365.233: NYE

Ever since Holden was 7 months old, my parents have always had the kids on New Years Eve. It was their tradition--one that was especially awesome for Ryan and me! Needless to say, we missed them like crazy this year. I was at a bit of a loss on what to actually do on NYE when you're at home, but it turned out really fun! In the afternoon we went to the zoo with our friends the Bissons, then out to a really fancy dinner at Cici's pizza. Turner was pretty wiped out from the day so he went to bed early, but Holden got the special treat of staying up late like an adult. We worked on an "grown-up puzzle" and snacked on yogurt-covered pretzels. (I had also bought sushi and brie and other fun snacks, but we were all too full from dinner!)


This is a shot of Holden carrying on the Turner family tradition of banging pots and pans to ring in the new year. (Actually, I guess it is a Clark family tradition, because my mom and her siblings did this when they were growing up just like my siblings and I did.) It wasn't quite midnight (9pm was the latest we could handle), but the tradition lives on.

365.232: The Highlights Reel

I've feel like I've been extra contemplative this year about the last 365 days. With kids it always seems like so much happens in a year, but this year has been especially huge for the McCormick family. In review...

• A year ago I was just learning to use my new camera that Ryan had gotten me for Christmas. Not that I'm anywhere close to a pro yet, but I've learned so much this past year!
• We started the year with a trip to Savannah to see our friends Holly and Katie who live in this house on Skidaway Island State Park:
• In February, we started upgrading our house in Woodstock to put it on the market.
• We took a trip to Birmingham to see Ryan's cousin Kate get married to John (who the boys now call Uncle John) -- Holden got to be the ringbearer!
• Our house sold in April, at which point we moved in with my parents for a few weeks, as Ryan's job didn't transfer until later.
• In May we got to go on a family vacation to Florida, celebrating a big birthday for my mom! Then met up with the Stanleys for a few more days on the sand.
• The rest of may was spent doing more amazing things like celebrating Ryan's and Holden's and my birthdays, visiting Newnan for an escape at a b&b and Ryan's cousin Alex's birthday party, seeing a play with my sister at the center for puppetry arts, taking a day trip to Rock City, and going to my cousin Carmen's wedding.
• June felt full of goodbyes. We were commissioned by our church (One Church) as official missionaries, and also commissioned by Fellowship Bible Church (my parents' church where I grew up).
  
• And then we hit the road for the big move! Waco started slow for me, up until the whirlwind of Elevate started with a retreat in August.
  
• We've had plenty of visitors: Mimi and PopPop, the Deuels and Morgans, Clark and Esther, and Cameron.
  
• We got involved in a Lifegroup, I started teaching the Turtles (3-yr-olds) on Sunday mornings at church, we made amazing new friends, and became apart of an amazing new church.
• In October, we went on an outreach to College Station and got to pray with three people who wanted a relationship with Jesus!
• November brought a trip to Jacksonville Beach Florida for yet another cousin's wedding (Chesley to Ashlee) and a wonderful Thanksgiving with 20 great friends.
• I got to finally visit Atlanta in December (hey, five months was a long time for this girl)! It was a wonderful time followed by a wonderful Christmas back in Waco with Ryan.
  

Whew! So maybe that was a little lot longer than a highlights real. But like I said, 2010 was jam packed. What doesn't fit into a chronological bullet point is how much the God has changed me over the past year. The past six months in Waco have been a season of refreshment; a fresh cool breeze in my spiritual life, my marriage, and parenting. I have felt so full and abundantly blessed that it seems ridiculous at times. I have fallen in love with Jesus in a whole new way, and subsequently have been able to better love my husband, children, and friends through the overflow of God's love for me. I am blessed among men and humbled by His goodness.

365.231: Painting

I finally got around to painting the white box of a room the boys have been living in! This week before school starts again is my one opportunity to get projects done--especially the time-consuming ones!

365.230: Phoebe's New Sweater

365.229: Turner and Woody

Turner got a new best friend for Christmas.

365.221: My favorite Driveway In the World

365.220: Jingle

My mom got the coolest book to read to the boys (and future grandchildren)! It's a book about a dog named Jingle and it comes with a little stuffed animal that actually interacts with you as you read. Like, when you read, "that made Jingle sad," the little dog whimpers. And when you read, "good boy, Jingle," he barks and pants. And it's not just two noises, but tons. It really is incredible. I think she got it at Hallmark if you're interested.
And here is Mimi reading Jingle to the boys.

365.219: ATLANTA!

The boys and I flew to Atlanta today! (Ryan had to stay in Waco for work.) Soon after we arrived, we went to the Avenue (an outdoor mall) to ride on the horse-drawn carriage! Becca and Jayci met us there, and it was so good to see them!

Turner giving Jayci a hug.

Pop-Pop and the dudes.

A Christmas tree reindeer! This was super-exciting to Holden. Not so much to Turner.

My dad ran behind the carriage snapping pictures like the paparazzi. Please disregard the little girl on the left--she was just a fellow rider. :)

365.217: Advent Calendar

{Why are my kids never in their cute PJ's for pictures?}

365.216: Incognito

Sometimes, you just wanna blend in like a normal person, ya know?

365.215: Verse Practice

So December has been a huge blogging fail. I assure you that I HAVE been taking pictures, almost every day, but am yet to find the time to edit, upload, and post. One of the contributors to my craziness this month is that we have to write out (well, I am actually going to verbally recite) all 48 verses we've memorized this semester. Tonight. We bring to class just a list of references and go from there. I decided to memorize them in alphabetical order, but ended up learning almost all of the references by heart.
And in an effort to practice again, here they are from memory...drumroll please...

• 1 Thesselonians 5:16 "Always be joyful."
• John 15:9-10 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in His love."
• Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
• John 1:12 "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God."
• Philippians 2:3-4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
• Romans 12:9-11 "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong, hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically."
• Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
• 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline."
• John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
• Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
• Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates, even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
• 1 Peter 5:6-7 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
• Galations 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life in now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."
• 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 "If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
• John 14:6 "Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'"
• 1 Corinthians 14:1-3 "Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives, especially the ability to prophecy. For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won't be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. Be the one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them."
• Matthew 20:26-28 "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
• Mark 12:29-31 "Of all the commandments, which is the most important? 'The most important one,' answered Jesus, 'is this: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." The second is this: "Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these.'"
• Philippians 4:4-6 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer an petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
• Colossians 3:1-3 "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of Heaven where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life and your real life is hidden with Christ in God."
• 1 Thesselonians 5:11-13 "So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. Dear brothers and sister, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and whole-hearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other."
• Roman 8:6 "The mind of sinful man is death. But the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."
• John 10:10 "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."
• Acts 4:12 "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved."
• Colossians 3:12-14 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all the virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
• 1 Corinthians 2:9 "This is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."
• Psalm 51:16-17 "You do not desire a sacrifice or I would offer one, you do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God."

THE END!!!!

365.213: The Morgans

Some shots I got to take of the sweet Morgan family. Keith is in Elevate with us, and so I get to see Annabeth some nights at class, on retreats, outreaches, etc. Sweet Jace is...I think...eight years old?

365.212: Preschool Christmas Show

Yesterday was Holden's Living Nativity at preschool. It was so cute. Holden was the cow in the nativity scene along with his friend Liliana. He went on stage first, even before Mary and Joseph, and was so good! He sat pretty still and even sang most of the songs (both a big feat for this dude)!

365.211: Big Boy Bed!

We finally made the change to a big boy bed!

365.210: Model Car

This is the model car that Ryan and Holden built. I am so impressed. Apparently, Hobby Lobby sells the kits for just a few bucks. So fun.