The Smith Family: I'm.... Back!!

First of all, Happy New Year everyone! May 2009 bring you lots of blessings, peace and happiness.

Josh had taken some time off from work so I decided to take off too. Off from blogging that is! All in celebration of family time. So that's where I've been.

Picking strawberries, going on bike rides, boating, antiquing, visiting manatees, and just plain relaxing. That has been the best part after a very busy holiday season. Just to relax and take each day as it comes. We've been loving life but are geared up and ready for the new year!

I don't know about you all, but I am so excited to start this year. A chance to begin another year of making memories with family and friends and the excitement of finding out what God has planned for us in 2009. This truly excites me!

As I rang in the new year I watched an awesome VIP firework show held just for me in my own backyard (you didn't know I was so special did you). Just kidding, but there was an amazing firework display behind our home as there is every New Years Eve. I don't know who's responsible for it, but thanks ~~for keeping me up when I really just wanted to sleep~~ for the free show. It was very pretty.

Anyhow at the stroke of midnight the booms and whistles of the fireworks were enough to get my overly tired body over to the windows of our bedroom french doors to watch the show.

After a few moments of standing there taking in the sights, sounds and realization that 2009 had just begun, I couldn't control my emotions any longer. I'm typically not an overly emotional person but the tears just started flowing as I thanked God for a new year, a new start, and all that I have that I so don't deserve. Here I stood in the comfort of my own home (which I happen to think is quite lovely), thinking of my precious little ones were all sleeping snugly in their pretty little beds somehow able to sleep right through this grand moment. And then I glanced over to my sleeping husband, and again I couldn't understand how we was sleeping through all of this but besides that, I realized how blessed I truly am.

As I watched and listened to the beautiful fireworks filling up the sky, I began to have glimpses running through my mind at a pace I couldn't keep up with. Glimpses of the millions of people all across the world who go without so much. They have so little. Then I thought... look at me, standing here tonight. They are hungry, some starving, disease-laden, shoeless, homeless, parentless, hopelessness, dirt covered, thirsty, hot, cold or maybe even just plain scared or lonely. And then every day there are people who sadly watch as their loved ones die due to curable conditions. But not curable where they are, and with what resources they have there is just nothing they can do. I couldn't hold it back. It just doesn't feel humanly right for me to be living this life of "luxury?" while others go without necessities that we so take for granted.

All I knew to do at that moment was to pray fervently for the people all over the world who are in great need. And to thank Him dearly for all that I've been given.

I don't know what to do with this heavy burden I'm feeling at this point in my life, but I know I don't like it. Not one bit. On the flip side, It has caused me to pray a whole lot more for others and I do like that.

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In the meantime, here are a few groups/organizations that are making a huge, no... GIGANTIC difference to the lives of others in need. I can't help but feel so grateful for these people who felt the heavy burden and did something about it. Praise the Lord for their mighty work!

Toms Shoes http://www.tomsshoes.com/ourcause.aspx

Red Letters Campaign http://www.redletterscampaign.com/

Amazima Ministries http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

If you have some free time, go back to the beginning of this young woman's blog and read her whole story. I promise you will forever be changed!

Compassion (child sponsorship) http://www.compassion.com/default_a.htm

Heifer International (ending hunger, caring for the earth) http://www.heifer.org/

The opportunities for us to make a difference are out there, and these organizations have done the hard part for us. I do believe though, that the most important thing we can do collectively, regardless of finances or ability is prayer. That is where change begins.

Now that I've expressed what's been heavily on my mind this past week, it's time for a little fun.

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What's that you say? Your idea of fun isn't gazing at my three beautiful cutie pies? Well darn, cause that's just what I had in store.

Oh heck, I'll just post 'em anyway.

A little bit of fun from our nice, relaxing, non stressful, fantastic, sometimes non eventful week which was a perfect break from work and blogging... and just plain life.

Do I even need to mention just how much the kids loved having their daddy with them to go on "field trips". No, I didn't think so cause it just goes without saying.

All I heard was "Hey dad, come look at this one!"

"Hey dad, check out this one that got eaten by a worm!"

"daddy..., I need help."

"daddy, can you carry my basket?"

"daddy, I gotta pee." (yes, fletch has successfully potty trained!)

I let Josh enjoy his time with his little loves and I just did what I usually do. Snapped away making sure they'll always remember these days.

In Ft. Pierce we watched manatees play...

and pretended that we were merpeople...

and watched seagulls poop on the docks...

and made sure our baby was safe and snug for the ride...

{This was the same sling that I carried Gracie in as a baby. She nearly lived in it she loved it so much!}

We also gave our girl Pura Vida (poo-rah vee-dah) some attention this week and fully lived up to her name. Pura Vida = "full of life", "pure life", "this is living", "going great".

Gracie loves the song "she wore an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini" (thanks to aunt Joyce for teaching it to her) so I had to make sure she had the suit to go along with her song.