The Most Wonderful Time of the Year......

It feels like just yesterday we were sitting at home talking about how great the Halloween event went at church and then BAM, it's the day after Christmas.

Where did the time go? What did I do with it? Can I please get it back? 

As I sit here in my quiet living room, with the boxes of Christmas decor I have begun to put up and my empty tree....I feel the Christmas blues beginning to sink in. Why does this day come and go so quick? I always know it's coming and have months to prepare, but when it is finally here I feel like I didn't have the slightest minute to catch my breath....It makes me so sad to see my most favorite time of the year end. 

December started off great, we hosted the Cousin Christmas Ornament Exchange at our house, participated in various church events, school events, work events, and family and friends events. We looked at lights together with close friends, had dinners, lunches, and much more....My blog could go on and on if I shared everything we did and how it was special, but as I reflect on this Christmas season, I must share that my most favorite has been the last 3 days of it all. 

Christmas Eve is always the night we go to my Mama's big family Christmas with my Papa, my aunts, and all of my cousins. We all draw names on Thanksgiving and that determines who we give a gift to on Christmas Eve. It's always fun to see what that person picked for you. Everyone tries to give meaningful gifts and we don't open all at the same time. We seriously do ONE present at a time and we all look at each one to see what the other has gotten. After the present is opened and show, we all say "Good Present, Good Present". Some presents get more applause and approval, if the audience agrees it was an exceptional present. (haha, we aren't mean about it, I promise)

Now, I would be lying if I said that everyone likes to do that. I'm not sure how it started, but it's become a thing we do, and if you don't hear a "Good Present" after your gift that you gave, it is the first word out of your mouth, "um, I don't get a 'good present'?" Look, we are a weird family...It's our thing. It is what it is and I love it. Does it make Christmas Eve last till almost 11pm, yes it does...but it's fun. 

On this Christmas Eve, we had several fun and exciting things happen. Our cousin, Beth, started a tradition of a Christmas Video, we send in pictures to her and she creates a video of our family from the end of the last Christmas Eve up until a few weeks before. We get to see the key moments of each little family's year all wrapped up in a video. It's amazing and it has become one the biggest hits of the night each year. On this particular video, the last couple of pictures were all of our cousin, Justin, and his girl friend, Adrianne. When their pictures hit the screen, he hit one knee and asked her to MARRY HIM!

She said YES! It was such a fun night and of course we all had to stop for several photo ops and to celebrate the Future Mr. and Mrs.!

Later that evening, after all of the Good Presents had been opened....my cousin, Jason, announced probably one of the coolest things anyone in our family has ever done. He PUBLISHED A BOOK. Not just any book, a book with my Papa's most precious and funny stories. He had my cousin, Lindsay, and 2 of my aunts help him on this project. And with their help, they produced this beautiful masterpiece that captivates my Papa's timeless memories into the first Volume. Tears were rolling, emotions flying, and pride soaring as these stories who were just mere memories became words on a page that would never be forgotten by our future generations.

Our Papa has been battling cancer for quite sometime, every year is a gift that we get to spend with him. I look at his little slim body, that used to be so thick and strong, and it makes my heart physically hurt. I look at his face that used to be so full, and now is so thin. However, I listen to his voice and it hasn't changed a bit. His stories are the same, his jokes are still there, and his sweet terms of endearment are still as cute as ever. He could have easily decided to "skip" Christmas and avoid coming, but he came and made the night by allowing his to stories to be published into this book that will live on forever.  I pray for many more Christmas Eves with his special heart, and I realize that all those years I looked forward to Christmas Eve for Santa to come and for presents to arrive that those things were never that important at all. As I sit here with tears streaming down my face, I can honestly say presents and gifts mean nothing compared to who is giving them. I love my Papa, parents, my brothers, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, and I have learned that they are what makes this season the "most wonderful time of the year." The Lord has given me an abundance of blessings, and I have spent some precious time counting each and every one of them.

So, overall, Christmas was very precious and I feel like my heart could explode with those blessings. I felt like this season went so quick, I wanted to savor every moment and I truly tried. However, on some days I feel like I was just rushing through to get to the next event.

For those of you that felt a little like me, I pray that you this coming year can be one for memories in the little moments. That's what my cousin's book is all about, enjoy the little moments that become memories that turn into stories for generations. I pray for the next year to be one full of grace to help you as you go from event to event that your mindset changes to see that it is really from memory to memory....These will be the moments you will remember forever.

Perhaps, none of that makes sense to you. Maybe you are one that the season drags for you? Maybe you lost a loved one this Christmas, maybe you are walking through a sorrowful season that makes you not quite feel up to celebrating full force, maybe you and a family member aren't quite getting along....If that's the case, please know that you are not a grinch, you are not a scrooge, you are a person, with real feelings that matter. I pray that next year that void in your heart is filled and you no longer feel the sorrow or the pain. I pray that next year you will full of Joy and can look back on this year and see how far you've come. I pray that next year, your year this year can be a testimony for friends and loved ones. I pray that next year you will look back and can say, "This truly is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

Can't wait to share our London trip with you guys, but until then Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Living to make Jesus Famous,

Amy and Seth DuVall

xoxoxox

Fall with the DuValls

October came and went so fast, it seemed like one minute it was October 1st and then the next it was Halloween. At least for us, it went like that. October has become one of our busiest months of the year, but it is one full of the most blessings.

Let me also begin by saying, I started decorating for fall September 1st. I was so ready for this season!

October 1st kicks off our month with the birthday of my precious niece, Caroline Grace! We celebrated with her at a Mexican dinner fiesta! She keeps reminding us that next year she will be in the double digits. Time please slow down....

Together We Shine :)

On October 5th, my mama and I woke up super early, like 4:30 am early to go to the Stars Hallow Birthday Celebration at local coffee shops around the country. The one closest to us was in Columbia. Local coffee shops around the states transformed into Luke's for the day and it was a fun morning with my mama to celebrate our love for our favorite TV show, Gilmore Girls. We drank coffee out of a Luke's cup, was served by a Luke look alike and met some super interesting people. The only reason we were able to do this on a weekday was due to our day off of school for Hurricane Matthew that was approaching. I am thankful for the little things that make moments into huge memories!

As the next days approached, we got news about Hurricane Matthew an that it was quickly approaching Charleston and Myrtle Beach! Our schools got notified that we would be out of school for the next 3 days to possibly used as shelters for evacuees, (Wednesday Thursday, and Friday)! We got even more exciting news later that our sweet friends that are Youth Pastors at First Assembly from Charleston would be coming to stay with us due to the storm. I was a nervous wreck, even though I was super excited. Why a wreck, you ask? Because we have never had house guests, our home is full of unfinished projects between Seth and I, Marley sheds, and I just am a nervous person in general. I was worried the house wasn't clean enough, cute enough, or welcoming enough. However, I should have known not to worry, because these friends that came weren't just friends they were FRAMILY. (Friends that become family). They weren't concerned with the dust or the amount of things needed painting, they were there and were by far the coolest house guests I think anyone could ever have. Check out my sweet friend Julie's Blog to read about everything we did that week!

The following week as we returned back to school, I got super sick with a horrible stomach virus and had to miss school for a day and half. I hate missing school, because I hate creating work for a substitute to use. However, it was in those two days that I was able to see how blessed I am at school. My 5th grade team checked on me, my super awesome amazing teacher aides ran the class smoothly, and even the parents of my kiddos were checking in. I was very thankful for such a sweet group of people that Lord has surrounded me with.

Later in October, we went to an amazing event in Rock Hill called, Helloween. we took some of our college and career age students! It was an amazing time that rocked me to the core. It was a live "play" type thing that you walked through. You walked through all of these situations in which a person died, and at the time of death you either saw a demon come or an angel. After you walked through all of the different scenes, you got to visit the throne room in Heaven. Let me tell you, I seriously felt like I was in one of the most anointed places that I have ever experienced. It was like I was really looking at Jesus and hearing the words from His lips. Unfortunately, you don't get to stay there forever like we will get to do one day. In this walk through, you must also go visit Hell. When I say Hell, it truly felt like one of the most intense things I have ever experienced. The guy playing Satan was our youth pastor friend, but it didn't even seem like it was him. It felt so gut wrenching and real. I couldn't hold back the tears! Lives were being thrown into this eternal place of hate and horrible torture. Those lives in the play symbolized real people with real problems. At the end of the night, everyone was given the opportunity to rededicate their lives to the Lord. We had two in our group that chose to do so! YAY!!! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

October was also full of lots of Cheerleading games for this little Sassy Pants. She has done an amazing job learning new cheers, making new friends, and always making us laugh out on the field!

While October was full of love and laughter, one particular day I was filled with total heartbreak as I was I shopping in Hamrick's. I made a Facebook post about it that read like this:

"Oh little mama, I see you. I see you for the seventh time asking your little boy to quit getting under the clothes racks. I see you sighing in embarrassment as you had to raise your voice, I see you scrounging fast to get the last thing you need, I see you trying to hold up those jeans to see which pair will fit your daughter this coming fall, while she's in the buggy crying because she just spilt an entire ChickFila honey mustard sauce on her adorable monogrammed shirt. I see you. 

I see you looking at me with my "empty" buggy, except for my purse in the seat where a child "should" be. I see you smile and push back the tears as you say, "wouldn't it be nice?!", as you nod at my buggy. I see you, as I smile and push back my tears and say "your kids are precious and beautiful". I see you. 

But did you see me? I wasn't judging you, I wasn't annoyed with you, I wasn't even upset with you, I was just looking at you and admiring the person you are. A mom. I saw something that I long to be one day. 

I see you sister, I see you. You will make it. This too shall pass. They won't be that little forever, and some women will never know the love, joy, frustration, or stress you feel....so know sweet lady, I saw you, Jesus sees you. I believe in you, because God chose you!" 

At the time I felt like I had been punched in the stomach on this particular day, but after many encouraging Facebook posts from sweet friends, I was reminded that God sees me and He sees this season and is walking through it with us. He already knows the outcome of the season and the one that will follow. 

October gave us lots of fun times at church as we led into Halloween and I decided to start a new bible study with some precious ladies, and also gave us some sweet little family time. 

October also allowed us to celebrate the 2nd birthday of my best friend's baby! She did an awesome job on his Mickey Farm Party! We love him to pieces! 

Seth was given the opportunity to speak at JET Middle School's Fellowship of Christian Athletes Event! It was awesome to be a part of an event where kids take time out of there day to take time for Jesus! They were some of the most kindest, well mannered, loving kids we have met! We truly enjoyed going there! I always love hearing my husband give his Testimony! He always conveys the Gospel in an amazing, compassionate, real way. 

October 21st is two special friends of ours birthdays, so every year we try and do some type of little special dinner. This year we made it to TBonz with some of our college and career kids to celebrate and it was nothing short of eventful. Between stealing ice-cream and brownies from each other waiting hours (or so it seemed) for food, we had a great night celebrating Casey and Lauren! 

Every year we always go to the fair with my sister in law, her husband, and six kiddos! It's ALWAYS such a blast and this year was no different. We ran into so many people we knew and got to enjoy the company of so many of our family and friends. The fair is the epitome of Fall to me. 

The Twins! 

The Wednesday Night before Halloween we had game night at church! The kids had a blast and the youth were awesome helpers! We played games like the Mummy Relay, the Pumpkin Smash Mash and much more! We love celebrating Fall and the fellowship it brings!

During this same week, I also had Red Ribbon Week going on at school. (which means that we had different Spirit Days every day) My favorite day this year was Team Day and 50's day!

 

The Saturday before Halloween is always the Jackolatern Jubilee in Downtown North Augusta,
so I spent some time down there watching Caroline Grace do Jazzersize and have lunch with my good friends! It was a good day! That night we had girl's night at church! We painted pumpkins, jammed out to Taylor Swift, and of course ate Chickfila! It was a great night!!! We spent a lot of time just enjoying each other and laughing at all the silly moments we have had through the years together.

The next day was October 30th, which was our annual Trunk or Treat! This event turned out a BAZILLION times better than I ever imagined it would! We had so many trunk or treaters with their families. We had so many people volunteer to do trunks. It turned out so wonderful. I love being apart of something that is all about leading people to Jesus. This was an outreach the was designed to show our community some love, some Jesus, and just plain fun! Seth and I always try and do a fun costume and this year we really enjoyed it! Our outfits the last 3 years have came from the Goodwill. I love finding outfits and that don't cost a fortune from a Halloween store, this year we played Shaggy and Velma from Scooby Doo. I even managed to find Marley a Scooby outfit for $3 at Goodwill also!

Halloween Day was super crazy as well! We had our Character Day at school. Our 5th Grade Team decided to be the Magic School Bus Cast. We had a huge character parade with the whole school. The kids and teachers loved it. It made the day something special at school and honestly wasn't as chaotic as I thought it would be with all the excitement of the day!

On Halloween Day,  our church also had the opportunity to go visit the Children's Hospital! My mom rents out costumes for parties and events, and she allowed us to take them with us to the hospital! This was one of the sweetest, but saddest days I have ever been a part of. These kids were so precious as they looked at Minnie and Mickey with such joy and happiness. We loved every bit of it! There were so many children and families who just looked so happy to be out of their hospital rooms and "trick or treat" with candy and small prizes. I am always reminded how truly blessed I am and the kids in my life are. We take so much for granted and I loved that we were able to play a small part in putting a smile on their face for the day.

Halloween night, my little Presley called (okay really her mom, Lindsay called) and asked me if I wanted to go trick or treating with her and Presley! So, of course I did! It was so surreal going trick or treating in the neighborhood where Lindsay and I always went trick or treating with our cousins. :( It made me so sad, but happy to see Lindsay carrying on the tradition with her little.

October was a fun month! It was slammed busy, but it was fun and full of memory making! That's what Seth and I are all about: Making Memories and Telling People About Jesus! :)

Adios October, Hello November! We hope you enjoyed Fall with DuValls! 

Living to make Jesus famous,

Seth and Amy DuVall

Costa Rica Missions Trip.....4 Months Later...

So now that almost 4 months have come and gone, I figured I should finally sit down and take some time to combine my journals into a blog about such a beautiful trip that God allowed me to be a part of......COSTA RICA MISSIONS 2016!

We started off our trip by leaving for the Atlanta Airport in the middle of the night to make sure that we would arrive on time for our flight! We had a direct flight from Atlanta to Costa Rica! Let me begin by saying, WE HAD A WONDERFUL TRIP DIRECTOR, MATT HOAG! He worked incredibly hard to make sure the week went crisis free and organized. He was awesome! When we arrived at the camp, it was a Saturday! We got to our cabins and got situated and had lunch with the missionaries, Jay and Nancy Dickerson. 

After lunch, we had some time to get our sorts together for the rest of the week on what ministry would like! We were all just getting to know each other, some people we knew from last year, some people it was our first time meeting. 

Saturday night we were able to start practicing some new dramas that one team brought with them and have dinner with one another. It was a hilarious time of fellowship and preparing for what the week would hold. 

On Sunday (one of my favorite days), Seth was given the precious opportunity to speak at the local church. We drove almost an hour (I believe, I did doze off on the way, so I'm not quite sure) to the church. When we arrived, we were told that they had lost power. Every other building around them had power except them! On every other Sunday, they always have power, but the one Sunday we were there they do not. (If you read my post on the  Dominican Republic , this would probably sound familiar) However, Seth did not let it wreck him at all. He kept on keeping on like he always does. He brought the word and right in the middle of his preaching the POWER CAME BACK ON! It was so exciting to watch God work right before our eyes. He shows time and time again that He will always make a way, when His word is going forth! It was an awesome service in which God showed up and showed out! I was a proud wife (as always) to watch Seth be used as a vessel to spread the Gospel! 

On Monday, our Camp Ministry began! I was so nervous, yet so excited. I was nervous this year, because I played a part with my friend, Heather Baker, in creating and putting together some of the lessons for the Chapel services and Night Services. I was also nervous because the children (these children were from a poverty stricken neighborhood) would be staying with us at the camp. This was a lot different than last year, which is where we pushed into the communities each day. This week we would be spending the entire time at the camp. Some of our South Carolina Students stayed with the girls and boys in the cabins. There was not enough beds for everyone to stay with them. However, our Samantha ( the youth that went with us) was able to stay with them!

There were many new customs that we were unaware of that was super interesting to me. For example, they are very concerned with dental hygiene. After EVERY MEAL, they immediately have to go back and brush their teeth! It wasn't like they just wanted to get away from doing something, it was something that they had to do. I thought this was so interesting to know about their culture.


This Monday Night, was our first night service with them. I was supposed to speak and I was so nervous! I was not really planning on speaking at night time, I figured I would be teaching one of the day time services that would be more chill and not so "serious". However, I was able to conquer some fears of mine. I taught on the Holy Spirit, our comforter, who gives us the Fruit of Spirit. We learned how when we allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, we are able to produce Fruit that others will notice. This was my first time speaking with an interpreter, which is MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT SEEMS. I never really thought about it before, but really it is hard to stop after every thought, especially when the Holy Spirit begins to move. (and you are talking more quickly, lol) Sometimes I forget what I said in the sentence before! I also forgot some things that I was supposed to include in my message, and totally messed up some parts. (insert me crying and worrying for hours after) Through all of that though, the Lord still was able to use that night and my nervousness to create some special bond with the students and children. They were able to encounter the Holy Spirit and experience His faithfulness. I worked through my thoughts and doubts, and now looking back I can totally see that God used that night even though I made QUITE A FEW MISTAKES.

Tuesday was our first full day with the kids! The kids woke up super earlier than everyone else because the sun rises there at like 5 am! We were also 3 hours behind! So, the kids were up and we had breakfast. Directly after breakfast, the kid went to brush their teeth :) ! Then, we had our first chapel day service! The lovely Shay Vaughn taught the lesson, with many of the others students doing dramas, praise and worship, and games! We learned all about God's love and the beautiful story of the Prodigal's Son. She taught on how we are like the son, when we feel lost and gone away from Heavenly Father, He is not far from us. All we have to do is take one step towards Him, and He will start running towards us! He is pursuing us! The children totally responded to the altar call and gave their hearts to the Lord! It was a precious day! 

After Chapel time, we began our fun games of the day! This is where things get interesting! The kids loved playing these fun, crazy, silly games! 

Matt and John planned some awesome fun games for the kids! You could tell they were having so much fun! Their teachers from their local school also came with them and loved the games also! 

Soccer was a huge hit! The students and their teachers were awesome at Soccer! After game time, the girls and boys had to alternate pool time. While the girls were at pool time, the boys had the chance to do crafts our football in the "gym area!" What do you think they chose?

FOOTBALL IN THE GYM!

However, when it was time for their swim time they were so ready! The girls really enjoyed the crafts and hanging out in their cabins singing and dancing with the South Carolina students! 

Tuesday night, a sweet lady from Lake Wiley's Church brought the word at the night service! SHE DID AN AWESOME JOB communicating the gospel to these kids! They totally caught what she was teaching. Her message was engulfed in the theme of the camp, which was Illumino el mundo, Light of the World. She spoke on how the kids can be a light in their world around them, even where there is darkness all around them! It was a beautiful message with an awesome drama at the end, titled "This Little Light of Mine!" 

Wednesday Day was another full with the students, but this was their final day. It was perhaps one of the saddest days of my life. I had never seen so many young people and adults (including my precious husband and I) form relationships with kids so quickly to a point where it physically hurt to watch them leave. This I watched with my own two eyes and it hurt so bad. I hated to watch them go.

They hugged so tight and cried giant tears, and we did the same. It was a beautiful experience and one that will never leave the vault in my heart just like the trip from last year with my sweet Chaela, on our Missions Trip to the Dominican  that you can read about.

When the kids left, we had a debrief that night to discuss the week and all that happened while we were there. It was a great time to hear from the students on the trips on how God had impacted them this week. It was so beautiful and encouraging to hear. 

On Thursday, we went to a local Christian school to put on another Vacation Bible School. I absolutely loved this day because it opened up my eyes to see how blessed I am to teach in the United States. The kids had such a fun time and so did we! 

I felt so compelled to just pray for this school and these teachers, who are teaching with everything in them to the best of their abilities, in a classroom with no supplies, but who are trying their best to educate their students to be the best they can be. I am one to get SOOOO UPSET when one piece of technology messes up in my classroom, I count the whole lesson as a failure and want to throw in the towel...but watching this school thrive without a single piece of technology or markers in general in the classrooms changed my heart completely. I am so blessed and am so spoiled and have been totally ungrateful for all that God has given me.

I was and still am in awe of how God used this trip and how God used this day to speak right to this teacher's heart....

This evening ended in dinner on top of a mountain that was A LONG, VERY LONG trip which amounts to me getting motion sickness, fearing for my life as I got off the bus and threw up on the side of a mountain....but ended in somehow a beautiful view and dinner. 

The next day was our free day in which we went to a National Park of Costa Rica and a local beach, which required a lot of walking....but was a fun day to see some sights of all that God has created. 

We had a beautiful trip that our God orchestrated that I enjoyed every minute of. I learned so much about myself, as I was allowed to speak a message for the first time in another country. I grew in my faith and in my confidence. I loved working with my friends that become like my missions family (Heather, Amy, Amanda, Sherry) and so much more. I loved watching Samantha thrive and grow in this country and she did in the Dominican. I love missions, I love watching God move despite a language barrier. 

Thank you for your prayers, your love, your financial support, your purchasing of t-shirts and everything else. You made this trip possible, and I can promise souls were saved and lives were changed, including mine. 

Living to Make Jesus Famous,

Seth and Amy DuVall