God gives. I hope you had as many picure-taking moments with your family this past Christmas and had time to ponder the miracle of this baby Jesus we all celebrate. Happy New Year!

Our best ever...

Hands down, this Christmas will go down as one of our favorites.  This was the first year that I can truly say we focused on the two things I always want to focus on but seem to lose sight of each Christmas season - Jesus and family.  Yes, I still have Christmas cards that still need to be put in the mail.  But I see that as evidence that I am actually starting to figure out what is truly important vs. what is urgent.  Usually, I would be so stressed out because I didn't get all my cards out before Christmas, but this year, I'm just thankful that my card says "Merry Christmas AND Happy New Year because they will for sure be getting them in the new year. :)  Actually, I did almost stress about this and a couple of other "to do" list items as Christmas got closer, but the Lord was so good to remind me at just the right time that the world would not stop if those things weren't done.  Now I feel like I might be taking advantage of that truth a little - when does it just become plain procrastination?  

Cool news...we had at least 16 people put their trust in Christ for the first time at our Christmas Eve services at church.  What a way to kick off the Christmas celebrations!  Keith and I are just so thankful that God gives us a front row seat to see Him at work.  That was way better than any present we could have received.  But, speaking of presents, I am writing this blog on my new Mac computer.  Keith and I were planning on only giving each other our free upgrade phones for Christmas, but he surprised me and ordered a refurbed Mac.  I am loving it!  

Here are some pics from the past couple of weeks...

Our 2008 Family Christmas Letter

What a wild ride the Ferguson family has enjoyed in 2008. We've experienced new life, new lessons learned, new highs and new lows, and new appreciation for all God has given us...

Of course, the big news of 2008 was the birth of our first daughter, Brynlee Sage, in July. She is a beautiful baby girl as she now approaches the six-month mark. She has a wonderful smile and laugh that fills our house with joy, and her engaging blue eyes will grab you from across the room. She has been spoiled already from the amount of time that mom holds her and the amount of attention that the boys pay to her. Thankfully, she has been a good sleeper and a good eater. She has truly been an awesome addition to our family.

Kale continues to be the ham of the family, making everyone laugh every day. We have all decided that he is the one most likely to be a musician when he gets older. His favorite toy (right after his stuffed animal Buzz) is his guitar - not a day goes by that he isn't playing that guitar while he watches the Wiggles and sings along. He's not crazy about the new guy on the Wiggles, but when we find old videos with Greg, Kale will sing and dance right along with him. It is hilarious to watch. Kale, even though he is only two, talks like he is eight. He can articulate what he wants so well that we sometimes forget that he is only two. He has had a great year growing up into a little boy with more personality than he knows what to do with.

Kamden is the compassionate one in our family, who always wants to make sure that we do things "together." He desires that no one be left out during any activity, and this expands to include his friends at school (Mother's Day Out) and his friends from church. He is the thinnest of the boys, but he can put away some breakfast, usually eating more of daddy's pancakes than anyone else. Kamden is a night-owl like his dad, which leads to some funny moments when Mom can't get him moving in the morning and can't get him to quit talking in the evening. It is very common for mom and dad to find Kamden sneaking into their bed around 10:00pm in order to share a detailed story that he thinks we need to hear about. Kamden turned three in 2008, and he is truly a joy to all who know him.

Kade is the leader of the crew, and having turned five in 2008, he believes he has now reached the age where he officially knows what is best in every situation. And not only will he tell you what he believes the right decision is, he will give you his list of 14 reasons why his thinking makes the most sense. Kade's personality is so strong that he can sometimes clash with his parents and his teachers, but he can also lead others to do what is right when his heart is in the right place. Kade continues to amaze everyone with his sharp intellect and quick wit, and he is going to constantly push mom and dad to make sure they are teaching him something new. Kade's passions this year include the transformers and his friend down the street, Madeline. Everything else stops when he is watching the former or playing with the latter.

Barie continues to request prayers for her daily sanity and patience as she supervises the craziness that is four small, growing kids at home. She is continuing to learn how to multitask at every increasing levels - whether it is helping the kids with arts and crafts, getting them dressed, making meals, cleaning up after them, playing games with them, or just enjoying a quiet moment reading them a book. Barie continued to expand her social network in 2008 as God opened doors for her to meet and connect with even more women in our neighborhood and in our community. With the small amount of time that she has left after shepherding four kids, spending time with her husband, and connecting with other ladies, she enjoys blogging, photography (especially of her kids), scrapbooking, and falling asleep during movies.

Keith continues to pastor Hill Country Bible Church Round Rock, which started in September of 2007. We celebrated our church's one-year anniversary this September with lots of great memories shared and cupcakes for everyone. The church has continued to grow throughout 2008, and our elders have decided to plant our first church in 2009 (by the date of our second anniversary). We are so thankful for a great church family, and the many lives that have been impacted in 2008. Keith was able to travel to central Asia in April with two other church leaders to teach spiritual leadership to first-generation pastors from one of the closed countries in the region - what a powerful experience. Keith's strangest experience of 2008 was his week-long stay in the hospital in October after he suffered a seizure as a result of a sinus-infection gone wild. He is continuing to see the doctors in follow-up visits, but so far everything has gone well.

2008 has been a year on incredible growth, both in the size of our family and the size of our faith. God has reminded us continually that He is in control and that our primary challenge is to trust Him as He leads us along. May this Christmas season bring you greater faith in the God who loved you enough to send His Son on your behalf. Merry Christmas!

Wonderful Traditions

I am so excited to be officially in the Christmas season! Keith and I spent a good amount of time at our Getting Away To Get It Together discussing and planning for this year's activities. We have realized that it takes planning to protect our family from the busyness that can rob us of the beauty and meaning of this season. We are really trying to teach the boys this year that Jesus was God's most precious gift to us and we want to be reminded of that gift everyday by being givers ourselves. Whether it's taking cookies to their friends, making goody bags for our neighbors, random gift drive-by's, buying gifts thru Samaritan's Purse, etc..., we want to remember God's greatest gift to us and honor Him by being open-handed with the things God has entrusted to us.


Our first tradition to kick off the Christmas season every year is to put together boxes for Operation Christmas Child. This year, we let the boys pick out everything that would go in their boxes for a boy that was near the same age as them. I loved hearing Kade refer to the recipient of his box as, "my friend in another country." I still don't think that the boys could comprehend that there are children who only get what's in the box for their Christmas present. I can understand why though...I mean, their world right now consists of only what they can see around them and from their viewpoint, "stuff" abounds and no one is lacking. This is a question that is always on my mind - what actions can I take now to keep my children from being so attached to "stuff?" It's funny how your perspective can change so fast...I was a happy teenager growing up in a one bedroom apt with my mom. We drove a car that was given to us, didn't have air conditioning in that car for a while (in Texas heat, mind you :), wore hand me down clothes most of the time, and were the beneficiaries of our church family often - yet, I still only remember those times with a smile on my face and thankfulness in my heart to the Lord for taking care of our needs. Yet, now, 13 years later, I can't imagine living like that again. I expect more. I want my air conditioning to work when I get in the car in the summer. I like living in a house so that my kids can have a backyard and ride their bikes. I like to have new clothes. I feel like my needs/wants are all blurry now. I pray that the Lord will help me keep an eternal perspective and not a temporary focus. Enough with the rambling...here are some pics of the Operation Christmas Child tradition from this year...





We have also started Advent with our family. We lit the first candle last night. Kamden caught us off guard when we first sat down and got ready for Keith to read to us from the Bible. He said, "Are there scarecrows in it, daddy?"....what? Where in the world did he pull that question from? I don't know, but it sure made us laugh. And then, after we lit the candle, Keith said, "Let's pray." and Kale immediately began belting out, "Thank you, Fauder (Father), thank you Fauder, for our food, for our food, and our many blessings, and our many blessings, a-amen, a-amen." If only we were about to eat, Kale :)

Better Than A Boob Job!

Ladies - if you are looking for a way to be more attractive to your husband, I mean REALLY attractive - try this: Get in the Word! I am serious, it is better than a boob job (and just for the record, this title came from my husband when I was discussing with him my desire for ladies to really know the impact that being in God's Word makes.) Here was my experience from this past weekend (and there are tons more stories I could tell you):

I have been struggling with thinking that we needed to move into a bigger home. You know, the constant desire for more, more, more. I found a home in our neighborhood that I had decided would be perfect for our family and would give us extra room as our children got bigger. I found myself all of a sudden not being content with the home God had blessed us with and the home that my hubby works so hard so that we can live in it. Not attractive.

Then, on Saturday morning, as I had my extended time in the Word, God totally set my heart back to reflect His heart again. And what does that look like - being thankful for the many blessings He has given me, wanting to affirm my husband that he does so well in providing for our family and taking care of us, wanting to save money instead of spend money on temporary things, smiling more and not being so grumpy, etc. - all attractive traits to my hubby.

I challenge you this week to really pursue the heart of our Lord. And then please post comments about how spending time with the Lord made you more attractive to your spouse. Also, post the passage of Scripture you were in this week.

My attractive moment came from Proverbs 1. 20 - 33. This passage then made me want to look at more verses that address God's view on money and I went to the Dave Ramsey site. Scroll down and look for the little Bible symbol - can you believe over 800 Bible references to finances/stewardship?