Guess who came to our house last night???

Yep, Santa came to our house!! A sweet dear man in our church dresses up for our kids and comes to our house and brings gifts. He did this last year as well. I think he looks great! and Riley didn't cry at him YAY! Karyss was so excited and the gifts he brought for them were very thoughtful.. snacks that Riley could have even with all of his allergies so that was wonderful!
Maybe I am finally going to get into the Christmas spirit now.

Christmas at our house so far

Wow, it's been a long time between postings again. I guess this is likely to be my last posting for 2008 so I guess I should make it memorable huh?? The holidays are fast approaching (only 2 days left now.. hard to believe) and yet I am still not really in the holiday spirit.. It will just be our family alone on Christmas day this year and I am looking forward to the fun with the kids and all but still I can't quite get myself excited like I usually am. It has been a busy month since my last posting with Christmas parties and programs and a wonderful visit from my parents where we had Christmas with them since they can't be with us this year. My adorable Grandfather will be 91 in February and of course can't travel far so they always bring him to their house for Christmas so they can't be here with me and there with him which I understand. Dan's parents will be coming to visit us after Christmas and staying through the new year. His sister will be with them as well for part of that time. I think maybe I just need to see some snow.. Dan would have a fit if he saw this because he HATES snow but I would like just a few flurries of it to make it feel more Christmas-sy..
Anyway, I am hoping that 2009 is a great year for everyone who reads this and for our family and that in my life it is a year where I am drawn even closer to my Saviour who is the reason for everything.. May we all celebrate Him all year and every year.
Enjoy the pics!


Riley with his working goggles.. Mom and dad bought him a work bench for Christmas. It is ADORABLE Home depot tools and all

Karyss and Riley in their Christmas card pose

Dad opening his present from us.. a tie with the kids' picture on it

Kids in their Christmas jammies from Nanny and Grampy..

Mom with her present from us... a plate with the kids' picture on it

Our tree

Princess Karyss all ready for her close up

My little boy.. growing so fast

I am thankful

Soooo this has been quite a week here in the house of Basham and at our church. This was our annual missions conference week. We are a very small church and yet our church supports over 80 missionaries. It is a very missions-minded church and I love this time of year even though it is super busy. I love to hear from the young couples and families ( and sometimes not so young) who are preparing to go to the mission field. I am constantly in prayer that the Lord will show us if it is ever His will for us to go. We are willing but so far He has not called us to that ministry. We had some wonderful families this week and I was so touched by their burdens for the countries they are led to go. We had some going to Puerto Rico, some going to Taiwan, some going to Boston, some to California, and some to Italy. What a sweet spirit as they shared their hearts with us.
As I thought about these missionaries I wondered what God has in store for us.

But most on my mind this week has been something completely different. I have been just so thankful this week for my children and their good health. There was a time we were unsure of what Riley's life would be. Test results were inconclusive and we did not know for sure really until Riley started walking if he ever would walk. I have been following several stories of families with desperately ill children and it has made me so burdened for these families and desiring to be a help and minister to them in some way. I have no way to really do this so the best thing I can do is pray for them and that is what I have been doing.
Here are some websites I am following:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/brianacolin
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/coleruotsala
http://www.colesfoundation.com/
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hayleyhunter
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sarahparker

Cole was a precious little boy who suffered with cancer for only a short time before God took him home in September. His family's story is amazing and a huge blessing it has been to me personally. I found him through Briana's website. Briana is a precious little 6 year old fighting cancer who came to our Vacation Bible School this year.. She couldn't be there the whole week because the first few days she was in the hospital getting chemo.. Bless her heart. I have actually found Hayley's site through Briana as well and Sarah I just found out about through Cole's site. It looks like the fight may be almost over for her. I find myself wondering, "why these little children Lord??" but I know it is not mine to reason out but I certainly can pray and I will continue to pray.

Hug your kids a little tighter today and don't forget to be thankful for them... even when they are driving you crazy... :-D

The Kids dressed up....

Well, I know there is a lot of controversy about Halloween but we do let our kids dress up. We take them to another town and let them walk around in the downtown square of this place where the businesses and stores give out candy. They looked so cute this year and I just had to share some pictures.. Here they are:

Just a quick hello

Today nothing special or unusual happened but I felt like I should post something seeing as it has been a little while. Kids are funny. I taught 7th grade two days earlier this week and there was one in there who was just a drama queen (you know you have someone you are picturing in your mind when you read that!). She was becoming annoyed with a boy in the class who really wasn't doing anything to her. She raised her hand and when I asked her what she needed she proceeded to tell me that "Matthew is making fun of me and bothering me and I wish you would do something about it".... While trying to decide whether to laugh or scream at her I am thinking "Did she just say that???" I couldn't believe her nerve to try to tell me what to do... It was too funny. I proceeded to tell her that if she would stop turning around to stare at him (which she was doing constantly.. I am surprised he wasn't teasing her for that!) she would have no idea what he was doing and furthermore it was not her place (little miss princess, I was thinking) to tell me what I should or should not do.. If you could have seen her face... It was all I could do not to laugh.. I found out at lunch that this is her way with everyone... she is a spoiled princess at home and expects it from everyone else as well... But it was just funny. I didn't have anymore trouble from her after that.
Kids are just funny...

pictures through the house on Open house day

Karyss' Room... It actually was clean!!!
Our room
Karyss ' bathroom. You can't really see it but her name is on her towel

This is the painting Sara did based on the verses I told her about that I liked... It is at the entrance of our house
Down the hallway
Living room
Kitchen
Riley's room

There it is... our house on Open House Day. We had about 20 people show up to celebrate with us. it was a nice time. We are so thankful for our home and we desire to use it for God and hope we can keep that promise.

Now I am off to take a bubble bath.. I'm exhausted...

up late and so thankful...

Crazy title right?? I'm up late tonight simply because I can't sleep. I think God is having me stay awake to pray for others (in particular the Brokering family who are going through a terrible impending loss as I type) and to count my blessings. Dan and I stayed up a little later tonight just talking about how life may have been different for us if we had taken one small step differently in our lives.. I am so thankful for a husband who loves God and who can encourage me. I know without the grace of God I could be alone now. God spared my Daniel just 3 short years ago and I know but for His grace I could be grieving.. I am so thankful for my husband. I am thankful that God allowed us to have our two children.. our daughter who is quickly becoming a teenager and our baby boy who is growing a little more each day. I am so unworthy of God's goodness to me. I need to spend so much more time thanking Him for what He has allowed me to have rather than complaining and being depressed that I don't always have what I want or am not always treated the way I would like to be. I am unworthy of all that I have. God has been gracious and merciful. I am so blessed.
My sweet friend Sara just made a painting for me ( Check out her blog to see it sara-mincy.blogspot.com) I had her use a verse on it that says "This is the Lord's doing... It is marvelous in our eyes" I am hanging it just inside my front door.. God is good to us all the time even when it doesn't make sense to us. He is good and He is just and He knows what He is doing. He does best for us.
I am thankful that God has allowed me to stay awake tonight to think on this. I am so rebuked and hope I can walk more worthily....

If you've read my ramblings this far you deserve a medal:-D
Blessings and prayers to you. I think maybe I might be able to rest now :-D

the funnies in training.....

Yes, we are at that stage.. Riley is potty training. He did great yesterday. The first time I put him on he was still dry and he went potty almost right away.. I walked away for a second ( the phone rang or something.. I don't know but I didn't get a diaper on him right away).. All you experienced mommies out there know what's coming don't you.. yep. a few seconds later he comes walking to me all wet.. he had wet again and this time on my favorite chair... I guess I should be happy he knew to sit down.. right?? It was funny after and the look on his face was PRICELESS!!!
Anyway, that was our adventure so fare.. We are learning.. Had visitation today so no scheduled time to really train but tomorrow we are back at it.. hope you all are praying for us! Any advice???

God's plan for me

I spent some time this week counselling a young lady about allowing God to use her and seeking His plan for her life. This led me to some reflection about the way God has led in my own life. Could I ever have imagined being the "baby" of my family that I would be the one to move over 1000 miles away to go to college? Could I imagine that I would graduate and still move away from home to work or fall in love with an "American" and leave Canada and still be living so far away. The answer of course is NO! I know some of you have been through similar experiences but as I stressed to this girl, God knows what He is doing and His plan is the best plan even if it is not even close to what we would have dreamed for our life. I truly hope and pray that I had some impact . I continue to desire that God would use the lessons I have learned (and there have been many) to show Himself through my life.
And how are you today?

God's goodness

What a challenging and wonderful week we had last week. We had revival services with Evangelist Mike Manor and if you have never heard him, you are missing out! I was so challenged and blessed and God is really working on me.. Lately I have been worrying a lot. (Dan would say, "lately?"..... This is not a new thing for me. ). Anyway, God has really worked on me in this area. A while ago, Dan put on the church sign, "worry is an insult to God" . Now imagine, preaching at your wife like that on a church sign ... HA! But it is true. When I worry I am telling God that I don't trust Him and I don't think He is able to perform this or that.. Today something happened and I was rebuked. Completely. I was surprised when something turned out so much better than I had anticipated. Where is my faith? This is something I am going to be working on. A book I read recently compared our trust in God as that faith our babies have in us when we are carrying them in our arms. Does Riley ever expect that I would drop him? Of course not! It never crosses his mind. It is the same with us and God. God is holding us. He is not going to let us fall. I had a wonderful time venting this all out with my friend Ashley on the weekend but I am still challenged by it and wanted to share it with anyone that still reads this blog.
Hope you are all enjoying your week.
Be BLESSED!

We finally are moved in!

Hi everyone. No, I didn't really fall off the earth. It has taken a while to start getting settled in our new house and we also just got back from a wonderful restful vacation in the Smokey Mountains. Dan reminded me yesterday and today that I haven't done any blogging for ages so this is for you honey!!!!
Anyway, if any of you are still out there and checking on us, I thought I would post some pictures of our house as it is now. We have lots to do yet but we are starting to get settled. Please take time to send a comment if you visit and let me know what you think. I need all the help I can get!
Here's some pictures:

Our dining room
Our mantle.. That is a hand drawing of our children. It's GORGEOUS!
Our bedroom
Guest Bathroom


Karyss' Room
Karyss' Border. She chose it herself!!

This is Riley's room
Riley's Room
Riley's Room
Our bathroom
Our bathroom

Hi Everyone.. or anyone???
Lots happening here in the Basham family. We have finally found a house we may actually be able to close on. Our date is August 22nd. Karyss just started back to school at a new school and so far she is loving it. Riley is starting wonderful potty training and is currently teething with his 12th tooth. UGH!

Also, just a couple of weeks ago Dan and I celebrated our tenth anniversary. I am so blessed and happy to have such a wonderful husband. Here is a picture from our anniversary:

And here are some pictures of the new house:

Just borrowed.

Well, today is the day to post pictures of my grown up girl and I am struck with the thought that our children are not ours... They are on loan. God has given them to us for just a little while. I have been reading friends' blogs this week and catching up on their struggles and joys with their children and it seems we all have the same frustrations. I know I am very far from a perfect mother and there are days I want to run away and hide. I am trying to look at my children through God's eyes today... I need to teach them His ways so they can grow closer to Him.. They are not mine. They are His gift to me so even as I watch Karyss who is so grown up now I can know that I have done my best for Him.

sorry, my little sermon for the day :-D

Here is my grown up girl!

more pictures of my little girl

Here are some more pictures of little Karyss who is now so grown up!


This was in K-3 . I am not sure of all the girls' names but the one right next to Karyss is her friend Kayla.
At her 4th birthday party
With her K-3 teacher, Mrs Scrivner
Playing ballet with Kayla! They were such sweet friends!

Why do they have to grow up???

I have been finding all kinds of old pictures lately and I just cannot believe how much my little girl has grown up!! Who tells them they can do that???
Over the next week I am going to post some pictures of my little girl after I scan them and then I will post a recent picture.. I cannot believe how much she has changed.

The banquet

Hi All!!! The banquet was a great success I think.. There was such a sweet spirit among the ladies and our special speaker, Sherry Huggins, was great! She is a mother of 7 daughters, yes , you read that correctly, 7 daughters ;-D Here are some photos from the event. I should have more coming later.