Christmas: The Good

Another Christmas has been celebrated in our new home.. this would make it year number two. This Christmas season was filled with making snowmen, enjoying cups of hot chocolate, Christmas concerts at local churches, staying up late and watching Christmas movies on TV... but mostly it was just soo great to watch our kids get excited for Christmas. Although they were excited about the tree, the lights, Santa of course, the stockings and all the other decorations.. they got it that it is really about love, caring, sharing with others and most importantly it is Jesus's birthday.

This was the first year that Ava was really adamant that she had to buy her own gifts for each member of the family (... and anyone she met to be perfectly honest ~ she has such a generous and servant heart). So I thought this was a good teaching moment for several things. Firstly to explain what a budget it. And that the amount you spend isn't what is important, what is important is to let the person know that you care, love and were thinking of them. Secondly it was an opportunity for her to experience what it is like to give a gift... not only to received gifts. She had a lot of fun thinking of what she wanted to buy, shop for them, wrap them and most importantly keep it all a secret! And she did really well! She didn't let any of it slip!

2009 Christmas will also be very memorable for me because it was just fun! I think it was because they kids were more excited this year... and you see their personalities more ~ and that is so exciting and interesting to see! They were excited to play in the snow. They were excited to see the Christmas tree (every morning). They were excited to watch Christmas movies on TV. They were just excited! And to experience that kind of innocent excitement made me excited again!

Over the Christmas holidays we were able to entertain more ~ and that is something Jay and I really enjoy doing. It was wonderful to be able to open up our home to some of our church families and friends. We are starting to feel like we are taking root here and that makes us feel good. It feels good to open up our home and share what God has blessed us with. Hey you can't take it with you.... so you may as well share 'the goods'.

This year also marks Linden's first Christmas ...

So overall this was an amazing Christmas.... but with the good comes the not so good..