Christmas Chaos

BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD !

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND BLESSINGS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU !
What a wonderful Christmas week we have had in the Denny home ! We have been busy wrapping presents, preparing food and helping the kids get ready for Jesus' birthday today ! We have some traditions in our home that have kept the kids in the spirit of Christmas this week ...... Taylor made Potato Latkes & Kielbasa - a Hungarian / Polish dish that we all love to have on Christmas Eve -- we went to church yesterday - both services were candlelight so we attended the earlier one at 3:30 pm so the kids could have some down time after church during dinner and desert time, etc. We made sugar cookies and frosted them this week, we bought Hickory Farms meats and cheeses, we liked giving out cookie trays to a few of our neighbors and most of all we loved singing "Happy Birthday Jesus" - songs learned at Sunday School and performed last weekend. Briana sang in the choir at Christmas Service - Taylor enjoyed a service project outing with the girl scouts and the little ones had holiday parties last week before break. Briana made pancake puffs with sausage this morning for breakfast and we enjoyed tracking santa all day yesterday curtosy of norad -- we even saw him fly over Colorado Springs ! Everyone recieved presents they wanted - what an abundance we have been blessed with this year - but most of all, we have our health, each other and Jesus ! We love each of you and wish you and yours the best holiday season !

"ONE DENNY DECEMBER"

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !

WOW ! What a busy and fast paced last few weeks we have had ! Of course, we are still on cloud nine over our baptizm and acceptance into our home church as members. What an awesome extended family God has blessed us with! My mom and step-dad were here over the Thanksgiving holiday and while Ray flew home after only 10 days here; my mom didn't leave until just a few days ago - this past Friday....after three weeks here I think she got a sufficient grandchild fix and more motivation to move here soon to be close to our family!

We have made some changes to our daily lives to add some spice to things - not that it isn't busy enough anyway! I have been convicted to give away lots of our belongings to others in need and have been actively going thru boxes and extra clothes in the kids' closets, etc. Although I would like to do it more often and do more at one time - I plug away when I can and sneak stuff out of the house when the kids are at school. The blessings in return have been abundant and wonderful !

I have joined a ministry team that visits the respite senior home once a month for fun and fellowship with the residents - many of whom have little to no visitors. I help new moms of multiples here in town by coordiating a meal makers team thru our local multiples club that helps new members who have (mostly) twins, etc.

Another big change recently is that Alexis will be switching into a new class at preschool - still the same school just one classroom over - joining Anthony in his class. Although I was initially hesitant to switch her classroom setting, the new teacher has assured me she is ready for another special needs addition to the class and has a "plan of attack" for when the switch is made which includes potty training, patterning, repeat comprehensive vocabulary, etc. Steven and I feel most comfortable with the switch after consulting with therapists, teachers, etc.....and hopefully we will see progress and initiation on Alexis' part soon!

As I stuff and label our Christmas cards this year - I am struck just by how lucky we really are every day here. Although our finances and job stability are a never ending roller coaster and the kids' activities keep us busy - we wouldn't have it any other way!

In fact, Steven and I are looking to grow our family once again - it is quite excited dispite that obvious shock from those around us. We are looking into adoption thru the local foster care system. Before you get too excited - please hear us out......many children that come into the system end up never getting adopted and aging out at 18 - literally being thrown on the streets to fend for themselves. Most people wanting to adopt look for children 4 and under and not too many people want sibling groups thus the children get split up - usually because a younger sibling is adopted and the older ones are left behind.

Steven and I would love to help children like this....we are not rich, we are not perfect - but we love children and would hate to see siblings split up because they weren't wanted. We would love a sibling group of 2 (sisters or a brother/sister) and prefer the older ones since Alexis is enough in the diapering department. We are looking for kids' between the ages of 5 and 10 - lots to pick from (sadly) since most aren't wanted by that age. Our hope is that we can provide a stable, loving home for a few kids who have a home to come back to after they are grown.

We hope this update finds you enjoying the holiday hustle and bustle and keeping grounded in Christ and the sactifices He made for each of us. We love you all !

BLESSED DAYS !

Though I am sorry for the long delay in updates; our family has been so busy with daily activities, visits from family and school goings - on. This month has been filled with (in short order) Julian losing his first tooth, a visit from Grandma Florence and Aunt Diana, volunteering in the classroom(s) - five different ones at two different schools - and preping for the holiday season upon us !

A major event in the Denny home happened last week when Steven and I were both full-emertion baptized last Sunday at our church ! What an exciting and anticipated day for both of us! Steven, having been raised Catholic, was "sprinkled" as an infant and there is still a debate going as to weather "I" was ever baptized as a preemie infant in the NICU on an emergency basis.

As I understand it - my twin brother was baptized and given last rites in quick order on an emergency basis before he died at 72 hrs. old. The assumtion always was that I recieved the same due to being so sickly as a "micro preemie" in the late
70's.

We decided on this past weekend as a good time due to the Thanksgiving season - as we are so blessed daily by God's provision for our family and my mom and step-dad came into town for a few weeks so my mom got to see this event as well - making it a special time for her!@ All our children came in from their prospective sunday school classes and got to witness this special event as well (thanks to all our wonderful teachers who took time out of the lessons to walk the kids into the worship center to witness our baptisms!)

As I write this - Steven is putting the turkey in the oven (after I stuffed it for the first time !) - my mom is sitting with the kids in the living room watching the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" a tradition for us and Gramdpa is sleeping in down in the basement! The dog has stolen a few sausage patties from breakfast; kids are asking for treats already; I have had my fill of coffee; and we are all so thankful for God's blessings on our family - especially since moving to Colorado last year!

HAVE A BLESSED AND THANKFUL WEEKEND - WE SEND OUR LOVE TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY !

Tooth Tails

So this past weekend I was on a lengthy phone conversation with an old friend from CA and in the middle of the phone call, Julian comes up to me and hands me something and says, "Here you go mom" and runs off. I look down and in the palm of my hand is a micro-mini tooth! I stood there speachless for a moment and wondered where this prized possession could have come from since the quints were too young for this type of thing.....well, then Julian runs back up to me and goes, "Look at the hole in my mouth mom !" - he is so proud of himself and I am beside myself !

My baby lost his first tooth! He promptly put in an order for Briana to make him a little tooth fairy pillow so he could put it under his pillow that night. Briana made him a little pillow and I bagged his tooth, put it in the pocket and put it under his regular pillow that night.

Imagine his suprise the next morning when he pulled the pillow out, opened up the little baggie and pulled out a quarter! It's enough to get a gumball next time we are at the store ! Whew - another phase conquered - but not easily comfortable with!