Joyeux Noel!

We had a wonderful Christmas here in the Parris household. I just can't believe how fast it flew by! It is my favorite time of year and i'm always a little sad when it's over and it's time to put all the decorations back in the attic. As 2007 comes to a close Jamie and I remember how blessed we are with such a great community of friends and family. The Lord has blessed us tremendously this year through so many precious people~especially as we welcomed the newest addition to our family! We have just been overwhelmed and humbled by all the love showered on us especially during this busy time of year!

We enjoyed lots of gatherings with friends both here and back home as well as extended family. Here are a few photos from the month.... our front door

i finally got around to planting paperwhites...my favorite holiday flower!

meade's first zoolight safari

all bundled up, he slept through the whole thing!

hometown girls

grayson "holding court"

nathan and jenny assemble the Bow and Mallow...this was probably my favorite gift the boys received. what a smart idea! the bow shoots mini marshmallows! so my boys can have battles all day in the backyard w/o me worrying about one of them impaling the other!

castle!

meade "opens" his stocking

sacked out

"i may be losing my hair, but i sure did gain a lot of sweet gifts!"

our family on Christmas Sunday

one month.

m:
you are one month old today. each day i love you more and more. often when i hold you and feel your little hand grasping my finger, the words of this song come to mind...





fragile finger sent to heal us
tender brow prepared for thorn
tiny heart whose blood will save us
unto us is born
unto us is born

welcome to our world


having a child just magnifies in a whole new way the sacrifice God made in giving His own Son up for me. my heart breaks for Mary and her sacrifice. she gazed upon her son with the same love with which I gaze upon mine. she kissed his eyelids. she held his hand. and to think that God loves him and me even more is simply amazing....greater Love there cannot be.

eight.

eight years ago at half past five
in the afternoon in my hometown, i married this man.
i could never merit how God chose a mate so perfectly suited for me. i see His love in so many tangible ways through the way Jamie loves me and our family.
we had a fun night out shopping for our boys and celebrating w/ good wine and good food at one of our favorite restaurants. and we got to take along this great little bundle of an anniversary present w/ us!

for more on why i love this guy, check out my previous posts ;)