Magical Christmas

I have to admit. Christmas around here is just..well..magical.
Our first Christmas as a six and I really have to pinch myself.
As crazy as it can be around here, there is something really
special about our first Christmas.
Thankful.


It took me two days to try and explain why we chop a tree
down and bring it in our house. However, when the decorations
came out the cheering could be heard through the neighborhood.
As we took out the ornaments, I felt sad because I did not have
homemade ornaments from the girls. So, the next day we spent
making our own and hanging them on the tree. We had so much
fun making them and I could tell miss M was content to know
her handmade goodness was added to the tree.

Last Christmas I packed shoe boxes to be sent to Congo.
I picked special items and wrapped each one for the
girls. I remember driving them to our agency and crying on
the way home. I really wanted my two girls to be home.
This year, we packed shoe boxes for other kids in need.
I explained to the girls what we did last year. With Miss M
being older, she remembered her "specials" as she called them.
I think she smiled the entire time.


Here is one of the little dolls we sent through Operation Christmas
Child this year. It was so amazing to watch all the kids packing the
gifts. The boys remembered us packing them for the girls last year
and the girls were so excited to give.


There have been some funny moments. Like when we saw Santa
2 days in a row. We aren't Santa promoters around here. The boys
asked me if Santa was real. I asked them if they wanted to believe
that he was real. They said that wanted to believe he was real. I
smiled as I knew they understood Santa was pretend but I followed
it with "you know, only Jesus is real". They agreed and we all
moved on. The girls are not sure what to think about a man
in a suit asking them about their Christmas wishes. Miss M
thinks he is just funny. Miss little M is not amused.


*Case in point*
All the cousins ate cookies together at the local town square.
Santa arrived and they all gathered around to share what
they might want for Christmas. Miss little M was not
having it. At all. She darted away. As there you have the boys
and miss M....gleeful in their wishing.


Guess who had a birthday this month?

Oh yes! We now have 2 kiddos the same age!!!
I have to admit. I thought that having 2 children the same
age would be really hard on all of us. However, I have found
that at times it has been challenging but they really are
double trouble. The Lord, in his goodness, gave these 2
babies the same sense of humor and love for practical jokes.
These 2 were among the most excited to trick their Papa with
no tear toilet paper from the dollar store. They both love to
be on time and have things in order. They have much more in
common than not.


How about our first girl cake in the house?
Barbie and all. As you can see, Papa is pretty
much a rock star around here. Well, she did she
Justin Beiber on TV and said "oh, he cute, yes".
We will have a house full of high schoolers someday.
No. no. Can't go there yet.