Christmas

Just as Christmas was getting under way this month I turned on my Christmas playlist on the computer and went back to whatever I was doing.  Suddenly THIS song came on.  And all of a sudden I was weeping.  My kids just looked at me like I was crazy.  I couldn't stop.  I couldn't make it through that song last year for sure and this year she is home and here and we are so grateful and amazed by God's goodness and blessing.

As we celebrated the birth of our savior this Christmas, we were so aware of the miracle of adoption.  That God sent his son so we could be adopted into his family.  So we could be called Children of God.

How great the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the sons of God. And that is what we are! I John 3:1

We read with renewed amazement the lineage of Jesus.  What was once a "boring" passage of the Bible becomes amazing, when you realize it is the lineage of Jesus through Joseph - his adopted father.  We read with excitement the names of Ruth and Rahab in the lists of names.  Women who were not Jewish but were adopted into the family of God's chosen people and put into the line of Jesus.  Make no mistake.  God loves adoption.  We live in a broken and sinful world.  The least of these will always be with us.  But never doubt that their defender is mighty!

Sarah had a great Christmas.  I was a little concerned about it.  She had been home 3 weeks when we stuck a huge tree in the middle of our den.  It's a little wierd when you look at with fresh eyes!  She never missed a beat and loved decorating the tree!

She was amazed at the box of ornaments.

So happy to have threee sets of footprints this year!

  I was already weepy about having three sets when Shane says, "If they do this until they go to college Will only gets to do it two more times."  

Well thank you and goodnight.  

The kids' ornamnets came from China this year.  We bought them on the Island in a little shop.  They are a tiger for Will, a snake for Jenny and a rat for Sarah.  They go along with the year they were born.

It was a fun and busy month.  Along with Christmas we had LOTS of appointments both in town and out of town.  There were concerts and dances and lots of things to get done.  I was unexpectedly unstressed though.  I attribute it to two things.  One is Amazon Prime.  I have plenty of guilt for not doing more local shopping, but it helped me survive this year.  And 2 (and more importantly) a renewed since of what matters.  It was just a since of calm. 

It was a busy December though!

Will finished up his Eagle Scout work.  We are SO proud of him!

Jenny had her first school dance!!  How time flies!

Sarah looked for her BeBe on the computer while watching Carols by Candlelight.  We were so sad not to get to see it in person for the first time ever! BeBe understood though, and we watched it several times via the live feed.

We made playdough and Jenny made it into Christmas colors for Sarah!

 Gingerbread Houses

(the premade kind-HA!)

Sarah was more interested in the candy!

These two took it surprisingly seriously.  

Sarah ditched me for the boys cause they let her eat more candy!!

I was a little nervous about how our family celebrations would go.We have kept Sarah very close for     the past 6 weeks.  We made a quick appearance at Thanksgiving and we slipped into church once, but other than that and a couple of errands we haven't ventured out much.  Christmas was going to be the first time she was really around a lot of people.  I was nervous if she could handle the sensory overload of the people and the presents and the noise.  I was worried she would forget who the parents were and just start going to everyone indiscriminately.  The worry was for nothing because she did GREAT!!!  Christmas Eve was tons of fun at the Huffs.  She didn't really know what to do with the presents but had fun watching.  We laughed because we think she walked 100 miles that night just going from room to room and walking around getting a feel for where she was.  

Christmas day was great.  She slept until about 6:45.  Will and Jenny were already up waiting in Will's room and when they heard her they came and got us.  Santa had come!  We had a really great day and she had so much fun!  Everytime the kids would hand her a gift she would walk around the couch and put it back under the tree.  It took a while but by the time we got to Mammas that night she knew to pull the paper off and the pull the tissue out and see what was inside.  She loved seeing cousins her age and she had a great time.  

Jenny's GIANT panda from Santa who also gave her money to go towards the iPad she is saving for.

Will's new guitar!!  This was from Santa for Christmas and also for finishing his Eagle.

What the heck is this thing?

Sisters!

HEY!  This is fun!

I love Balls!

Brothers are awesome!!

This next picture - while not very Christmasy - cracks me up!  Will gave her an Ole Miss jersey and she LOVES hats so she put on Will's flat bill Saints hat and then she gave me this look when I called her name.  It makes me laugh every time I look at it.

We are now 2 days past Sarah's first Chirtsmas.  This is always my favorite week of the year.  Shane generally has most of it off and there are zero expectations of things to get done.  Everyone just wants to play games, watch TV and eat and that is pretty much what we do!  Right now the boys are playing a video game, Jenny is watching something on her new iPad and Sarah is asleep on the couch.

Mamma's about to make them turn off the screens, but for now everyone is just happy to be at home.  I am happy to have my children all with me.  

Merry Christmas from the Huffs and a Happy New Year!!