Christmas 2014

We have had a very merry Christmas here!

Regan and Ira prepare to blow out the candles on the birthday cake for Jesus.  All of our candles, trees and the angel need to be replaced, so I have the trees on order and will look for the other stuff.  

Normally, the cake is chocolate with white icing representing our dark sin covered by Christ's sacrifice. 12 red candles represent the blood sacrifice and Immanuel -God with us all twelve months of the year.  The angel represents the first to bring glad tidings, and the trees represent everlasting life.

I tried to take this picture, and Logan blinked.  The boys then messed with me and took turns closing their eyes while I shot the pictures.

I think they are ready for presents.

Julia recites the Christmas story from Luke.

When Ira visited for Wyatt's birthday, he was thrilled that we had a star on top of our tree.  Apparently, he has been giving his parents a hard time about having an angel. I surprised him with a huge star from the Dollar Tree.

We let the kids open all of their gifts, but they were allowed to actually fully open one toy to play with since they were not at home.  Regan opted to open her Peppa Pig school set, but she insisted that Jonathan open the Peppa Pig family too.  He told her that she could only open one, but Regan reasoned that George wanted to go to school too.  Score! Regan-1 Jonathan-0

Regan is very defensive of Ira.  Dad was teasing Ira and saying he was going to spank him.  Regan told him in no uncertain terms that Ira was her brother and best buddy, and Dad would not be spanking him.  Dad stood up to throw some trash away, and Regan thought he was going after Ira, so she stood her four-year-old, tiny self up in front of him and made it clear that he was not getting to Ira.  Clearly, anyone who wants to mess with Ira (who can hold his own, I might add) will have to contend with Regan.  

Game time!

prettier every day

Poor Isaac.  He was just not in the Christmas spirit last night and spent much of it in full meltdown mode.  He's usually happy, go lucky, so I was very concerned that he might be getting sick, but 20 people in one house can be overwhelming for a little guy.  That's an awful lot of stimulation.

Andy was picking out a tune on the keyboard, and Kinsley just started boogying.  This girl loves, loves, loves to dance!  Tessa says that she only plays with the music buttons on her toys that make noise and always dances to the music.

light up antlers --classic

Savannah and Julia received an education on Peppa Pig.

Christmas morning

We started the morning as usual.  Zach and I fought for a little more sleep and won. We finally gathered by the tree sometime after 9:00a.m.

I wish I had Julia's reaction to both the pajamas and the bungee chair on video.  She was jumping and screaming enthusiastically.  Speaking of the bungee chair,  I read lots of reviews on these before making this purchase.  Andy and I tried them out in the store. These chairs are actually quite comfy and apparently a great option for a college dorm room where space and seating is limited.  Our couches are sinking and ripping, and we have no means to replace them now, so we jokingly talked about just getting several of these inexpensive chairs to furnish our living room.  I do think they would be really great for family get togethers when seating is a challenge.  I also think that this would be good for my dad because the bounce in the chair is enough to help him get out of it when he is ready to get up.

Oh Yeah!!

We will spend the rest of the day quietly enjoying each other.

Christmas memory faves

Andy: Julia hugged and thanked Andy and me for a gift she had not even opened.  We figured she knew it was a new comforter for her bed, but she claims she did not.

Me:  Julia's reaction to her gifts.

Savannah: Julia's reaction to her gifts.

Zach: Being able to sleep in a room that does not make him sick.  Dorm life is not so pleasant for him.

Wyatt: receiving a new video game

I missed my mom more than usual this Christmas- not so much in the moment.  I was fully present in the moment when family was gathered, but after the fact when I reflected on how much she would enjoy the grandkids and buffer any tensions, I really missed her.  On Christmas day I missed her as I knew there would be no phone call to discuss our day.  I decided this Christmas that it is time to let go of my belief that God was going to do something extraordinary.  For about a year after she died, Ephesians 3:20 came to my attention in various ways. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work in us.  I started anticipating that God was going to blow my mind in a very good way though I was not sure how.  Maybe I missed it, or maybe I hung too much on that verse.  The last four years have had a lot of joy, but they have also been more stressful than any other years I can remember.  I therefore resign myself to the fact that life will just be hard for a while, maybe from now on, so I will laugh when laughter comes, celebrate when there is cause to do so and give it my best while I hang on to the fleeting years with children under my roof.

May you have many laughs, much joy, and incredible blessings this Christmas and in the coming year!