Christmas Eve 2018. Jesus, Friends and Family

Well, look at these two beauties!  Wish Keri was in the picture.  All grown up into the best daughters a mom could have!  

Let's throw the mom in the picture!

We were again invited to the Kilgores for Christmas Eve.  We are very thankful that they include us every year.  Lots of laughter, love, food and celebrating.

I got about 3 weird faces before I finally got a regular smile from Kristin. 

There was ping pong going on in the basement.  I lost big time to Layne!  I didn't play Lucy but I am thinking the result would be the same.   Here is Lucy ready for a game.

The Kilgore house is always decorated so beautifully.

People congregate to food don't they?

Justin, Jade and Tanisha.

No TV, no phones, no tablets.  Just a card game!  Love it.

I think Layne was the first one to pick up a plate and ask if was time to eat. She just went for it.

Then all the kids followed.

All lined up for some Christmas Eve feast.  Jeff stopped us and we prayed a pray of thanks for blessings, food, family, friends and the birth of Jesus.

While we are waiting for the kids to get their food another card game.

The one, the only, Mike Gleason

A tradition for all of the kids.  The pajama exchange.  It is a requirement to put them on after they are opened, even for the big kids.

Lucy and Layne!

The cousin pajama picture.

Well, someone is full of life!

And another one!

Cousins!

Now the ornament exchange.  Everyone contributes an ornament and we play a game to see what we end up with.

It was a fun Christmas Eve!  We are so thankful to be included each and every year.

Off to church for the Doolittle family.  Had to include this picture so I would have it forever.

Santa visit for the Doolittle boys.  It has been a great year.  I look forward to what is to come in 2019!  

Isaiah 40:31 Soaring With Eagles and Jesus 2018

Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:31

I know God is with us every second of every day.  I know that for sure.  There is just something so special about seeing these eagles every year that makes me want to shout out GOD IS SO GOOD, THANK YOU GOD AND PRAISE YOU! I feel like God is telling me how much He loves me every time I see one of these birds.  I have a history with bald eagles and God. We have been going to see the bald eagles since 2011.  This was one of the best. 

We woke up to rain.  Oh no!!!  Well, we might as well give it a try.  The rain stopped before we even left the house.  It was a perfect day for eagle viewing.  No snow in the trees helped us see them.  Mike and I thought the bald eagles were more active than they had been in other trips.  They were everywhere!  I want to go back!!!

We didn't need binoculars or a spotting scope to find the eagles this year but looking through the spotting scope made the eagles appear to be an arms length away.  Many of the pictures we take use the spotting scope and the camera.  We just set the camera on the scope and snap.  It isn't quite that easy actually. I started with 107 pictures.  I only used about half of them. There are some pictures that look almost the same but I kept them in the blog because I wanted to save them.

 This eagle looks like it is about to launch into flight.

 The bald eagles are after these fresh water silver salmon.  Not the dead ones though.

 No this is love right here in this picture!  It is!!!

Mike was setting up his spotting scope to get a close up of these eagles.  

 He almost had it set up and off they flew!

 We saw so many bald eagles flying and flying close to us.  Boy, you can really tell how big they are when they fly right by you!  Huge!!!

 If at first you don't succeed try, try again.  No catch this time!

 Coming right for you!

 No white feathers yet on this eagle.

 These eagles were across a bay and we could still get pictures with the spotting scope and camera.

 Tradition continues! Lunch at Jimmy's Down the Street!  Mike is at his happy place!

I love, love, love this day every year.  I love the tradition that Mike and I have of going to see the bald eagles.  Brings me joy, not just happiness but joy, the kind that Jesus gives.  The best joy ever!! There is a never ending supply of joy from Jesus! Wow!