And...back to Christmas

Okay, well it's mid-February, so I really need to get on the ball and throw these Christmas pictures up here. I realized I don't have many from the Strode/Stark Christmas in Arkansas, and have none from the Sandberg trip to Gatlinburg. But that does not mean you all aren't loved. Just that I was keeping up w/ a 2-year-old and trying not to throw up from the pregnancy and kind of forgot to take pictures. But here's what we've got:

Okay, well this isn't actually a Christmas picture, but Sophie is loving blueberries lately and this is after one run-in w/ the berry bowl. They're so messy, how can they NOT be delicious?

We had a little Christmas dinner with some good friends and their daughters, Ava & Cate. The girls wore their Christmas dresses for about 5 minutes in honor of the occasion.

Fondue!


Okay, the next several pictures might as well just be called "The Bubby Show." Since Cosmo couldn't make it to Arkansas for Christmas, Sophie apparently decided that Uncle Aaron (Bubby) would fill that void:
Wrestling

Getting tied up (note that these are all things I endured as a small child and also loved...at first)

Sophie retaliates by attempting to shove a babydoll's pacifier in Bubby's mouth.

Sharing some love with Aunt La-La

And one picture without Bubby - Sophie with her sweet Grandma


Saying goodbye

And I really love this picture - Aaron and Laura, thanks for playing so much with Sophie - she thinks you guys are almost as great as Cosmo.

Post-Surgery Update

Thank you all so much for your concern and prayers for my mom. I received word from my dad tonight that the surgery went well - he hadn't seen Mom yet when they talked, but the Dr. had spoken with him and given him a report. She removed the thyroid, several lymph nodes, and a glad from her para-thyroid that had been causing some problems. They're hoping she can go home tomorrow, depending on the bleeding and pain. Thank you so much, and I ask for your continued prayers as she recovers and eventually undergoes a bit a radiation.

Prayer Request

For those who don't know, my (Catherine) mom, Linda, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a couple of weeks ago and she's undergoing surgery tomorrow to have her thyroid and some lymph nodes removed. I just wanted to take the opportunity to ask you to pray for her and her doctor during the long surgery process. My mom has been an inspiration as she's been given her diagnosis and in turn given that to the Lord and sought His plan for how He wants to use it in her life.

Here's a little segment of an email she sent me tonight - hopefully it will encourage you as it has me:

'I believe God has really prepared your dad and me for this time in our lives, as well as you, Aaron, Erik, Laura and even my grandchildren in His own sovereign plan. It's a blessing to know His joy and peace in such a way that we really can rejoice in the expectation of what He desires to do in our lives in order for us to share His gospel and to see Him glorified. We do not want to focus on us but to focus on Him, as we have heard it said, "to make much of Him."'

I pray for her, and for us - that we would know that joy and peace and would be able to rejoice in trials.

Thank you all!