A Response of Love

Thankfulness, Joy, and Peace....have been the common theme of 2011 so far!  Thankfulness for what we have been given--a roof over our heads, our health, family & friends who love us, and my God who promises to meet all our needs.  He has proven faithful!  All around us we see the hardships this world brings.  To our right, stage 4 cancer with no hope.  To our left divorce and financial strain as the house is foreclosed...no hope.  But I know -- (Jer. 29:11) when things get tough (and he doesn't promise they will be easy) that my Lord has a plan for my life.  A plan for hope AND a future!  It is in those times that I feel he gives our pain a purpose and we experience him in ways we never have.
JOY...I have learned that joy and happiness are not always synonymous.  This past year has been one of the hardest of our lives, but we can say with confidence that we do have joy.  With the source of our joy comes a peace like we have never known.  There is no other place to be! 

Here are a few updated pictures of December/January fun and snenanigans.

 Playing with some friends at the park up the street.  Daddy and Uncle A buried the kids in the fall leaves.

 Another day at the park (a family favorite) climbing the big trees.

Micah's 1st "big boy" haircut! He sat very very still, which is NOT a common thing for this boy!

 Choosing our Christmas Tree

 Our sweet kittens "Chief" and "Jill" to replace the 2 cream kittens. They are best buds now and often sleep arm in arm.  I have to say, it is very cute!

 Mia recently started a little ballet class at the local Community Center and she loves it!  She gets to dance with scarves, princess wands, and music makers.  She is showing off her "rall-er-ina" outfit.

 This was on the annual family girls-night-out to Glendale glitters and Aunt Ce-Ce's birthday.  Mia just had to come because she is a "dirl" too!  :-D

 We enjoyed a mother-daughter date to the local pottery painting shop where Mia picked out this little pixie fairy.  Very fitting, don't you think?

 Cameron and Drew are VERY into trains.  On any given day at the Stines house, there will be a minimum of at least one train set out with a track spread over an entire room.  Drew lives, eats, and sleeps with Thomas.  We just had to go to the train park to ride the steam engine during Christmas time to see all the lights...however, the night we chose to go was cold and rainy.  We got a free train ride, but everyone had to use their umbrellas.  Of course, the kids thought this was the coolest thing EVER!