'Twas the Tuesday after Christmas, and all through my house,
It looked so horrendous, it was unfit for a mouse!
Okay, maybe that's a little extreme, but most of you wives and mothers know exactly what I'm talking about. Whew! Boy, am I beat. I spent today trying to get my house back in shape. It's quite a job. I have been going through Nathan's clothes, boxing up the ones that he has outgrown, and adding all his new clothes to his closet and dresser. I have been unboxing MORE toys for the little man and finding a place for his older toys. Bedsheets were washed. Dirty dishes are finally all washed. The laundry is almost complete. The candy is put away. The boxes have been burned. The books I received are stacked neatly and I restrained myself from stopping my work today and spending the whole day on the couch with one. Restraint. Restraint. Restraint. :) Tomorrow looks like a good "book day."
Was it a good Christmas? Yes, indeed. It was a busy, but enjoyable and blessed week. I got to spend time with all of my family and there were plenty of fun times. On Christmas Day, after both Nathan and Grant were sound asleep, I was thinking back to all the happenings of the week and, for the second year in a row, I began to cry. Last year, everything was new. It was my first Christmas away from my childhood home and with my husband. It was my first Christmas with a completely new routine. I was five months pregnant. And I was amazed at how welcomed I was into Grant's family. What a blessing. I didn't think I could feel more blessed....but I was wrong! This year, as I slipped into bed, my mind went through the year again. Since last Christmas, I brought a baby boy into the world. I celebrated my first anniversary. I traveled and sang. I wrote more songs. I was able to go to New York and Pennsylvania with my husband. This Christmas, we visited my grandma in Louisiana. We celebrated with Grant's grandmother. We had a wonderful time at my grandmother's annual Christmas party and saw some of our dearest friends. We spent Christmas Eve with my whole family and I savoured the priceless moments there. We spent Christmas Day with all of Grant's family and made more memories. And then for the first time, we had our first Christmas gift exchange...as a family. Last year, we were a couple. This year, we were a family, and I loved being able to experience my own little family Christmas. My favorite thing this Christmas was watching Nathan opening his gifts. At first, he was hesitant (due to all the "No's" and slaps on the hand for a month). He would reach out, then pull back and look at me. :) It didn't take long though, after the okay from Momma and Daddy, until he was "all in!" I loved watching him pull the paper, try to eat the bows, and touch his toys for the first time. When I was alone on Christmas night, I cried again and thanked God for not just another year, but a year that was "exceeding abundantly above" anything I could have dreamed. I felt like quoting Mary who said to Elizabeth, "For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name."
Below are some of my favorite pictures and highlights from this wonderful Christmas. I hope each of you had a marvelous celebration of our Lord Jesus' birth! :)
Our tree :)
Nathan opening his first Christmas gift at my grandma's
(as you can tell, he was a little hesitant)
Trying to figure it all out
My family in front of a beautiful poinsettia Christmas tree
at a Church's Christmas program
Sweet friendship <3
I love these girls! :)
My sister, Mercy, and I at our Grandmother's Christmas party
Nathan "riding the horsey" with Poppie
My parents, my husband, and my son. :) So blessed.
Me and the hubs
The tacky Christmas sweater party at G's office party
We had fun!
My family's annual Christmas Eve breakfast!
(sorry, the pic wouldn't rotate... :/)
Opening his gift from "aunt Deedee"
Helping Poppie open his gifts
Opening his presents
YAY! Toys!
My mom opening her gift from me -- a photo book
with years of memories of me and my sisters
She LOVED it
Christmas Eve night!
Us holding the picture we took last Christmas Eve
Our stocking area at my folks'
CHRISTMAS DAY!!
Presents!
He looked like such a big boy, opening up his gifts
<3 love this picture
Oh, did I forget to mention that he is pulling himself up now?
Ahhh!!! :)
All the stockings
Digging in aunt Kristin's stocking candy box
Leaving Grant's Dad's house, we saw all the geese.... BEAUTIFUL!
I loved these shoes
Pure bliss!
Grant picked me out these boots and I LOVE them!!!
I want more!
Christmas at Grant's Mom's house
Hooray!!
Grandmommy reading the Christmas story
Christmas with Momma and Daddy
He loved all his gifts....well, except the clothes. But Mommy
loved all the clothes! hehehe
My favorite gift each year. The Christmas before Grant and I got
married, he gave me a beautiful jewelry box. Inside the box wasthis stack of letters - one letter for the next TEN Christmases! I was
instructed to read one letter each Christmas for the next ten years. <3
**cue romantic swoon**
And, in closing, our Christmas card (courtesy of Shutterfly)
May God have the glory!
