merry christmas

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!

We enjoyed a quiet Christmas Eve just the four of us. We went to the 4 o'clock service at our church, came home and ate plates of appetizers and cookies for dinner and then opened gifts from one another. It was a joy to see the smiles on Anna and Emmett's faces. Of course Emmett was most interested in the wrapping paper and his new hat. And both kids were VERY interested in making sure daddy could get all of his presents open. So much fun!

After Emmett went off to bed, Anna practiced her ballerina dances and played with her ballerina sticker book (both favorites!), and put together her note and cookies for Santa. She carefully picked out each morsel, leaving carrots for Rudolph as well.

This morning we woke to Anna calling from her room at 6am nearly in tears.

"Mommy?! Mommy?! I don't think Santa came to my house last night!"

"Oh Anna, you don't? Why do you think that? Did you look downstairs?"

"Well...no....it's too dark. But, I didn't hear his sleigh bells or the reindeer or ANYTHING!"

"Let's turn on the light Anna and look downstairs"

"(sniffle sniffle) OK Mommy"

"Oh, oh, oh! He DID come! Let's get up now mommy...right now."

And there it went from there. There were lots of squeals of joy as she opened her gifts - finding "jewels and crystals" (Santa guessed correctly!), new snowpants and a jacket, strawberry shortcake and more. A few hours later Emmett joined the mix and was happiest with the Puffs he found in his stocking. I'm sure in the months to come he'll appreciate his trucks and basketball hoop. But they both enjoyed their new toothbrushes...Anna's with it's spin brush had them both enthralled for a long, long time. Nothing like Santa thinking of their teeth after too much sugar!

What joy this Christmas season has brought into our house! This year we have enjoyed some precious time together as a new family, celebrating our blessings and all that God has provided. Merry Christmas!