Holiday Happenings!

Where to start....

Served "supper" to Bison Basketball including pool tourneys and barbies with Ruby (now that speaks to kind of players we have); Made trek to the 'Sip for special time with our families; took Communion with Hickory cousins; Refs cheated LU at Arizona in OT buzzer beater (surely they are not sleeping well); Jay flew into Jackson International; Saw MSU Bulldogs in action; visited nursing home; Santa came; Larry went back to North Pole on Christmas Day; played DS with Nana; rode bikes, scooters and horsies at Gran and Granny's; and now prepping to ring in New Year with very dear friends.

Highlights including meeting Wilkes Wallace (our youngest family member),



Taking my children to see my grandma in the nursing home



Meeting Warren Oakley (Frances new husband both in their 80's!) He has 2 purple hearts from WWII and great big smile



And experiencing times with our healthy, loving families who treasure us and our children beyond comprehension. Thank you for loving us and our children the way you do.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!

Steven Wilkes Wallace

Welcome to Steven Wilkes Wallace 6 lb 10 oz 20 1/2 in. I can't wait to meet you, little Buddy! Love, Aunt Steph

Meet Larry!

I wasn't sure if our elf Larry was a marketing ploy or truly magical. Willie found him under our Christmas tree on Friday with a the whole Elf on a Shelf story. Many families these days have been given an elf to help Santa it seems, and I guess Santa realized Jay and I could use all the help we could get. This idea was simply genius and I just wish I could have helped Santa with such an undoubtedly lucrative creation. Again, I was a bit skeptical; but it turns out Larry really is magical.

On Saturday morning, our early risers slept until 8---magical. Everyday since, they POP out of bed with excitement to go find Larry and make sure he has made it back from the North Pole.

Every day this week has been almost as magical as Christmas morning because of their excitement to find Larry and make sure he has made it back to us safely. This morning I went to wake Willie and announce that I couldn't find Larry. Willie sat straight up and said, "You have to trust in yourself," and he was off to find Larry buried in the fruit bowl.

Ruby is quite the angel except when you need to go somewhere in a certain time frame. Then she's the queen stalling, piddling, dilly dallying (sp?)--whatever you want to call it. Sunday, I had been herding her for a good 5 minutes before I had her headed upstairs in the right direction. I audibly mumbled "I hope Larry didn't hear that little episode." Ruby retorted, "I'm not a little episode."

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Today was our annual breakfast with Santa! While you wait for your turn (no waiting in line!!!) there are many friends to visit with and fun crafts to create!! Enjoy these glimpses of our day. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Spirit

We've really been enjoying our Christmas decorations. Ruby is especially proud of them and shows them off to our visitors. We've got 4 trees if you count the little trees in the kids' room. We only have 3 broken ornaments so far, but I can't not let them handle.. They rearrange ornaments and work the characters in our nativity scene over...they are so excited about Christmas.

We kicked off the week with Lighting of the Green on Campus starring Amy Grant. We're going to hit Jo Dee Messina benefit concert for Harvest Hands www.harvesthandscdc.com on Saturday assuming we survive Breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning. Willie's list for Santa is way too narrow. I'm trying to get him to give poor Santa some flexibility.

Daddy's team beat Mercer tonight down in Macon ---first conference game of season with an awesome win. Jordan hit 8 3's with career high of 31 points. Full story is at http://lipscombsports.com .Willie and I listened in on the computer until he could hold his eyes open no longer. Nothing like that kind of win to raise spirits any time of year, but especially uplifting to go into Christmas with conference wins under your belt. Everything will be all the merrier!