Days With the Duerksens

Christmas came and went with a flurry of activity once again!  We had gatherings on the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, and a week-long gathering when Chelan's brother and family flew in from CA on Christmas Eve!  Laughter, gifts, projects, tears, playing with cousins, basketball, games, movies, sleepovers, eating (lots of eating), sickness, go-carts, dirt bikes, Mary & Joseph - it was all covered during our Christmas!  We are truly blessed! Epp Christmas and Christmas Eve: Angel Band My Uncle Jim and cousin Noah after a hilarious reindeer game! Christmas Eve  - everyone is actually smiling! A new hat! A "twilight turtle" - Cambry didn't put this down for 2 days!   new hats! a new coat for Addi! Snacks after gifts! Our Family Christmas: Cambry got to work quickly on her new easel! There have been at least 15 pictures painted with the new paint and paper! A new air seeder set a new doll named Clara.  She also got...

I've always looked forward to Christmas Eve almost more than Christmas Day itself -- probably because we always opened our presents after the program at church.  And, the church program has always been such a highlight for me - I even enjoyed the practices! So, I was completely bummed that I woke up with a stomach bug on Christmas Eve morning.  After talking to my sister, though, I learned that my aunt, uncle, cousin, her son, and my other cousin were also sick.  By the end of the evening, both of my parents had it.  8 people went down within 24 hours!  Food poisoning or virus?  We'll never know - we had all been together the night before, though! By Christmas Eve night, I was feeling good enough to venture out to my parents' house and to church.  There was just no way I was going to miss it this year - I never have!  And this year, Delaney was one of the 2 year old angels -- my most favorite part of the program every year.  She did...

This little note made my day on Saturday!  Cambry was working so hard on something for the longest time.  I even saw her whispering to Chelan about it.  Eventually, a paper airplane was flown over to me - notice the fold lines?  :) She has such a kind heart.  I found myself feeling a little undeserving of this special note.  So often, I could "do crafts" more, I could play more, I could just plain be better.  She loves me anyway.  Her words turned into a subtle reminder of God's love for me.  I am so undeserving of His love, and yet he loves me anyway.  I constantly feel like I could be better in my relationship with God, but he's right there seeing me through it! After I read my note, she got right to work on one for her dad.  I suggested she wrap it up for Christmas.  Boy, did she ever take that suggestion to heart.  I think she worked on wrapping his note for a full 30 minutes.  So, we have one gift under the t...

Yesterday, it finally felt like Christmas.  The weather got cold - really cold.  It was 7 degrees this morning!  I'm a little stressed about the puppies, but everyone keeps assuring me that they are okay in their little straw "house."  Anyway, that's beside the point.  Besides the weather, yesterday also felt like Christmas because of these three things: 1.  Lessons & Carols program at church - the choir does this every year.  And somehow, I enjoyed it yesterday more than I ever have!  Along with the choir singing some great songs, the congregation got to join in on some of my favorites! 2.  Caiden had his piano recital - and he wore a tie!  I had been preparing him for months that he would be wearing one for his recital and for Christmas.  It's just a clip-on, but he looked so grown-up and handsome.  And, he played his song very well! 3.  We went over to my parents' house and the kids helped make peppernuts. ...

I feel like a doting mother - I'm sharing more pictures of these sweet puppies!  In one week's time, they have grown considerably larger, and their eyes are open.  Cambry and I enjoyed some time outside with them this afternoon - the weather was amazingly warm for Dec. 1.  They'll be ready for new homes in about a month . . . This is the one and only girl - she's by far the largest of the 4.