Bringing in the New Year...

I just got back from visiting my parents for a couple of days. My sister, Joy, and I drove up together and though it was a fast trip, it's always fun to hang out with the rents. We went to Memphis to do a little shopping and then headed back to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, The Sandbar Grille...yummy! Their filet is one of the best I've ever had and their banana pudding is DE-LISH!!

My cute parents, sitting by the carousel.


Me and my sis, looking terribly washed out in this pic...I hear the tanning bed calling our name!


Alex and I decided to make reservations somewhere and bring in the New Year, just the two of us. We wanted low-key, this year. I feel like we've been running non-stop right up until Christmas, so it will be nice to spend this evening and tomorrow, just me and my man. Late last week, I started calling around and so many restaurants were completely booked or only had 5pm reservations left. So we reserved a table at P.F. Chang's for a late dinner and will come back to the house and watch movies on the couch until midnight. My definition of a perfect evening.

I can't believe that I have to start writing 2009 on my checks, starting tomorrow. It took me until July to get used to writing 2008. Has this year not flown by? When I stop and reflect on 2008, it makes me smile. God has truly blessed us this year. I have to say, the one thing that I am most thankful for this year is Journey Church. We started with 4 of us in a living room. I have to admit that it was hard to even imagine at that time, just how far God would bring us and in less than a year! It's exciting to be a part of Journey and to be under pastors that have such huge hearts for bringing others to Christ.

When I think about what Alex and I have been through personally, this year, it also makes me smile. I'm thankful for each and every exciting and painful moment. Though I wish it had been God's plan to give us a baby in 2008, for whatever reason, it was not. So until then...I will wait. I love how He continues to heal our broken hearts and give us renewed hope. He is such a cool God. I'm trusting Him to grow our family in 2009! :)

I also can't help but stop and thank Him for blessing so many of you with healthy pregnancies this year. I have so many on my prayer list that I've been able to write ANSWERED PRAYER by your name! Each time He answered a prayer, it strengthened my faith...it showed me He is in control and He still performs miracles on a daily basis. I still have many on my list that are still waiting and I will continue to pray and believe that when the time is right, He's going to bless you with your miracle.

I'm excited to see what God has in store for my family, church, as well as all of you, that I've been blessed to come to know this year.

Happy New Year!

Love to all,
Jill

Christmas Day...

Christmas Day started with my sweet hubby allowing me to sleep in. I was so exhausted, because I stayed up until almost 3am Christmas morning, wrapping presents for later that day. I swear, next year I'm paying someone to wrap all of my presents. It will be worth every penny because I despise wrapping gifts. (LOL)

Alex and I decided early on that we would only do stocking stuffers for one another, this year. We're also buying a desk to set up a home office, which is part of our Christmas to each other. (I'm excited to find a desk...I'll post pics when I do!) He is going to be working from home one day a week and I'm ready to have a place for all of our computer stuff to go. Besides, with everything we have spent in fertility treatments this year, a home office and stocking stuffers are plenty. Alex cheated and bought me a little more than what can go in my stocking, but I love him for it. :) Around lunch time, my family came over and we had Christmas with them. Here are pics from Christmas Day with my side of the family...

Diesel had a big candy cane bone in his stocking...took him all of 30 mins to devour it, I'm sure. :)


BE WARNED!!! The following pic is of me as soon as I wake up...pre-coffee, pre-anything! (LOL) Alex bought me several books and cookbooks that I had been wanting...this being one of them. Williams Sonoma's Holiday Entertaining. Love it!


One of Alex's faves...Starbucks chocolate covered espresso beans.


Cody opening his very cool pumas.


Sara lovin' her Glitter and Bliss necklace...it says, MOMS ROCK and has a animal print background! So cute!


Cary opening his present from Drew...this is an inside joke that has happened for the past two years. All I can say is, Drew better watch out when he has kids. (LOL)


Drew opening a classic movie that we watched as kids..."The Happiest Millionaire" Great movie!!


Daddy opening his gifts...


We gave Joylyn a little case of 6 pairs of princess shoes. She literally carried them around from the second she opened them. She is also wearing a pair in this pic. Too cute!


This was a gift to Alex from one of our members...she made he and Cary Journey ornaments. One of our faves on our tree this year...thank you, Vickie!!


Mom and I bought these for Chris, since he will be playing the drums at Journey. He evidently needs them, so that he won't go deaf while practicing. I think he needs to wear them all of the time, don't you!? (hehehe)


Okay, my Mom made these...they are called snowballs. I don't even like coconut, but oh my gosh...these are awesome!! I had one every morning with coffee...okay, maybe two. I'm going to post the recipe on the blog, later on.


And here is the entire gang at the end of the day. Jackson is attacking Cary with something in the background...crazy kid. (LOL)


We are so blessed. Our families make the holidays so much fun! We just want to thank our families for making this a very memorable and Merry Christmas for us both!

We love you, guys!

Jill

Monogrammed Car Mats...

We bought Alex's little sis, April, a set of monogrammed car mats for Christmas. They were super cute and I regret to say that I didn't get a picture of the front of the mats. I only took one of her opening them, which is shown below.

Hers had a funky hot pink and lime green trim with a hot pink monogram. The font shown in the pic below was actually the same font that we used on hers. This pic looks just like hers but in different colors.

Some people were asking to see what they looked like, so here you go! :)



She absolutely loved them...it's a great gift idea, especially for teenagers!

Love to all,
Jill

Christmas Eve...

As I told you before, I have a lot of pics from the holiday, so I'm splitting them up into different posts and working my way up to Christmas Day. :)

On many a Christmas Eve, I take my nephews shopping. They work and save their money, so they can buy Christmas gifts for their Mom and Dad. When they were smaller, it was funny to see what they would pick out. Their parents racked up this year...starbucks gift cards, Ipod shuffles, some fancy flashlight that their Dad wanted...lots of good stuff! They even picked out items for their Mom's stocking, since she fills theirs and their Dad's. They were very thoughtful in their giving and it was a lot of fun to watch these three boys shop. I hope letting their Aunt Jill tag along is a tradition they will want to keep. I have a good chance, until they learn to drive themselves, anyway. :)

Journey had our Christmas Eve service that evening at 11:30pm. We started off the service with one of our favorites at Journey...Feliz Navidad (such a fun song to sing with a large group), sang many others and ended the song service with Silent Night. The message was wonderful and of course, the cookies and cider were a plus as well! Since the service was so late, many of the kids came in their pj's, which was quite adorable. I wish I had taken more pics but I was pretty busy that evening and wanted to visit with everyone, so these are the only ones that I took.

Alex and I have a blast, working along side these two. They are so freakin' talented! Doesn't hurt that he's my brother and she's my S-I-L either. :)


Jackson Luke, hammin' it up in his monkey pj's!


Kandace with Granny...she is the sweetest baby.


Those three nephews I was telling you about...Ty, Cody & Pryce. :)


Jackson and Pryce


Jackson & Aunt Joy



Love to all,
Jill

Averitt Christmas 2008...

Christmas is over and that always makes me a little sad. I love everything about the season, so I always hate to see it come to an end. :)

We had the Averitt side of the family over on the 23rd...it was a lot of fun. I always enjoy watching the kiddos open their presents. They get so excited and are literally screaming with delight! (LOL) I have so many pics from our family gatherings over the past few days, so I decided to split them into different posts. Here are a few pics from The Averitt Family Christmas...

Me and my sweetie (he was running fever and not feeling well...bless his heart!)


Alex reading the Christmas story to the kiddos


This is Alex's youngest sis, April (isn't she gorgeous!?) We bought her monogrammed car mats...what every girl needs! :)


Victoria opening her presents


Jimmy Papa & Aunt Erma


Sarah (due in February '09!) and sweet Mary Lee


The crazy kid table. :)


Jared, Jen, Peyton & Laila


The entire gang!

What Christmas is all about... :)

Labor of Love...

I know, I know...I'm supposed to be away from blogland for a few days. :) I was listening to this song today and just had to share it with you guys. It's my most favorite Christmas song. It really makes you stop and think about what it was probably like for Joseph & Mary that night. We forget about how young Mary was and how scared they must have been. The birth of our Lord and Saviour...what a wonderful gift.

Merry Christmas,
Jill

*don't forget to turn up your volume*

Soon it will be Christmas day...

Things are getting hectic around the Averitt home. My sister and I went out today and were true power-shoppers. We still had several people on our list to buy for. We left the house at 9:30am and didn't arrive home until 9pm. It was a fun day with my sis and I'm proud to say, I'm finished with my Christmas shopping!! I wish I had the energy to tell you what happened to us at the mall, but I'm so tired and need to get some sleep. All I will say is, it was scary and please be aware of your surroundings if you are out and about, shopping over the next two days!

I'm wrapping presents like a crazy woman...trying to finish up for the Averitt Christmas, which is here at our home, tomorrow night. Tomorrow, I have to go to the grocery store to buy what I need for tomorrow evening as well as for my family to come here on Christmas day. I'm feeling a tad bit overwhelmed, but I know once I get home from the store tomorrow and start baking/cooking in the kitchen, my nerves will settle down. I tend to want things to be perfect and I'm learning that it will never be and that's okay. :) I'm sure Alex wants to slip me a prozac whenever I'm planning a party of any kind. (LOL)

I'm going to be away from blogland for the next few days, in order to celebrate Christmas with our family and friends. I hope each and every one of you, have a very Merry Christmas!!



Love to all,
Jill

Praying for Emilie...

I have been reading her blog, since April 2008. She is a wife to Steve and mother to Daniel and Benjamin. We're all still praying for a miracle.

Please say a prayer for her and her family, as they process this terribly unfair news.

Love to all,
Jill

Happy 1st Birthday, Jackson Luke!!

This post has LOTS of pictures. It's a special post for a special little boy!

We had Jackson's party a few days ago, but today is his actual birthday. This little boy has brought such joy to our family over the past year. He has the cutest personality and the ability to warm your heart in an instant.

Jackson, Uncle Alex wrote this prayer just for you...

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the generations of faithful disciples that you have given to Jackson Luke as his heritage. I ask that as he becomes aware of Your presence, he would submit to you as Lord and follow you all the days of his life. I ask that you would bless Jackson in this life and that he would grow up into a mighty man of God. Thank you for your Word and the Life that it contains. I ask that as Jackson reads it, You would write it on his heart so that he would learn to fear you and obey your perfect will for his life. I ask that you would allow him to pass a heritage of faith on to his children and their children. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

Seems like just yesterday...


First bath...


Was he ever this small!??


Meeting his Great-Grandmother for the first time...


Jackson & Granny hanging out...


This smile always makes my day better! :)


Mr. Cool...


Spending time at Aunt Joy's...


Loves hearing Daddy play the guitar...


Weekend with Uncle Al...


So happy!


Chillin' w/Aunt Jill on the beach...


Our sweet little piece of candy corn...


He has his Mommy's smile...


Big J.L. with lil' J.L. :)


His Mommy made the cake...isn't it cute!?


Blowing out his candles...with a little help. :)


He tore into some cake!


Playing with his balloons...


Opening presents...his reactions were priceless!


Such a polite little boy...reading his card before he opens the present. :)


Playing with his new toys...


Jackson with his Daddy & Mommy...I think he had a great day! :)


We love you, sweet boy!!

~Uncle Alex & Aunt Jill~