Unspeakable Joy...
Merry Christmas friends and family!!
Another first for us! This was Meisi's first year at home for Christmas. :)
Ok guys, she is precious all the time but oh how I wish I could have bottled up her sweet voice, words and excitement today. :) Of course, we couldn't find the plug for the camcorder so short videos on phones were best we could do.
Last year we started a new tradition of only giving three gifts for each person as the kids get so much from grandparents.
The Gold gift (wrapped in gold paper) is something you really want.
The Frankincense Gift (wrapped in white) is something that can help you grow closer to Jesus or be used for personal worship.
The Myrrh gift (wrapped in brown paper) is something for your body (clothes, shoes, jewelry, perfume, etc).
They do still get a stocking filled with a few special candies like juicy drops and bottle pops and necessities like undies, socks, toothbrush and toothpaste. Sounds boring for our electronic world but it is so fun to hear their excitement over their toothbrushes and toothpaste. Our kids are also fully aware we fill those stockings. :) We do visit Santa, often multiple times, but it is a tradition like visiting Mickey Mouse at Disney.
Here is Meisi equally excited over Daddy's new toothbrush. She was jumping up and down, cheering as he pulled it out of his stocking. :)
After stockings we read Luke 2 and talk about the reason we celebrate Christmas. "...The Savior has been born, He is Christ the Lord".
What love God must have for us to send His Son to be born humbly in a manger as a human baby... "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." John 1:14
What mercy Jesus had to die for us, all of us, so we can have forgiveness by making Him Lord of our life.
Joy to the World the Lord has come!
As we watched each other open presents, Meisi would get a present the big kids handed her and she'd say, "For me?"
We'd say, "Yes."
And as if to make sure she hadn't heard us wrong, she'd ask again, "For Meisi?!"
We'd say, "Yes, princess, for you."
She'd jump up and down, and rip them open.
Repeating with nearly every present.
I'm not sure how kids learn to rip paper off presents so quickly! Apparently Brian wasn't ripping fast enough, so Meisi was explaining here, "Rip it Daddy, like this," using hand motions. haha
While it has been a busy, exhausting month for our family with traveling, baking, a house that I'm certain a tornado must've hit... it has been joy filled.
Spending time with Grandma in Virginia
Joy to the World the Lord has come!
As we watched each other open presents, Meisi would get a present the big kids handed her and she'd say, "For me?"
We'd say, "Yes."
And as if to make sure she hadn't heard us wrong, she'd ask again, "For Meisi?!"
We'd say, "Yes, princess, for you."
She'd jump up and down, and rip them open.
Repeating with nearly every present.
I'm not sure how kids learn to rip paper off presents so quickly! Apparently Brian wasn't ripping fast enough, so Meisi was explaining here, "Rip it Daddy, like this," using hand motions. haha
While it has been a busy, exhausting month for our family with traveling, baking, a house that I'm certain a tornado must've hit... it has been joy filled.
Spending time with Grandma in Virginia
Spending time with Nana and Papa when they came to visit us here then having the privilege of worshipping with them at our church.
Thinking back to this time last year, I was so sad to not be with our baby girl. Oh the longing we had to be with her. We are so very thankful that today she is home. Although, it seems she always has been. :)
The best gifts aren't bought in stores.
My cup overflows.
And as I'm finishing this post I hear this conversation...
Aili, "Ian when we get our little brother from China these dolls would be perfect!"
...as she shows him the Bitty Twins in the American Girl catalog. ;) hahaha
Merry Christmas!
