Christmas 2010

Here is my Christmas post...finally!! We had a very Merry Christmas:) It is always busy because none of our family lives in the same town we do. We are very blessed though in that they don't live too far away. We go to Todd's mother's for Christmas Eve. Usually we go the day before, and spend the night. We stay all day Christmas Eve, then leave in time to be back at our house that night around 8:00pm. When we arrive back at our house we let the kids open one present. It is always a pair of new pj's from my parents! They look forward to it each year, although they know what it's going to be;) After they put their new pj's on we get the milk and cookies ready, sprinkle reindeer food on the front lawn, and settle down to read Twas the Night Before Christmas. When the story has been read it's bedtime!:) I love our Christmas traditions!! This year we had an extra special surprise on Christmas morning...SNOW...lots of SNOW!! I have never had a White Christmas...what a blessing! I got up, walked through the house to turn on the Christmas lights, looked into the sunroom and could not believe what I was seeing! It was beautiful. The kids were already awake, but had no idea there was snow on the ground. They were in Ellie's room waiting on us to say it was time to come downstairs. When I told them about the snow it made the morning even more exciting for them! After all gifts were given we headed outside for some fun in the snow!! Everyone had so much fun. When we got dry clothes on we headed to Nana and Papa's. We always go there Christmas Day and stay the day after as well. Wow...that was a much longer post than I meant for it to be! Hope you and your family have a blessed New Year!!

Christmas Eve at Granny's

                                    

Hugh and Henry playing Henry's new Whac-A-Mole game!

Todd and Hugh

Granny and the kids:)

Thanks for the new PJ's Nana and Papa!!

Sprinkling the reindeer food.

Santa's milk and cookies...yum yum!

Our Elf...Christopher...see you next year!

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Todd reading the Christmas story from his bible. He always does this on Christmas morning.

New bikes for Henry and Hugh!

Sam and his new Ipod.

Ellie with her Just Like You American Girl Doll.

Ready for a ride...

The view from our front door.

This is what I saw from the sunroom!

Snow much fun!!

Snowball fight anyone?

Sam building a snow fort!

This is what Hugh was doing the first 20 min the rest of us were outside!

Hugh finally joined us...just in time for a group picture!

Nana and Papa's house.

Nana and Papa with their new shirts...we love 147 Gear!

A very good and perfect gift...

I got the most perfectly wonderful gift this morning...three days after Christmas! I received a call from Amy, an absolute angel, who works for our agency;) She told me she had some good news...two new pictures of Betsy!! I cannot begin to tell you what a huge blessing , and answer to prayer this is. It is so good to see her sweet face:) We have been asking for an update, and answers to some questions we sent in a care package around the first of September. It had been confirmed over 2 months ago that the orphanage director had received the package. Anyway, we have been praying day and night for an update, and here it is! I have to be honest and say that I was really hoping to get a call or email before Christmas. I thought...wouldn't it be awesome if I got some news about Betsy Christmas Eve or Christmas Day...what a great present that would be. Well, as always...Gods ways are higher and greater than anything I could come up with! The pictures of Betsy were taken on Christmas Day!! At 7:41am and 7:42am this little angel was standing beside a Christmas tree on the other side of the world, while we were on our way home Christmas Eve from a candlelight communion service with Todd's family. My God never gets the details wrong...he works in ways we cannot see...praise you Lord!! Amy, our other angel( from our agency) said it is very unusual to see a Christmas tree in China. It made Ellie's day to see her sister:) We still do not have any answers to our questions, but a picture really is worth a thousand words! Along with the pictures came this simple message...Isn't she cute? The orphanage lady said everything was good and told family don't worry. I am so thankful for this gift. Every good and perfect gift is from above. James1:17 Hope you all have a Happy New Year! Will post Christmas pictures soon:)

I LOVE the pigtails!!

My little cutie...can't say enough about those cheeks:)

Our December...

What a busy month this has been...and the best is yet to come! I know all of you can say the same thing. I love the Christmas season and all that comes with it...even being busy:) I love the sights, the sounds, and the smells of Christmas, but that's not the best thing. Iam reminded of one of my favorite Christmas books I read my kids each year. The Best Thing About Christmas by Christine Harder Tangvald. In the book she writes about all the fun things we enjoy about Christmas, but the Best thing is Jesus being born. He came to earth as a baby to be our Savior. It is such a good book and it really presents the message of Christmas in a very clear, easy to understand way. I will give you a little background on some of the pics. Each year I give the kids a new ornament. Ellie is holding hers, and Betsy's. She can't wait to have her little sister home! On December 2nd I went to a gingerbread house party. My friend Ginger, yes that really is her name (we love Mrs. Ginger!) started this a few years ago, and it is always so much fun! We get together, eat goodies, and make gingerbread houses to take home to our kids. Ellie and Hugh were in the children's musical at our church and the adult musical. I sing in the choir. It was a huge blessing to go to practices with my kids. They each did a great job! Sam was in charge of taking pictures the second night of the adult musical. See for yourself how that turned out! Lastly, Ellie and I enjoyed going to Samford University to see The Nutcracker with her friend Ellie and her mother Lisa. It was so good! I have more pics to post...hopefully I can do a "mini" post before the weekend.

The kids with their new ornaments.

Hugh and Henry helping with the lights.

Ellie carefully hanging paper chain garland...she loves decorating the tree!

Me and "the boys"...where's Henry?

Henry..."smelling" the gingerbread house! haha!!

Caught you!!

Little stinker!

Hugh singing in the children's musical.



Ellie had a speaking part in the musical.



Me, Ellie, and Hugh before our last performance.

The only picture my sweet Sam got of his brother and sister!

Ellie and her friend Ellie at The Nutcracker.

Travel Meeting

On Friday, December 10th we went to Birmingham to our travel meeting. It was so much fun meeting other families adopting from China. The international program director for our agency went over everything from what to do once you receive your LOA(letter of acceptance...what we are now waiting for) to what to do once you get home. It was exciting listening to all the details of traveling to China. Some things I already knew because I have had friends who have traveled recently, other things I heard for the first time. There were several families there, and we all went around the room introducing ourselves. We were also asked to tell where we are in the adoption process. I have to admit I was feeling a little sorry for myself when I heard from families who had began the process after us and already had their LOA. I had to remind myself that God has a plan for our family, and knows the exact date and time I will meet my little girl for the first time. He knows when we are going to receive our LOA, and every other detail of this adoption. It is so hard waiting...pray that we will have peace as we wait for Gods timing.

A Christmas Miracle

Last week I received a call from my sweet friend Stephanie, who lives in Mississippi. She was calling to let me know that she had just gotten off the phone with a woman in Nepal saying they had the evidence they needed to prove the baby they were matched with was indeed a true orphan, and they could now make their travel plans to bring him home!! Let me try to explain why this is such an awesome miracle. In January their dossier will have been in Nepal for three years! Yes...YEARS! To say our friends have been on a roller coaster ride is an understatement to say the least. They have experienced so much heartache on this faith journey that I can't even begin to tell you what it has been like for them. Nepal is such a poor, unstable place. When Stephanie and her husband Chris began this journey they felt God was leading them to Nepal. They were in a pilot program with their agency. This was a new endeavor, but seemed promising. Just a few months after beginning the process the country closed it's doors to adoption. It took months(not sure how long) to reopen, but it did. In the meantime Chris and Stephanie stayed the course, enouraged by their agency. This was just the beginning of the long , hard road they have traveled. They have trusted God through it all and knew He was sovereign over their lives...no matter what. There were times of doubt and confusion, but there was always a glimmer of hope that kept them on the road to Nepal. They were matched with their baby in July...while were visiting with them a couple of days! I can't tell you how exciting it was to be there that day!!! An absolute blessing! After that, things within the government have been unstable. Basically our friends needed a miracle to be able to bring this baby home. They got their travel approval in Oct. and had four months to travel, or this baby would remain an orphan. Glory to God...he will have a mommy and daddy and a precious big sister now! Let me just say...if you are reading this and are adopting and maybe things aren't going the way "you planned" have faith in the Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!!! He will "never leave you nor forsake you." He loves you and has an awesome plan for your life!! Stand firm...do not give up! "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."(Eph. 6:12) Put on your armor and fight!

Emily, Ellie and Sam have been friends since they were babies!

Me and Stephanie on the day they received their referral.

Thanksgiving Part 2

This is the second half of our Thanksgiving fun. We always spend Thanksgiving Day (and the day before) at Todd's mother's house. Thanksgiving night we go to my parents' house. Although the feasting there doesn't begin until the next day, which is good. Let me go back and explain something from my previous post before I go further. I feel like I need to hit the "high points" of the game of washers for those of you who have never heard of it before. I never knew there was such a game until I met Todd and began going to family get togethers! Anyway, basically you throw, toss, pitch, etc. a small round metal washer at a sort of round wooden circular object. The object (I think) is to get the washer in  the hole. You add up points, and whoever gets to 21 first wins. This is Big time family fun down in the country where Todd is from!! Now...on to Nana and Papa's house. We eat our big meal with them on Friday at lunch. The next day "the girls" bake cookies. We started doing this the year I was pregnant with Sam, so this was our 12th annual Christmas cookie baking day. We bake mostly Spritz cookies, which freeze well. There are our favorites that we do each year and we typically try a new one each year. Sometimes the new cookie works and we do it again the following year and sometimes it gets cut. We always have alot of fun!! Ellie couldn't wait till she was big enough to help. Now she is running the mixer! She loves to be in the kitchen. This year my sister got sick and couldn't help...missed you Aunt Heather! Well, that's our Thanksgiving weekend. We are so thankful to God for allowing us to have another blessed time with our family.

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Thanksgiving at Nana and Papa's. Ellie loves helping in the kitchen!

Ready for the big feast!

One more Thanksgiving meal down...relaxing on the couch.

Henry fell asleep in Nana's lap...too much turkey!!

Love my Ellie!

Let the baking begin...

First batch of cookies into the oven.

Nana giving some baking tips.

The boys...playing monopoly, watching football, and reading the paper.

Cookie guns ready!!

Ellie dipping cookies in chocolate and sprinkles...yum yum!!