A good ending and a new begining

Since I last posted a blog, we have ended 2008 and have began 2009. It was a great year. Travis and I have overcome many obstacles that the devil has thrown our way and I have to say that the storm isn't easy but God always pulls you through and at the end there certainly is a rainbow. It seems like every time I turned around last year something was changing or going to change and every time it was always for the better. I didn't always see it at the beginning but after all said and done...I was blessed! We had a great New year's eve. We celebrated our Pastor's birthday at Joes early in the night and then came home and Travis and I enjoyed a nice quite night together watching the ball drop. I haven't stayed awake in years and this time I did. New Year's day we had a family day. We took the kids to see a movie and to the mall. It was nice to be together although the movie had me torn all to pieces!! We saw Marley and Me. If you have not seen this movie...I need to advise you before you go that if you do not like tear jerkers...do not see this movie. I spent the first half of the movie feeling like a horrible parent and feeling like I had let my kids down b/c although it was rated PG there was adult content. Then by the end of the movie...I had a lump in my throat and tears falling down my face so fast that I couldn't stop them. I was a wreck! Madi held all of her tears in until we hit the car and she lost it.....balling uncontrolably!! So that was our New Year's Day. Then on Friday Madi had a sleepover with two of her best friends. There were only three girls in the house but it sounded like 10 until 1am! But that was tons of fun for her. And yesterday me and the kids ventured out to the mall. Madi and Jacob both needed new coats and shoes. Of course the after Christmas deals were so awesome that we came home with a nice loot! Today ended our week with church. The kids learned about God's Healing today. I taught them that God doesn't always heal our body and he's most concerned with our salvation. The question I asked them was: would you rather God heal your sick body or forgive your sins? They ALL of course said that they want God to forgive their sins. Now its time to get ready for the new week and the New Year. The kids are all tucked it bed...excited about going back to school. Madi got a Vera Bradley backpack for Christmas and she's ready to show it off. She's had it packed since Christmas day! The 6 o'clock mornings are going to be early for me. Since winter break started I've been lazy, getting up around 7:15. I'm so excited about what God has in store for us this new year. I feel like he's going to stretch me in ways that I've never imagined. Kinda scary but exciting too. So I just wanted to share whats been going on with us in our Joyner Home! Enjoy our photos!