The pictures say it all....

 I found this in Amanda's third grade Bible notebook.  It is too precious not to frame.  Each family has their own special "things" at Christmas.  One of ours were our ornaments.  Brandon and Amanda got a special ornament each year, usually something that they had really shown an interest in that year.   They each had their own box of ornaments, and as they hung each one, we enjoyed remembering the story that went with each ornament.  Of course, we have photo frames for each year as well....so that was always fun to look back over the years and see how much they had grown.

One of Amanda's instructions to us the day she died was that Brandon put the star on the Christmas tree.  Much of her "instructions" to us that last day was about Christmas.  Shows just how much she loved Christmas and the realization that she would not be here with us to celebrate it.  She made sure that we would remember her and do certain things just like she would have.

We have so many ornaments, but this year we chose to stick with only our photo ornaments and our doves.  (If you look closely at the lights, you can see that the doves sit on a branch over a bulb and light up.) We smiled through the tears as we looked back through the years in pictures while we hung the ornaments.  

As I shared with a friend, some days joy is hard to see through the grief.  I am thankful for days like I had this week to remind me that the joy is still there, and will continue to be there in days to come.  So while we may grieve for what we are missing, we will cling to the joy and hope of knowing we will see her again.

Isaiah 25:1
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

Brandon has been learning this song on his guitar.  I love the words.  May they bless you this weekend.  The song is "Overwhelmed" by Big Daddy Weave.

I see the work of Your Hands
Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

I hear the sound of Your Voice
All at once it's a gentle and thundering noise oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You

God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You

I know the power of Your Cross
Forgiven and free forever You'll be my God
And all that You've done is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You
In the Glory of Your Presence
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You

And God I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You

You are Beautiful, You are Beautiful
Oh God, there is no one more Beautiful
You are Beautiful, God you are the most Beautiful

You are Wonderful, You are Wonderful
Oh God, there is no one more Wonderful
You are Wonderful, God You are the most Wonderful

You are Glorious, You are Glorious
Oh God, there is no one more Glorious
You are Glorious, God you are the most Glorious

I delight myself in You
In the Glory of Your Presence
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You

And God I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed by You
There is no one more Beautiful
You are the most Beautiful