The simple gifts in life are free

Peighton just melted my heart by taking a piece of copy paper, wrapping a pine cone in it, and placed it under the Christmas tree! Then she got the camera, because she wanted to take a picture of it. She unwrapped it and was so excited to have gotten another present! The thought process that went into this is so amazing to me! What a simple gift of joy she has given to me!

Grandpa's Girl

Peighton LOVES her Grandpa! She has been stuck to Grandpa Doug like a bear to honey! They are like peas and carrots! Brad and I are having to take a back seat to him! She woke up on Tuesday morning calling for Grandpa Doug "Grandpa, where are you?" So, of course Brad and I didn't want to interfere with the Grandpa/Grand-daughter relationship, so we did what we though would be best to foster that relationship...slept in another hour!
She is enjoying Grandpa and Grandma's visit so much! They bring out the best in each other! The blessing Grandparents bring to a child's life is a priceless treasure!

The Joy of Family

Brad's parents and niece came out to spend some of the Christmas/New Year's holiday with us! They arrived on Monday morning at 12:30 a.m. We have enjoyed their visit so much! It is so nice spending the holidays with family! We have been feeling so all alone lately and this is a great present to us for sure! We took Amber shopping for a girls day on Monday and then on Tuesday we took her to get her hair done and senior pictures done. I also took some pictures of her outside. I must say, I think they turned out really good! She was so grateful and I was so blessed to be a part of it! Amber is a really special person with such a sweet inner spirit! I really admire her, considering all she has been up against in her life!
Tonight, we are ringing in the New Year with Brad's Mom and Dad and our family. We are having a crab leg dinner and a night of games! We anticipate the New Year and what God has planned for our family! We look back on 2009 with grateful hearts for what God has brought us through!
Happy New Year!

Peighton finds mommy's lipstick

Peighton came downstairs this morning after experimenting with mommy's lipstick! She was so proud coming down looking so pretty!
Her brothers think she looks like "The Joker". I think she is lovely, and did a pretty good job. I loved her even more when I found no mess at all in the bathroom, that would have been a nightmare!

PJ Birthday Party at CKDO

Peighton and I enjoyed a pajama birthday party for Jesus on our last day of school before Christmas break! We had so much fun at school! Peighton enjoyed playing outside on the playground in the nice weather! Peighton had such a fun filled day that during our Christmas movie time in chapel, she fell asleep. It was a great way to jump start our Christmas celebration!

The Real Meaning of Christmas

This Christmas we are not getting caught up in the materialism of Christmas that normally takes place each year! We are thankful to have our priorities changed this year, however, it took a lot to make this happen! We have had a very difficult year, and I am so ashamed that it has taken all the events of this year for God to get our attention for us to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas this year...the Birth of Jesus...the most important and precious gift any of us could ever receive!

This Christmas our family is finding ourselves in a very humbling place. We are in a state that we are not connected with, we are alone (not having any "real" relationships to celebrate the birth of Christ with), we have limited means to do anything with, and yet, we are so thankful that we have been blessed beyond comprehension at the receiving of the greatest gift ever, when we so don't deserve it!

Having Jesus in our lives and being stripped of everything else, is all we ever need! Having God in our lives fills the holes of loneliness, materialism, and humbles us so much! When I look at the picture of Preston, Paxton, and Peighton, I am blessed beyond measure! When I look at my husband and think what could have happened, I am blessed beyond measure! When I look at the roof over my head, the food in my refrigerator, my families health, I am blessed beyond measure!

Jesus, you are the light of the world! Savior to all! The way, the truth, and my life! I am blessed beyond measure having you in my life! Merry Christmas... Happy Birthday,Jesus!

Peighton Eunhye and the joys of being 2

Peighton is for sure enjoying life as a 2 year old! Now the rest of the family, not so much when it comes to her slippery fingers! She has made for herself the title of thief or borrower of others things! In one week, she managed to "misplace" my glasses, Paxton's ipod, and something else that I have now forgotten because it has been "lost" for a while. I had to wear my contacts for over a week, before Brad miraculously found them under Preston's bed. Unfortunately, Paxton's ipod is still waiting to be found!
Peighton is not only a borrower, she is also so independent that she likes to clean up her potty chair after she is done with it! She has done very well so far, only missing the big potty once when cleaning up (of course it was on the day that I had just got done washing the bathroom floor BY HAND)! She has to dress herself with NO HELP and I must say the clothes she picks out are definitely something I would choose for her to wear, only I would make sure that her shirt is on the right way!
She keeps us on our toys and brings so much color to our lives! We have lol moments all the time around here! She tries to help so much and has such a servant heart mentality! I do look forward to seeing how God will use her as she gets older!
Her latest thing is if someone is going somewhere, or doing something she wants to do, she points to herself and says"Peighton"? She wants to be included and doesn't ever skip a beat! She is our priceless, nothing gets by her, independent treasure for sure! She is currently sharing my chair with me, arms around my neck, asking to "play a game?" That's my cue! She has a date with the computer and Sesame Street! I love you dearly, my Peighton!

Long and Winding Road

It has been a long time since I posted a blog. Part of that is just our circumstances. I haven't felt much like sharing my heart. It has been a tough month and definitely a very difficult year! We have really had to humble ourselves, which isn't a bad thing at all. Unfortunately, it has been tough asking family to borrow money because of our financial situation. It brings me a tiny bit of comfort knowing we are not the only ones that have been affected by this down economy, but it is hard when you are in the middle of it! I know that God has a plan for our lives and we will recover, learn and grow from this season, but it is so hard walking by complete faith! That is, I am sure, what God wants for us right now though! I am so thankful for God in our lives, I can't imagine not having Him walking beside us every step of the way(actually, I am pretty sure He is caring our family right now)!
My heart really hurts, not only because of our financial situation, but because of the move we made a year ago today. We have so many regrets coming to Colorado! If given the opportunity, we would return back to Arizona in a heart beat! We all miss our friends, our church, school, our life there! I actually prayed to God last night for the opportunity to go back to Arizona!
It is so hard to believe that this was His plan for our lives, when it has been nothing but trial after trial and hardship after hardship!
We feel like we are doing life alone here! We live in a culdesac surrounded by people that go to our church, but are not included into their lives at all. We are barely acknowledged! We have made a few relationships, but they are far from the relationships we had back home! We don't feel connected out here are all!
We are so thankful that Brad's parents are coming out to Colorado for a week over the holidays. We know that we will get the unconditional love from them and the feeling of being so alone out here with subside for a week! We anticipate their visit and know it will be so hard to see them go again, and us back to being alone!
I watched a video last night from COC( our church in AZ). My heart was so tender to what they are doing there and the fact that I am so far away to experience first hand what is taking place there! I was able to see some of our friends and my heart just ached because I miss them so!
Until God reveals His plan for the Dandurand Family, we will wait, seeking Him whole heartedly, and make the most of where He has placed us during this season, knowing that this to shall pass!
Thank you, God for sticking by us; for not judging us; for loving us unconditionally: for filling that void of not being connected here; for providing for our family: for humbling our hearts: for being our everything in our lives! We put our faith in you, knowing that you have plans for us, Lord! We believe in your Word and what it tells us...Jeremiah 29:11!