How different Christmas was this year! Last year I had a photo of my sweet girl and had accepted her referral. I even had photos of her receiving her first care package from me. But I was still waiting for a court date and the process had taken its toll. I am sad to say, but last Christmas I really felt like I just went through the motions.
This year I was really purposeful in making plans and trying to capture the traditions that I want to continue for our family in the years to come, but what I discovered was that it really gave me an amazing opportunity to resurrect the traditions I remember from my own childhood.
This year I was really purposeful in making plans and trying to capture the traditions that I want to continue for our family in the years to come, but what I discovered was that it really gave me an amazing opportunity to resurrect the traditions I remember from my own childhood.
This year on Christmas Eve our home was filled with love and laughter of more than a dozen of our favorite people! I prepared an appetizer buffet, we handed out gifts, listened to Christmas music and watched the kids play.
Jacinda and my niece Leah (with my help) tracked Santa's progress on the computer, prepared a plate of cookies and left some sugar out on the porch for the reindeer.
Since Santa was making his visit to my house for both Jacinda and Leah, the adults stayed up late to wait for him before heading home. On Christmas morning I got up early and started making our traditional Christmas breakfast. My dad is a huge fan of the meal, so it is never a simple bowl of cereal on Christmas. My brother and I started making the Christmas morning breakfast when I was a teen, so it is a long-standing tradition except this year I got to make it in my very own kitchen! YAY!!
Jacinda woke up around 8 a.m. and just took it all in. Santa had left packages wrapped in pink for her and packages wrapped in purple for Leah. A few minutes later Leah arrived and the two of them opened their stockings.
Then we had breakfast. When I was younger my mom always had a birthday cake for Jesus, so we did too. And after breakfast we all sang Happy Birthday Jesus and read the Christmas story from the Bible.
It was really a special time and one I will never forget. The Jacinda and Leah headed toward their presents. We had Christmas dinner (deliciously prepared by my mom) and then we relaxed, played and enjoyed the rest of the day!
Jacinda and my niece Leah (with my help) tracked Santa's progress on the computer, prepared a plate of cookies and left some sugar out on the porch for the reindeer.
Since Santa was making his visit to my house for both Jacinda and Leah, the adults stayed up late to wait for him before heading home. On Christmas morning I got up early and started making our traditional Christmas breakfast. My dad is a huge fan of the meal, so it is never a simple bowl of cereal on Christmas. My brother and I started making the Christmas morning breakfast when I was a teen, so it is a long-standing tradition except this year I got to make it in my very own kitchen! YAY!!
Jacinda woke up around 8 a.m. and just took it all in. Santa had left packages wrapped in pink for her and packages wrapped in purple for Leah. A few minutes later Leah arrived and the two of them opened their stockings.
Then we had breakfast. When I was younger my mom always had a birthday cake for Jesus, so we did too. And after breakfast we all sang Happy Birthday Jesus and read the Christmas story from the Bible.
It was really a special time and one I will never forget. The Jacinda and Leah headed toward their presents. We had Christmas dinner (deliciously prepared by my mom) and then we relaxed, played and enjoyed the rest of the day!
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