Merry Christmas!!!
We have had a wonderful, blessed Christmas season, to be sure!! We hope all of you have, as well. Although with a newborn we were unable to travel to be with family during the holidays this year, we have been lucky to have several relatives visit us during the season. Gigi and PapaDoc came to visit earlier in the week. Alli loved the "singer" (aka, microphone on a stand) that they gave to her! She has been singing all week ~ lullabies to the baby, and even a song about a chair known as "chairy." Aunt Karen drove Nana and Papa down for a visit (Alli waited in the doorway all dressed up ~ see pic below), and Dede and Keith came on Christmas Eve day. Alli was so excited to get the bike, helmet, and pads from Dede ~ she has wanted to wear the helmet and pads around the house, even in just her panties!! We spent Christmas Eve at the Candlelight Service at Church and had the amazing experience of sitting in the choir loft during the service. Seeing hundreds of candles lighting the dark sanctuary was magical ~ words cannot describe how beautiful it was!
We have had a wonderful, blessed Christmas season, to be sure!! We hope all of you have, as well. Although with a newborn we were unable to travel to be with family during the holidays this year, we have been lucky to have several relatives visit us during the season. Gigi and PapaDoc came to visit earlier in the week. Alli loved the "singer" (aka, microphone on a stand) that they gave to her! She has been singing all week ~ lullabies to the baby, and even a song about a chair known as "chairy." Aunt Karen drove Nana and Papa down for a visit (Alli waited in the doorway all dressed up ~ see pic below), and Dede and Keith came on Christmas Eve day. Alli was so excited to get the bike, helmet, and pads from Dede ~ she has wanted to wear the helmet and pads around the house, even in just her panties!! We spent Christmas Eve at the Candlelight Service at Church and had the amazing experience of sitting in the choir loft during the service. Seeing hundreds of candles lighting the dark sanctuary was magical ~ words cannot describe how beautiful it was!
Here are some pictures of Alli and some of her gifts. Among her favorites from Santa were her chalkboard/easel, blocks, and a 'real' digital camera! Her favorite from Mommy and Daddy was a Little People's Noah's Ark, with which she has played and played....
Although slightly clueless about the Christmas chaos surrounding her, Elizabeth unknowingly has not missed out on the fun. She even visited Santa at the precious age of only 6 days....
Okay...Blogger is really weirding out on me and is driving me insane. It isn't allowing me to add any text after the next picture, and it is barely allowing me to add anymore pictures. So, forgive the messiness below.
We missed our families, but we enjoyed having our first Christmas together as our own little family. We had a great meal; Brad even fried a delicious turkey! We read the Christmas story in an old Children's Bible that belonged to Meme and Paps, and we had a birthday cake for Jesus. Alli said, "This is the best food I ever ate!" The turkey was her favorite, although she did ask me, "Mommy, do you think Baby Jesus will share his birthday cake with me?"
We are grateful for so much this Christmas season!! We are so lucky to have our two precious girls, and we have been so very blessed with a wonderful little Christmas present in the arrival of Elizabeth.
With all of the gift-giving, baking, parties, and other festivities of the holidays, it is often easy to forget the true reason for the season. I got the following from a friend's blog (thanks, Emily!) and encourage you all to take a look at it. It is a video for the song recorded by Sara Evans and Brad Paisley. I caution you to grab a box of tissues before you watch, though ~ you will need them.
As a mother, I think of what God sacrificed by giving "His only begotten Son," and I feel Mary's desperation as she wants so badly to save her son, but she cannot help Him and must let Him save her ~ and all of us ~ instead. To all of you parents out there, can you even imagine sacrificing your child in order to save the whole world, present and future? I cannot. What boundless love our Lord has for each of us!!!
As a mother, I think of what God sacrificed by giving "His only begotten Son," and I feel Mary's desperation as she wants so badly to save her son, but she cannot help Him and must let Him save her ~ and all of us ~ instead. To all of you parents out there, can you even imagine sacrificing your child in order to save the whole world, present and future? I cannot. What boundless love our Lord has for each of us!!!
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