I think I may have posted last year on Christmas Day...or at least close to it...but this year I'm nearly two weeks late! I took this photo of Carly in her Christmas jammies last year in front of our tree and decided it would be a tradition.
Here's this year's photo...although in this heat there is no way she wore these Christmas jammies to bed...
This is my second Christmas I've had the privilege of carrying a baby during the celebration of Jesus' birth. When I was carrying Carly I felt like I could relate to Mary in a whole new way. Here was this teenage Mom, who traveled miles by a donkey (and if that didn't help induce labor AND add to her soreness...) to give a natural birth to a boy without the help of anyone but her probably scared-out-of-his-mind husband and in the midst of nearly thee most unsanitary conditions known to man...okay, I can't relate at all. But, I can say it's special to be great with child and eagerly awaiting my son's birth while contemplating the birth of my Savior.
We've been attending Harvest Bible Chapel for 3 months now and I can't wait for Sunday mornings each week. This month our pastor has been breaking down the lyrics of some of the most precious songs written in honor of Jesus' birth, and one week he focused on the song, "Silent Night" and spoke in detail of the mess Mary was in. He had us repeat over and over again, "Jesus meets us in our mess." I enjoyed the perspective and was reminded just how humbly Christ came. He talked about all the kings of the world and how no one has ever stepped down from their thrown to provide hope to a suffering world, let alone allow the brutal torture he faced before dying for us. Jesus' life has affected more lives than any one person in the history of mankind, I'm always surprised when someone tries to start an argument with me that He isn't God.
I'm so grateful for the blessing of our Savior, and have enjoyed sharing His story with Carly this year. She knows who baby Jesus is and she knows we pray to Him. She thinks that Mickey should be in the Nativity, so that's taking a few steps back, but hey, we have a few more years to work with her on real vs. pretend. ;) Although this Christmas was nothing "special" and lacking any and all extended family, snow & super delicious food, it was still our first Christmas in our new home and our first and only Christmas celebrating as just a family of three. Christmas Eve was special, meeting Brian at church for a petting zoo then onto a Starlit service outdoors enjoying the just-cool-enough 56 degree weather, complete with each of us holding our own candles. It was pure worship, and one of the few times we get to do that as a family. Brian's Grandma established a tradition of having soup and cookies on Christmas Eve, so after the service that's exactly what we had. Cauliflower Cheese Soup (Brian's favorite) in a bread bowl complete with (just okay) homemade Christmas sugar cookies. It was off to bed for our little one and Brian & I grabbed a few snuggles while watching a Christmas movie (I'm embarrassed to admit it was Santa Clause 3...but hey, that's what was on TV...)
Christmas morning our hard working daddy was off bright and early (around 5am) to work, but was able to come home to us around noon! Carly & I decided to head to the home of a colleague from work for a bit after eating some Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes (a nice breakfast is my family's tradition...my Mom would have done much more than pancakes...but that's all two little ladies really needed). Throughout the day we spent nearly 3 hours skyping/facetiming with our families and had just enough time to eat a nice ham steak dinner and open a few presents. The day certainly doesn't go down as "Best Christmas Ever," but we went to sleep that evening counting our blessings indeed. Unless we celebrate in Iowa, surrounded by our families and snow while eating the comfort foods we grew up eating, it just wont feel like Christmas. That's really okay, though. Someday soon our children will anticipate Christmas and look forward to the traditions Brian & I create, which I believe at that point it will feel like Christmas again. Next year we may very well have two walking and talking children to open presents with. We are giddy to watch our family grow and learn together over the next year.
This holiday season, my heart was heavy to find ways to help those in need. I don't feel like I have much "time" to give, but God has blessed us financially in a few big ways (this year it was the purchase of our new home at a very low price while selling our other home for a greater price than we paid for it & a raise for me at work we were absolutely not expecting) this year so I tried to be more generous about giving. I am not naturally a giver and have always struggled with holding onto each penny. I still have MUCH work to do in this area...but Christ continually helps me see more ways in which we should be giving. Anyway, one way He provided an opportunity to "give" this year was when our nanny, who we love very much, needed a home for 6 weeks. She ended up being with us for Thanksgiving & Christmas...and Carly very much enjoyed having her around! :) Carly is actually quite confused this week on where Jen went and asks for her daily. Jen helped make our holidays special...she had REAL San Fran sourdough bread sent to us and her mom sent us all a HUGE box of sweets that we enjoyed munching on each day. What meant the most to me, though, was that she took the time to make this sweet gift for us with Carly. I couldn't have asked for a more thoughtful gift...her taking the time to create a memory for our child while giving something to Brian & I that we will cherish forever. Our first gift from Carly. Very precious. She also had her put her finger prints on a few ornaments. When Carly sees the plaque she made us she always says, "hands....Jen...hands!"
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| Jen & C before Jen headed to work at MK |
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from our family to yours!
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