Happy Birthday Kelcie Lorraine

Twenty New Years Eve's ago, I got up at 6 am to be at the hospital by 8.  Today was the day I was being induced.  My baby was due on the 6th of December and she just wasn't coming.  I remember crying thinking that I was going to be pregnant forever.  I had given birth 15 months before and I felt like I had been pregnant for 2 years straight.

They weren't sure if I would give birth on the 31st or the 1st.  Thankfully, she came at 5:19 pm.  This beautiful, perfect baby girl.  We had not decided on a name yet but I had told my mother that I dreamed that I named her Kelcie Lorraine.  Mom told me it was a message from God…lol.  This was the only time Mom was in the room when I had a baby.  Usually she was there for the whole labor but left during the delivery.  With Kelcie, she didn't have time to leave.  Kelcie came within minutes of my water breaking.  So as you can see, I named her Kelcie Lorraine after my friend and my mother.

Kelcie was always a good baby.  She wasn't demanding, she only cried when she was hungry or wet.  She was happy just watching her 3 year old brother and 1 year old sister play.  They made her laugh all the time.  Kelcie had the fattest cheeks, arms and legs.  Jake said he remembers just pushing on her cheeks because they were so fat.

Today, we celebrate my baby's 20th birthday.  She has grown into a beautiful young woman.  She is beautiful inside and out.  I am very proud of her and so proud to be her Mommy.  She is the baby of the family and she always hated that.  I am so glad to have her as my daughter.

She is such a mixture of her father and me.  She is tall and slender with a smile that could melt the hardest of hearts.  She loves God and her family.  She can do wacky eyebrow tricks and make one ear wiggle.  She sings like an angel with the anointing straight from God.  She loves to play games with her Mama and she loves the BEACH!!!!

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kelcie Lorraine VanDyke!!!!!

Hopes for 2013

What to write on this last Friday of 2012?  This is an important question because my desire is to inspire you and encourage you and in the process, do the same for myself.  So today I will share with you my hopes for 2013.

Scovia and Jenna…crazy girls

I hope for Peace.  Peace for our communities and families.  Peace for our states and our country.  Peace for the world around us.  I know it sounds like I am answering a question for Miss America but it is a real need and desire.  No longer are we living in our own little peaceful world, we are surrounded by wars and killing of innocent children and adults alike.  But I have a hope because I know personally, The Prince of Peace.

Hatteras sunset 2012

I hope for Love.  That everyone I love lives a life full of love.  Love one another.  We are so blessed that we take love for granted but there are many out there who desire to be loved and can't seem to find it.  I pray that they find the love that God has for them.  I am not only talking about finding a spouse but to truly know that you are loved.  I have that with my husband and I pray that every lonely person can find it.

I hope for togetherness.  I love when my family is together.  I enjoy my kids and my grandson.  I love spending time with my sisters and brothers and parents.  My nieces and nephews are awesome.  My friends are the best there is.  I desire to spend more time with all the above.  To put off being together is a gamble because you never know if that was your last chance.  We all know that our next breath is not guaranteed.

Ronald, Christian
Me and Cheryl

Me and my sissys 

I hope to be more creative in 2013.  I want to write better, take better photos, decorate better, take chances with my creativity.

Keyaira, Bo and the kids on the beach in Hatteras, NC
It was our last day at the beach in June 2012

I desire to draw closer to The LORD.  That I will grow in my faith and walk the path that He has prepared for me.  To be what He has called me to be.  That I will not let Him down or others around me down.

Daddy praying…I love when my Daddy prays.  

I like that the New Year gives us a chance to think about the things we desire and the changes that we need to make.  It brings to our remembrance that we might need to reorganize and prioritize certain things in our lives.  Take the next couple of days to do this for your 2013.  What stands out to you.  Maybe you have let things go in 2012 that you didn't realize were getting neglected.  Maybe there are some things that you need to let go and turn away from.  Maybe you are walking the right path and need to take a moment to see that your life is in order and be thankful for God's goodness.

This will add to your Blessed Life.

Bo on the beach at Ocracoke, NC.
This was a wonderful day in September  2012.

Inspiration…Change

I love reading Blogs.  I have blogs that I read everyday or whenever they have a new post.  I try to read blogs that uplift my spirit and feed my soul.  I also love blogs that inspire me to think and to write.

This morning I read, The Lettered Cottage.   theletteredcottage.net  Her post was about choosing a Word of the Year.  She chooses a word that means something to her and will be a focus of the year.  I don't usually post comments on blogs, I am a silent reader.  But her blog really got me to thinking.  What would be my word of 2013, if I had to choose one?  I read some of the comments and there were several words that people had chosen for their word of the year.  Some chose, Exercise, Simply, Seek, Right…all kinds of words.

But what word will be a part of my life for 2013?  What word will inspire me and drive me and have special meaning to me?  Then it came to me, CHANGE.  Changes will be aplenty in my life this year.  But I need these changes to be more than just children moving out, more than just simplifying my home or clearing the clutter.  My desire is for the changes to impact me in a positive way.  These changes should make me a better person.  The changes need to draw me closer to the LORD.

I will write about the changes that are taking place.  I will share this journey with you.  What would you choose as your word of the year?  Think about it.  Let God speak to you.  He will guide you, change you, walk with you.

Christmas Eve…We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve and we all woke up late this morning.  Now everyone is up and those who have to work are gone and the rest of us are here getting ourselves ready for the big night.

Christmas Eve gets busy around 4pm for us.  We go to my Grandmothers for a big crazy couple of hours.  There will be 5 generations in one place. No matter where you go in her house, it's full of people.  Little ones running around and older ones trying to find a place to sit down.  After we leave her house, some of us (The Estep branch) head to the church to ready for the Christmas Eve service.  It's a part of Christmas Eve that I love.  It's usually just my family at the church for a while and we laugh, take pictures and make sure that everything is ready for the service.

I love the Christmas Eve Service.  There is just a special feeling that takes over the whole sanctuary.  When we light the candles and sing Silent Night, sometimes I get overwhelmed and cry.  It is just a special time.

I want to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  Enjoy your family as I enjoy mine.  Now, I have to go and help Henry make cookies for Santa.  This year he understands some and his Mama is starting traditions.  It's going to be a good day.

Beautiful Things

I love beautiful things.  I think that is one reason I love Christmas so much.  I love to see the lights of the tree(s) reflect in a mirror.  I am always amazed at how the tree glistens with beautiful ornaments.  Gold, silvers, glitter, reds, shiny things all over the house, in stores and on people.  Everything gets dressed up for the Christmas Season.

I love to get dressed up and what makes the outfit is the JEWELRY and the SHOES!!!  I have some favorites and they are SHINY!! I guess they are the ornaments to my tree…lol

You know a tree in the home is nice and the smell is wonderful but when you decorate that tree, something happens, it becomes part of the family.  It goes from being nice to being spectacular.  From year to year, you get out the same ornaments but each year your tree is more lovely than the year before.  It's amazing.

I get up in the morning and turn on all my Christmas trees in the house.  Yes, it's daylight but I don't care, I love my trees.

What are some beautiful things in your life?  I am posting some pictures of my favorite ornaments and beautiful things that I have.  Now, here's a disclaimer, I am not posting pics of my family because that goes without saying.  This is about some beautiful things not people…I hope you understand.

I found her sister in an Antique shop in
North East Maryland

One of these belonged to my Nanny 

A Waterford Christmas Tree
From my Mother in Law

This star glitters and spins…Love it
It's a gift from our Lovely Mona Toscani

Our beautiful flowers that are bringing me
such great joy this season

My Coffee cup from Vikie Triplett
Yes, I am having my morning coffee in it right now

My sister, Christian made this for me this year
It is covered in scripture pages straight from
an old Bible and it glitters…LOVE

Our Family Christmas Tree this year

One of my new houses…Lights change colors inside
I just love these houses

I Love Mornings On Coachman Drive

I love mornings on Coachman Drive.  It is wonderful when I hear little feet run down the hallway to my room and a little knock at the door.  Then this tiny voice says, "Hi Dammy".  We make our way downstairs while everyone in the house is getting ready for work and Henry starts making his rounds saying Good Morning to everyone.

One of his favorite places to spend time is in Jake and Scovia's bedroom.  He climbs into bed with Scovia and I guess they watch TV for a while.  When he gets to wild, she will carry him out to the family room so he can play hard.

Henry seems happiest when the whole family is together.  When everyone is home, he loves to go from room to room, checking on each one.  He spends time with Pop before bed every night, watches a little TV with him, it is their routine.  In the morning he will go into KaKa's room and have a chat with her.  Of course his most favorite person is his Mommy.  He follows her around, just talking and laughing.  He reminds me of Jake when Jake was small.  He would just blindly follow me around in circles.  It would make Bo and I laugh to watch him.  He would talk the whole way and never ask me why I was walking in circles.

I love my family so very much.  I am so proud of the man my son has become and I totally 100% LOVE the daughter he brought into our family, Scovia.  I couldn't have picked a better bride for him and daughter for us.  She was missing all those years and we didn't know it.  I am so glad she is HOME!!!  He told me that getting married was the best thing he ever did.  He loves being married and life didn't matter before Scovia.  I LOVE IT!!!

In exactly one Month from today, my Juliana Kimberly will be getting married.  She is marrying a good guy named Aaron.  I resisted Aaron at first.  I didn't like his gauges and tattoos.  They had a rocky start and I refused to let him into my house…yes, I was not nice about it.  But God changed all that.  He has made Aaron a part of our family and for that I am thankful.  His stocking came in the mail yesterday.  It was a good moment and everyone was very excited.  You know a stocking in the home means you belong…lol  I am proud of how they love each other and I have great hope and faith that they will be strong for each other because their love is so deep.

Now, my Kelcie is my baby.  She is a college girl and not here most of the time.  She feels the need to go out most nights because staying in just seems too boring.  I get it.  She has no one to answer to in Florida and when she comes home, Mom and Dad are all up in her business.  It's gotta be hard but it's not going to stop me from watching…it's who I am.  She has a year and a half left of college and I am proud of her because sticking it out is probably the hardest part about college.  I heard a saying once that it isn't the smartest people who make it in life, it's the one who doesn't give up, the one who sticks with it.  That is my Kelcie.  Now, she is extremely smart but she has the ability to stick with it and she will accomplish much.  I am so proud of my baby.

I will go through my day being thankful for all five of my kids and my grandson.  I will be thankful that God gave me a wonderful man to share my life with.  I will enjoy my blessed life today.

Bo & I with the kids at the beach one Thanksgiving…yes
Jake was very tan…lol

The family this year…I love the updates!!!

Where Do You Find Your Joy?

I am reminded this morning that it is the 3rd week of Advent.  Advent-coming…awaiting the coming of the Messiah.  This last week waiting for the the Nativity to come, our Christ, our Lord & Savior, Prince of Peace, our All in All, let's look for Him in everything.  He is in our midst.  He is with us always.  He was, He is and He will always be.  

Jesus, savior, you are welcome in my heart and in my whole being. Live in me always!

Tuesday 3rd Week of Advent

*Collect 
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that we, who are weighed down from of old,
by slavery beneath the yoke of sin,
may be set free by the newness
of the long-awaited Nativity
of your Only Begotten Son.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/thirdweek.html

Prepare our hearts 
and remove the sadness 
that hinders us from feeling 
the joy and hope 
which his presence 
will bestow.
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Advent/thirdweek.html


Just a little reminder that He never leaves us nor forsakes us even in this fallen world.  I look around me and find so many reasons to be joyful.  In the smile of a child, in the arms of my husband, in the beauty of God's creation.  

As you go about your day, look around and see what the LORD has provided for you.  It may be big or it may be small but I know that He is your provision.  He loves you and cares about what you care about.  The Joy of The LORD is our strength.  

Joy adds to your Blessed Life.

I found a lot of my information about Advent on the webpages listed above.  They are direct copy and paste from the website. Also from the Catholic Church website.

He Heals The Broken Hearted

It's one week before Christmas and I do not feel prepared.  I have so much to do before Christmas Day and I just don't know when I am going to get it all done.  My husband has been extremely sick for almost a week, I got sick yesterday, we both have a final in our Greek Class on Tuesday Night (which we haven't studied for), plus all the regular stuff that gets let go when you are sick…AHHHHHHH!!!

It is almost 9am on Monday morning and Bo is in the shower, determined to go into the office for an hour.  Thankfully, our daughter is home from college and is going to drive him to work and back.  Henry is still upstairs watching TV in his Mama's room and I am in the kitchen on the computer, writing and talking to Kelcie.

I guess it's the rainy weather, the sickness in the home and the mourning in our country that is contributing to my teary eyes this morning.  I know we cannot live in fear but when things like this happen, fear tries to overtake our lives.  I just keep thinking about a message that my dad has preached, "Perfect love casts out all fear."  If we allow fear to overtake us than that will turn into hate and hate only leads to more death.  The opposite of love is not hate but fear.  We have to be careful not to let our fears become our driving force.  I have to force myself to think on the good things of life.  Focus on my blessed life.

I am not saying that we shouldn't mourn for the lives of those beautiful children and women whose lives were taken.  We have to mourn, we have to go through this process of grief.  Lives are precious and each of these lives were full of promise and possibilities.  I am saying that in our mourning, lets remember Who our source of comfort is.  God is love, His love will bring us through this.  He heals the broken hearted.

When I start thinking about the goodness of God, I start feeling hopeful, stronger and the tears of sorrow are replaced with tears of joy and thankfulness.  So I will take one day at a time and make sure that I don't overwhelm myself with anxious thoughts of "I have to get it all done."

Enjoy your day and embrace your blessed life today more than any other.

Some of Blessings From This Weekend

Our beautiful Victoria and Juliana

Lauren, Tori, Kelcie, Scovia, Jenna, My Mom & Juliana

My Henry William VanDyke & his Dinosaurs

Shopping & Trains & Prayers

Aaron, Juliana & Henry on the train…My little girl is beautiful here. 

It has been an extremely busy week.  I haven't had a chance to sit and write…no quiet moments and I need quiet moments to think things through.  So, now it is quiet I can get something down.

Thursday, my sisters, parents, husband and I went on our annual shopping trip.  This starts way too early and ends way too late.  We shop, eat and laugh all day long.  This year was no exception.  We enjoyed one anthers company and fell into bed when we got home.  This was the first year my dad, who does not like to shop, went with us.  He was a trooper though.  He stuck right with us and never complained.  I have to say that I was proud of him for enduring the noise, long hours and then buying our dinner.  What a MAN!!!  Love you Daddy!!!  I was also so proud of my husband who has been sick since Wednesday.  He walked and shopped and tried to keep up a regular pace with us girls.  He is an amazing man.  I am blessed!!!

Mom & Dad & the girls

Bo & The girls

Friday we took Henry to the Strasburg Railroad Twas The Night Before Christmas ride.  He was super excited to go but fell asleep on the way there.  Woke up like a bear but then eventually his sweet side came through.  He loved the train whistle and the conductor.  He played with the other children then Santa boarded the train.  We got milk and cookies and a coloring book of the story.  I was just as excited as Henry.  It was a great time and a beautiful evening.  I recommend this to anyone.  Young and old will love it.  They create such a magical Christmas atmosphere.  I was giddy with childlike Christmas butterflies.  

Henry all ready for the train

Henry & Grammy making faces

Our Host for the pj party

SANTA

Today was just as busy but I will write about that another day.  Enjoy your families during this time.  Let's keep the families forever changed by the tragedy in CT in our prayers throughout this season and into the New Year.  This song keeps going in my mind, "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin in me…"  and my brother, Ronald Scott Estep,  wrote a song that will forever be a part of my hearts cry, "Heal our land.  As we humble ourselves to pray.  America the beautiful needs your healing hand today…"  God Bless You.

Bumpkin dolls

I noticed something this morning as most of my family was headed off to work, my how life has changed.  I forgot to check the mail yesterday so Jake went out this morning to get it.  Of course there was a Christmas gift in there for Juliana.  No longer are the days of hiding gifts from my children.  They just know not to look in the packages or bags unless they want to ruin the surprise.  Of course they are enough like their father and me that they love surprises.

I remember the days of making everyone close their eyes as I came through the house with shopping bags after a night of Christmas shopping.  Even further back, when they were real little, I would take them shopping with me and tell them that what I was buying was for Jon & Matt or Lauren & Tori.  They believed me, I even got some, "Gosh, they are so super lucky."  I would laugh to myself with satisfaction.  I have found out since then that of course they would sneak a peek just like most kids.

Ronald, Christian, Me and in front
Cheryl on Christmas morning

One year when I was growing up, Christian found baby dolls that Mom and Dad had bought for us.  Baby dolls were our favorite and we got a new one every year, usually the same one just different color clothes or hair.  These were Bumpkin dolls.  There was one with a blue outfit, yellow outfit and pink outfit (I think it was pink).  Christian snuck me and Cheryl into Mom and Dad's room (which was always off limits), into their closet and there they were, three beautiful dolls.  We were so excited.  I knew that mine was the yellow one.  I always got the yellow one because Mom thought I looked good in yellow.  I wish I had saved that doll but I played with her all the time.  Christian was always our leader.

I have been doing a lot of my shopping online and so the packages come to the house.  I love that but I am looking forward to my Estep shopping day tomorrow.

Me, Mom & Christian

Love Drives It All

I had a busy weekend and I am still trying to get caught up.  So sorry I didn't post yesterday but time got away from me.

My weekend consisted of decorating the fellowship hall at the church for the Christmas banquet, celebrating my father in law's 71st birthday with dinner & shopping Saturday Night.  Sunday is quite the blur.  I was at the church by 9:15 am, we had the Eucharist, Service, choir practice, came home and ate a scrapple sandwich, baked an apple pie, made a ham (well Bo did), made corn pudding, got ready for the banquet, left around 4:00 for church to make sure everything was ready, took pictures of the church family and then had the banquet.  Got home around 9:45, tired but happy!!!!

Juliana & Henry…I love this.  My Julie is so cute & Henry
is not happy…lol

I know the busyness of this most wonderful season can get to us all.  Overwhelmed comes to mind at times.  But I realize that it is love that drives it all.  I love so I give of my time, wallet, energy.  In the busyness, I still find that I am laughing, building relationships, embraced in love from friends & family.  So as I plan this week to go shopping on Thursday with my sisters, mother, aunt, dad & husband and then turn around on Saturday and host our annual Estep cookie bake day, I am excited about all the fun we will have because we are together.

Scovia & Jenna…crazy girls

I was out shopping last night with my beautiful daughter in love, Scovia.  We were shopping for Jake and only Jake.  When we finally sat down for some dinner, I asked her if Christmas in America was like she imagined or more than she imagined.  She said it is way more than she imagined.  She said, "Now, we need snow and then it will be Christmas."  I had to inform her that we usually don't have snow for Christmas.  I think she was disappointed, like all of us who would love snow on Christmas.  So my Christmas wish for this year is that my African daughter will get to see snow for the first time ever, on Christmas Eve or Christmas day.  How many will make that wish with me?  Now everybody sing, "Snow, It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow.  Snow.  I want to wash my hands, my face and my hair with snow.  Snow  I long to clear a path and lift a spade of snow. Snow. Oh, to see a great big man entirely made of snow"…Bing Crosby (White Christmas)

Me & The Man I Love from our Christmas Banquet