Christmas Time at the Paulk's

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!  The holiday season truly is my favorite time of year.  All the time spent with friends and family, wonderful decorations, amazing dinners and smells of the season, coats and scarves, and so much more.  The main reason I love it so much is because I'm reminded how truly blessed I am.  It's amazing how God continues to bless Brett and I daily, we are truly thankful, and should be showing our gratitude more!!  If the holiday season wasn't filled with lights and tinsel, home cooked dinners and a red and green wardrobe I hope that I would still enjoy this time of year just as much.  If we had nothing I hope I would still be just as grateful as I am now for I will always have the blessing of Christ's love for (which is HUGE!!!!!! I'm so unworthy, but He is so good!!).  God is so good, and I am thankful!!

On Veterans Day Brett and I were both off work so while he was doing things in the garage I was inside decorating the house for Christmas (yes, this was 2 weeks before Thanksgiving!!).  I was a little excited, it was the first time I was decorating my own home!!  Many of our Christmas decorations were wedding gifts so it was so fun to open them back up and be reminded of how truly amazing and perfect our wedding was.  It was so much fun filling our home with all the decorations of Christmas, but I was reminded (again by reading another's blog) again that if we didn't have all of this, would I be satisfied?  Am I satisfied with Christ's love alone?  I think I am, I pray that I am, and I ask friends to let me know if I am not living accordingly!!  I read the hymn, In Christ Alone, and wow did it touch me.  So as you scroll through some of the pictures of our home this holiday season I will have the lyrics to this wonderful song...

In Christ alone my hope is found

he is my light, my strength, my song;

this Cornerstone, this solid Ground 

firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my All in All

here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone!  who took on flesh

Fluness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness

scorned by the ones he came to save:

till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied-

For every sin on him was laid;

here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the fround His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain:

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave he rose again!

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me.

For I am His and He is mine-

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

We try to have our home be a place that is open for anyone to come in and always be welcome.  Our house is not huge by any means, but it is perfect for us and we couldn't need anything else.  We like to ultimately fill our house with love 365 days a year.  An abundant love for Christ and an abundant love of each other through Christ.  If you're ever in the neighborhood stop on by!!

Merry Christmas, love the Paulk's

I finally got my picture thing to start working!  So here are a few random ones!!

my 26th birthday, and yes I had some of both cakes :)

Brett and I got creative one night and made this door sign, we make a great team!

Penn State game, Candace, Brittany, and I

my date for the Penn Sate game

My dad and Robin came up for the UA vs Florida game, it was such a great weekend, we so enjoyed showing them where we lived and sharing them with friends!

We found my brother, Zane, tailgating with some other Florida fans

Brett held his first little one!!  He usually waits for them to be at least one year old, but how could anyone resist this sweet sweet boy!!  We love Luke, and the whole Guinn family!

Brett and I at the Florida game.. RTR!!!

My classroom's pumpkin for the pumpkin carving contest...

The Blue Room Express!!!

For trunk or treat this year we were part of the "Paulk Duo, Boykin, and Breedlove.. The Greatest Show on Earth".  Brett and I were the knife thrower and assistant. 

Such a fun circus!

Brett and I at LSU.. not the best outcome game, but we still had a good time, and would like to return to Baton Rouge sometime!

So that's what's been going on with us, well a little glimpse!! We're always on the go, but full of joy in all we do.  We are looking forward to the holidays to spend time with family and friends and reflect on all our many many blessings!!  This truly is my most favorite time of year... and yes, the Christmas decorations are already up in the Paulk house :)

It's been too long!!

Well I have been too long with adding a post!! Not that too much exciting has happened, but still!! Life is great for the Paulk's! Were still always on the go, but loving every minute of it!

recently I decided to get off of Facebook, so if anyone has looked for me there, that's why you couldn't find me! It was way too much of a time waster for me. I was truly obsessed with it, sad I know, and it would be the last thing I looked at before bed, and the first thing in the morning I'd want to check. THere are so many better things I could be doing with that time.. Reading God's word, having quiet time, talking with Brett, or even sleeping! Another problem I would have with facebook is that I would be very judgemental about things I'd see and even get jealous of things I would see that others had, and there is just no sense in that!! Brett and I are blessed beyond measure and that's what I should focus on and sing praise for it!! I may or may not decide to get back on facebook... we'll see!!

Brett is now finished with his little league flag football team, so now it's on to... Basketball!! He'll be coaching that same 2nd grade age group for PARA basketball this winter, from one thing on to the other-- we wouldn't have things any other way!!

We have been enjoying this fall season spending lots of time with friends and family, having great tail gates, loving our Alabama Football team-even depsite some poor games, it's just so much for us, and we're so glad to live in this town and enjoy it all!!

Work is great for us both, we are both really enjoying our jobs. Brett at the Sate Highway Department, and me with my precious 4/5 year olds. We are both learning something new everyday and trying to make the most of it!!

I'll try to post some pictures later, for some reason blogger is just not cooperating with me these days in uploading my pictures!!