Brought to you by Bridesmaids ~ Rachael

   This is the first of a new mini-series.  I treasure my friendships.  I have the most amazing friends!  I want to bring some of their amazingness to you, so I thought I would start with my bridesmaids!  I will be highlighting my 7 bridesmaids & my little flower girl (who is all grown up now).    I am gonna highlight the girls & then bring you an idea from them.  They are all so different from each other & all so cool.  Once you read about these girls...you'll want them in your lives too!

I was married 11 years ago.  So these pictures will probably make them squirm a little.  That just makes it more fun for me :)

Here is the Gang!

Since you already know Kate I am finally going to introduce you to our baby sister Rachael first!

   Rach & I were very tight growing up, she is the sister that I played Barbies and dollies with.  I was actually pretty bossy to her but weirdly enough she never even seemed to mind!  She was just happy to tag along & go with the flow.  Even as a little girl she was full of compassion for others, gentleness, & tons of love. 

   Now we are really raising our families together.  We each have three kids & two of our due dates were about a month apart! 

Here we are with our 2nd babies (one month apart):

And with our third babies (two months apart):

Here are all our kids together...

That is a lot of kids between us!  They really do act like sisters & brothers!

Last year her Christmas card made me laugh soooo hard!

   I don't know if you can see it, but there is a lot of lotion in their hair too!  But when you opened the card up it had the sweetest Christmas message:

   One Day, Isaiah was telling me about how much fun he had playing with a friend's toy semi-truck.  Thinking 'what a great present idea,' I told him, "You should ask Santa for a semi truck for Christmas."

   Isaiah paused to think, and then he said, "I think I'll ask Jesus instead."  I know his response sprang from his huge fear of Santa combined with his knowledge that we can ask Jesus for anything, but his words had great wisdom!  I've had many humbling moments in my life, but none as humbling as that.

   It's a great thing that Isaiah has chosen to believe in Jesus over Santa.  Under Santa's 'clause' my little ones would probably be due for coal this year (see exhibit 'A' on the front of this card for more details).  Instead, they will be enjoying the grace they receive through Jesus, new clothes & toys, and of course, a new semi-truck.

   May you too be enjoying the grace we recieve through Jesus this holiday season and throughout the new year. 

Then she closed it out with this picture of her angelic kids.

I don't think I will ever recieve a more precious card.

   This is the time of year when I start fretting about "the perfect Christmas card!"  I hope this gives you inspiration to send a card that sends the message of Christ's birth and love.

   I have many more ideas from Rach but I think I will stop this post right here.  We have lots of time later to share her decorating tips and recipes!  Thanks for sharing Rach!

Thankful for sisters!

Lib