Our new pets!

Nathan has been asking for a dog for a long time, and we have been putting him off with excuses like, "wait until after vacation". Well, that started several vacations ago! We are just enjoying the freedom of not having a dog to take care of, especially when we go out of town. But we know the day will come when we will give in and get the boy his dog! To put this off a little longer, however, we did give in a let him get a Leopard Gecko.

To me this is easier than a dog and a lot nicer than a rat! The things kids come to like through science class! He asked for it for Christmas, but it was too late to be put on the Santa list. So we allowed him to buy his gecko with Christmas money he gets from his Aunt and Uncle in CA.

Since Nathan needed room to put his gecko tank, the fish tank was moved to Camden's room. Because it is now his fish tank, he got to redocorate it with a castle and a crab and one new fish with his Christmas money.

It has been an exciting animal filled week at the Shirley house! Thanks Aunt Alice and Uncle Bob!!!

Joseph

I did something out of my comfort zone this year...I agreed to play the part of Mary in our church's Christmas program. I am not sure how I did with my role, but it turned out to be fun. It also made me think about Mary and her role in the Christmas story. She usually has a big part, especially when she has to hold a real baby and make sure he doesn't cry! And she is honored in many ways, even to the point of worship by some. But tonight I was reading a devotion on Joseph and it gave me pause. Mary did find favor with God and she did accept her responsibility, but after she was pregnant, she really had no choice. But Joseph, he had a choice. Granted when an angel appears to you, it probably is hard to say no! But still, he married a girl that most people thought had cheated on him. He did so because God told him to. He had to have been a strong, godly man. My prayer this night is that my two sons will grow up to trust God and follow God no matter what, just like Joseph.

Elizabeth and Mary

The whole cast, including Joseph!

40 years of magic!!

1971 was a great year!!! Intel produced the first microprocessor chip, Disney World opened, Liberty University was founded, and I was born! What an awesome year to come into the world! You always feel like the year you were born was special, but while we were at Disney on our non-Disney, Disney-like vacation, I was bombarded with how special this year was! Forty years of magic was everywhere! I almost bought a t-shirt with this on it, but didn't really feel like advertising my age. But I did buy a notebook, and a magnet, and bought a pin from Nathan that someone traded him. Oh, and a Christmas ornament!





Other years were noted throughtout our hotel (we stayed at the pop century hotel), but none can compare!

One thing that was neat about the hotel was all of the items that reminded you of different centuries. I especially liked the 70's and 80's.


The Big Wheel...hands down, the best toy I ever had!!



I tried to win one of these phones on the Mickey Mouse Club...my name was never drawn :(


My parents still have their 8 track player!!


The Rubik's cube...I never solved that thing...may have moved the stickers around, but never solved it!



My Walkman looked like this! Can you imagine running with one of those today!


I remember when these were the new thing compared to floppy discs!


Two children of the 70's!