It's begining to look a lot like Christmas...

This is my favorite time of the year! The smells, the sights, the sounds, the JOY, the LOVE, the PEACE...Christmas!! We had the most wonderful and amazing Thanksgiving with Tim's family. The cousins spent the day loving each other up while the adults spent the day sipping wine, playing cards, eating, and enjoying each other's company! That is what holidays are all about!! After a wonderful weekend out on the farm a my parents house, we headed home to put up our decorations and kick-off the month of December with spirit! All of my shopping is done, gifts are wrapped...and I am ready to enjoy the month, celebrate the birth of our Savior, embrace the joy and wonder of my girls, and remember with love my angel baby Leah Faith Davis!! Happy December!! Peace on Earth....Love to all...and Joy to the World!!

Thankfulness!!!

No words are needed....



























I am thankful for my awesome God, amazing family, my supportive friends, my loving co-workers, my caring students....There are so many people that have been a beacon of light to me that I don't have pictures of....
My brother Kevin and Susan
My brother David and Jessica
My mom and dad
The entire Davis Family
The Taylor Family
The Scafe Family
The Ross Family
The Hernandez Family
The Zimmer Family
The Justice Family
The Madden Family
The Bennion Family
The Gamez Family
The Toulous Family
The Payne Family
The Montalvo Family
The Olsen Family
The Madigan Family
I know without a doubt that I forgot someone....and for that I am so sorry! Please know that you have all played a vital role in my life, giving me the love, support, strength, courage, and peace I have needed to travel this road, embark on this journey, live this life! Many wishes and prayers for your families. May the blessings of our Lord touch and shape your lives!!

One year ago....

One year ago I was laying on my couch sick from my all day "morning sickness", just trying to survive the holidays. I was excited, yet nervous, about the prospect of being a mama to three kids. I was anxious about meeting our baby, discovering if we were going to be a family of three girls, or if a beautiful boy was going to join our lives. I knew, no matter what, that this baby would be a defining member of our family, would most likely be our last baby. And then March 18 came. A seemingly normal day...complete with a doctor appt. I remember at the beginning of my appointment I was talking with my doctor about my c-section date, joking about my need to plan everything in my life. Then, just 5 minutes later, my life would change forever. My need to plan everything in life would take on a new meaning. I would begin my journey down this new road. Little did I know, this journey would bring me here...to a blog...to a place to share my innermost thoughts and feelings. I was never a writer...never enjoyed it...not even for a moment. Even though I teach writing, a journal was never a thought in my mind. And then I found myself in need of an outlet, a place to share my hurts, fears, pain, loss, joys, FAITH. A place to keep me focused on my faith, my hope, my peace....And through this need, Whispers of Faith was born. I became an official blogger :) The most amazing thing about this journey is the people I am reaching, the hearts I am touching, the faith I am sharing, the support I am receiving, the friends I am making, the joy I am sharing and receiving from others. I have been so humbled in these last 2 weeks by two special people....friends that I have never met, and very well may never meet. Friends who pray for me and care for me....friends who share my Faith! Thank you to Angie and Michelle for each honoring me with my very first 2 blogger awards!! Thank you so much for allowing my sweet baby girl Leah Faith Davis to have a purpose in life, a voice in this world, a whisper of faith! I appreciate both of you and am blessed to have you has my friend.

Michelle at When God is Silent nominated me for the I love your blog award!

I am totally going to cheat because I am just not a one word person!! Sorry :D
1. Where is your cell phone? purse

2. Where is your significant other? on the couch on his laptop

3. Your hair color? lite brownish with blond highlights

4. Your mother? -home watching my two girls

5. Your father? Biological dad is in heaven, step-dad at home

6. Your favorite thing? my girls

7. Your dream last night? - No Idea

8. Your dream/goal? to raise happy, healthy children who have an innate love of learning and have an active relationship with the Lord.

9. The room you’re in? Dining room

10. Your hobby? blogging, facebook, photography

11. Your fear? losing my family, spiders

12. Where do you want to be in six years? not sure

13. Where were you last night? On a date with my hubby at a yummy Turkish Restaurant

14. What you’re not? calm

15. One of your wish list items? to hold my baby girl Leah again

16. Where you grew up? Palo Alto, California

17. The last thing you did? wrapped some Christmas presents

18. What are you wearing? clothes

19. Your T.V.? on

20. Your pet? Joey

21. Your computer? on

22. Your mood? content

23. Missing someone? always

24. Your car? Yukon XL

25. Something you’re not wearing? jewelery

26. Favorite store? Target

27. Your Summer? family

28. Love someone? with all my heart

29. Your favorite color? blue

30. When is the last time you laughed? today

31. Last time you cried? Sunday

I nominate the following people for the I Love Your Blog Award!!

1) Angelica Grace Designs
2) Bring the Rain


Angie at Angelica Grace Designs nominated me for this award! Thanks :)


The rules are to list 6 things I value and 6 things I can live without. Then, I'm supposed to pass the award along. So...here goes...

6 THINGS I VALUE:
1. God
2. Family
3. Friendships
4. Snuggling in bed with my girls and hubby on a Saturday morning
5. My job as a middle school teacher at Redeemer Lutheran School
6. Water, ice water, bubbly water, and vitamin water! I cannot function without!


6 THINGS I "COULD" LIVE WITHOUT
1. Road rage drivers
2. alarm clock
3. Spiders
4. Gaining weight
5. Grumpy, rude, or judgemental people
6. bills

6 BLOGS I NOMINATE

1) Because Life Doesn't Stop, Capture It
2) Erica's Cafe
3) A Day in Our Life
4) When God Is Silent
5) The Pioneer Woman Cooks
6)

I pray that you all have a most wonderful Thanksgiving! May you take the time to reflect on the blessings in your life, to recognize the beauty in your pain, and may you remember that God has a purpose for you, for each and every joy and sorrow in your life. May the God of the universe give you peace, love, and joy this Thanksgiving day! With much love, Melissa, Tim, Ella, Caroline, and Leah Davis

Mama got a new camera lens!

Yesterday I headed to the fancy camera store to get a new "portrait" lens for my camera. I went with the bargain camera lens as I am just a novice...but wow it still takes great pictures! I headed to the park to take some pictures of my friend Christine's family. This is an addicting hobby!!!

The Most Beautiful Place on Earth...

There is a place in this world...a beautiful place in this world...where God's beauty and wonder is amazing. And I have the privilege of going to this place every November with my family. It is the most sacred weekend of the year...the weekend where we come together...take time away from our lives....from our computers...from our demands...and come together as a family...in the most beautiful place on earth!! YOSEMITE!! Yosemite...where the Majesty of His creation is overwhelming. Where the simple views of nature bring tears to your eyes. Last year on our drive up to Yosemite we told my parents we were pregnant with baby #3. This year we filled the car....without an infant seat. There were many times this weekend when I was drawn to the reality of my life...the road I am on...the pain I live. I felt it when I unpacked the car into the "family" room that was supposed to be filled with a baby, toddler, and kindergartner...I felt it when I held my beautiful niece in my arms, carried her in the backpack, walked her through the trees. I felt it as I sat and looked at the Majesty of Half Doom from the banks of Mirror Lake. Why oh Why, are my arms empty, my heart aching...my baby gone?!?! The Majesty of Yosemite is what gives me hope for tomorrow and peace for today. It is through Him that I breathe...that I live...that I love...that I hope.... Here are a few pictures from our beautiful weekend....