Black Friday

So yesterday I read all the ads, talked with Tim about what we needed to get if anything and our plan of attack for the "Black Friday" madness. We had PLANNED on getting up early, going to get Mason a wagon at Toys R Us and then meeting up with Tim's mom and sister at Target to get a few deal there, run to the mall and get going south to hit up Joanns and the outlets in Estero.

Well, we slept through the alarm and the snooze. Thank goodness my SIL called to ask me a question about something she was going to pick up for us, otherwise we would have missed out. We made it in time to stand in line for the last few minutes of waiting at Target, but other than the 15 min in the cold outside, we had a rather easy time this Black Friday :)

I did get some great deals on a few things, such as craft items, awesome sneakers at Puma and some home things at Target. But my best, most excited about item was of course for my little man. We weren't able to get his wagon, but we did manage to get him a little leather armchair on sale this morning. It looks just like Tim's and I hope he'll love it.

So the madness is over. I have a few things to return that I'm not sure I want, a few more things to pick up, a couple of presents left undone, and then we'll be all set for the Christmas season to come.

28 days til Christmas!!!!!!

Christmas Photo Shoot

I LOVE pictures. I love to take them and I love having them taken of us. This past weekend we had a couple from church who own, L'Espirit Photography do a photo session for our Christmas photos. I can't wait to see the samples and then get some Christmas cards made.

Pictures to come soon, I hope :)

One of those phone calls

You know those phone calls that happen in the middle of the night? The one that wakes you suddenly from a dead sleep. The kind of phone call you know will only bear bad news because bad news always comes at night, it can never wait. Good news isn't something we wake people up to share. The kind of phone call that makes your mind race wondering where your family is and if their okay before you dare answer the phone. Yeah, that phone call.
I got one of those calls this morning. The first thing that came to mind was that it would be my dad's health. When the relief came that it wasn't Dad, then the panic struck because is was my sister in law. Panic again, was it one of the kids?
She quickly got out the information that my bro in law was in the ER for heart pain that turned out to be fluid around his heart. The team in town couldn't treat it so they were going to send him by ambulance to SMH up in Sarasota and my SIL was too tired to drive. I quickly got dressed and brushed my teeth and headed to the ER.
As I drove to the E.R. a million thoughts rushed through my head about them. All the "what if" and "what now" questions that naturally run through your mind. Then as I waited for a light to turn green, I started to pray. Remembering that God was in control of all and purposes all for His good will. And my spirit settled and my peace grew. Knowing I couldn't do anything in my power to change things but that I could pray for God's great hand to work His mighty ways, reassured my spirit that all would be okay. I knew I had to have peace in order to help my SIL have peace through everything as well. It turns out everything is going to be okay. An infection turned out to be the culprit of the cause of the fluid. They are giving him antibiotics and hoping it will clear out the fluid. A night in the hospital for observation they hope to release him tomorrow.
This morning helped me be grateful for the people in my life who I could lean on when I get a middle of the night phone call. I know there are a slew of people who would help me out if I needed it. But most importantly I'm so grateful for knowing my God is in control of my life and walking through everything with me. And when the phone calls at night happen and I know they will, I have a God I can call on to be there.

10 Things I love about Mason

• Mason going to the pantry and getting food when he's hungry. (He's such a little man.)
• The way Mason carries his Woobie with him everywhere.
  
• How much Mason loves to play with his friends.
  
• Mason curls up in bed with me in the mornings and when I try to get up he hits my pillow and tells me to stay.
  
• When Mason's super tired and laying down with me, he sticks his arm or leg in the air for me to scratch me.
  
• When Tim and I kiss in front of him, he gets all silly and wants to be kissing us too.
  
• The way he says please when he wants something, but just says please and not what he actually wants.
  
• How much Mason loves cars and trucks and tractors and all things that move.
  
• That Mason is a great sleeper and does so well at bedtime 99.9% of the time.
• The way Mason brings books to us at night and holds our hands and uses them to point at the pictures he wants us to read to him.