"Twas the Night Before Christmas -

It is late, I am waiting for one more little girl to go to sleep so I can put the finishing touches on the Christmas presents. But, while I wait I have thought about how blessed I really am. I have a wonderful husband, 5 beautiful and healthy little girls, my needs are all met, I am beginning a promising career as a writer, I love my church body, I have some of the best friends a girl could want, and Jesus is crazy about me. God is forever exceeding my expectations. Every time I think, "There is no way," or "I don't see how it can work out," God comes through again. You would think I would quit thinking those absurd thoughts. But, as I take inventory of my life I am left with the wonderful assurance that God loves me and He is good. These two statements are what I want to base my life from. If I never believed anything but these two things, life would be good. I know it is early for new year's resolutions, but I already have a few. So here are some things I want for 2009:

*To live everyday from "God is good and He loves me."
*To write something everyday.
*To love more deeply than I ever have.
*To concentrate on the important things and let the fluff fall away.
*To take care of what has been given to me in the most excellent way.
*To let go of all bitterness, pain, wounds, disappointments and unmet expectations.

I am sure there is more. But this is more than enough to keep me busy through at least April.

Well, I am off to finish up. Blaise is finally asleep. I pray that God blows every one of your expectations away with His goodness.

Blaise's Angel -

Last night we were winding down for the night. The three older girls were all asleep. I was feeding Maddie a bottle when Blaise walked into the living room. She has something in her hand, but I couldn't tell what it was. Blaise is getting to the age that she doesn't do crazy dangerous things anymore. She is three now and she is smart, so I don't worry so much anymore. But, last night, she gave me quite a shocker. She came around the couch and told me "Mom, look what I did." I got up and looked and she had stuck a metal key into an outlet in the living room. Now, mind you, it had outlet covers on it. She just stuck it in under it and stuck it right into the outlet. In the outlet that just happens to be the only outlet in the house that doesn't work. I then proceeded to freak out and scare her until she cried, which wasn't my plan, I was just so overwhelmed with what could have happened. I put Maddie to bed and just held Blaise for a long time. She calmed down and informed me that I was "in big trouble" for scaring her. I apologized again, but thought to myself it was worth it if she would never do that again.


Thank you Jesus for always protecting my children. Your blood is enough!

Billy George Hafner IV

So, if I were to have had a boy, do you think this is what he would have looked like?

** For those of you who are not sure, this is Maddie with blue pj's and paci **