Christmas Parade

Friday night was Nashville's Christmas Parade, ergo, the Rainey's fought the thousands of people wanting to catch a glimpse of the passing blimps & floats. As the crowds flooded the sides of the streets, the police tried to maintain them, however, people seemed to come from everywhere. Tall people, loud people, people with big hats, people that liked to dance, there was people everywhere. At first, we had the perfect spot to sit on the corner of a curb & we loved it! All the paraders were dressed in festive outfits & smiles. We saw Beauty & the Beast! Cinderella! Lyla-Grace & I sat on our blankets & cuddled in our blankets as we enjoyed the festive bands & even the band that played Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance." It was awesome!
However, some tipsy young adults had wondered out of the local drinking spots on Friday night & decided to stand right in front of us. My 1st thought was..HOW RUDE! Could you not see us? Do you not see this three year old little kid? But then my mind begin to wonder....... Is this how the people of Jericho were that beautiful day a certain Man was walking through their streets? Did everyone come out & line the streets waiting to get a glimpse of this man who was causing such a stir? Is this how Zacchaeus the Tax Collector felt?
Lyla-Grace climbed to the highest point she could....her daddy's shoulders. From there she could she the passing of Mary Poppins, she could see Santa! :) From there she could she the people she had come to see in the parade & her eyes lit with wonderment & excitement. Oh! If we were on the streets of Jericho that day waiting to see Jesus instead of a parade, I may have done the same things those tipsy young adults had done because I would think that I would make sure I had seen that Man, Jesus, who was walking through my town!

This holiday season, I choose respect! I choose to let the car out in front of me in traffic, the lady with a hand full of items check out before me, to buy a stranger a cup of coffee. This season I choose to be kind!
My friends & family will you choose kindness this season?

~Happy Holidays

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree! Last night we walked downtown to our town's "tree lighting" ceremony. I wore my Santa hat & Lyla-Grace had her cute little hearts hat on , we had on our scarves & colorful coats. {Mine was pink:)} All six of us were ready to see a huge tree lit up in the middle of our "square." Surprisingly, there were alot of Franklinians three to see this feet tree light up:) As would be expected, however, my guys had plenty to say about this experience that momma had dragged them too in the middle of thirty degree weather. Micah, the youngest boy, in his eight year of wisdom said.."They are only gonna light the star, ain't they momma?" To which our middle son, in his nine years of wisdom said..."No they light it up by setting it on fire:)" And Luke, the oldest son with a whooping fourteen years of wisdom agreed saying..."yeah I seen it on MTV!!" Lyla-Grace had to go potty so we ran to the nearest place we could go to, hoping we would not miss the "light up." On the way back, as we ran as fast as her little three year old legs could take her, she said..."we best friends mommy...TREE LIGHTING HERE WE COME!!"
I must admit that made my heart skip a little beat & inside my head, i was thinking YEAHHHHHH!...maybe I'm doing something right" As mom's we get overwhelmed & wonder if I am doing this whole thing {Motherhood} right, if I should be doing something better, should I be handling this differently & so on & so forth. But in those brief little moments such as running to the tree lighting, you figure it out.....THIS is what it's all about:)

After the tree lighting, I was talking to my very wise guys & seeing what they really thought about this Christmas experience, since it was our first ever community tree lighting. Ethan replied...."mom, i just don't see what the big deal is...i mean i can go plug in our tree & LIGHT it for you!" Well......of course after I finished laughing & agreeing with him {so that his feelings don't get hurt for being honest}, I thought well, I guess that makes sense:) My guys are content at home with our family, with their own tree & didn't see the need in going to see some huge tree being lit up in the middle of town.

Content! That is something we all struggle with in this Holiday season. Now I know walking uptown to see a Christmas tree light up doesn't necessarily mean you aren't content, but once again through the eyes of my children, I learn a valuable life lesson. My son didn't see the need in seeing another tree lite because in his heart, he already has a beautiful tree lit at his house. I shall receive this life lesson taught by my middle son & treasure it in my heart this holiday season:)

May your eyes be wide & your heart be pliable this season to learn lessons from your children as well my friends:)

~Happy Holidays

Our 1st Franklin Christmas

Christmas is such a warm & fuzzy time of year! Everything seems so peaceful & full of possibilities. This is our 1st Christmas in Franklin, Tn & I am so stoked!

Hopefully, it won't be months and months before i blog agian:) & keep all my thoughts posted but sometimes, LIFE just seems to get in my way.

Let's start with Christmas movies!

Last night we rented "Santa Paws" from the Redbox after leaving everyone's favorite place..... Wal-Mart:) As we were leaving Lyla-Grace said.." We have christmas movies & cookies, thats everything we need." LOL

Lyla-Grace is three now, and she sat to watch the whole movie. We were impressed:) I must admit that I wasn't paying the most attention since I was talking to friends on Facebook. However, when she started to hyperventalate from crying so histeracally, she recieved my full attention. I begin to question her but through the tears and the heart break, I am not gathering enough information. I then asked her daddy, whom she was really watching the movie with, who at this time was holding her and comforting her with tears in his eyes, and he clears things up for me. Apparently, the dog, "Paws", had lost his magic charm that carried the christmas spirit for him and he was turned into a stuffed dog. This was not a stuffed dog that you buy at the dollar tree either, I am talking full blown Taxidermy dog! It looked REAL! The little girl in the movie began to cry and so did my Lyla-Grace. I could not believe that my toddler was overwhelmed with sorrow for this animal. She was truly heart broken! This is a first for us. She had never been totally consumed with a show that she felt the emotions, especially that of despair.

Christmas is such a great time for family to connect on a whole new level. Wouldn't you agree? Billy had tears in his eyes not because the movie decided to make that cute little puppy look like a stuffed fox or coyoate, but because his little girl was overwhelmed with despair and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.....AND he sincerly wanted to do something. Isn't that just like our Heavenly Father? He is always there to comfort and hold us while we are in despair and sorrow, however sometimes we just have to cry it out and allow Him to comfort us because the situation can't change at the time. Of course "Paws" found his christmas spirit and came back to life, and just like life, we find our happier ending if we just keep on watching the movie.

Merry Christmas Friends~