It’s the “MOST wonderful time of the year” (or so the song goes). But it is a time of year that just makes me sit back and smile. Christmas has already been lots of fun at our house. The girls are at the ages that the holiday starts to sparkle with its story coming back to life, the lights, music and building excitement of giggly little girls.
Our family? While you’ll find us more rested than last year, I’m not sure I can say the pace has slowed any! If I had a penny for every time I walked into a store with the girls and heard, “Well don’t you have your hands full!” I’d be quite rich. But I mean every word as I always reply, “but in such a good way.” Simply? The girls keep us hopping.
Ava is 3 going on 10. A first born in every sense of the word, she’s always ready and willing to let me know what I’ve forgotten, missed or should still be doing (or any one else who will listen). She delights in organization and her naturally disorganized mother stands back in amazement as she’ll get excited to pick up just for fun? My mom is just excited to see the fruits of her labor finally showing up in her grandchild.
Ava started both preschool and Sunday school this year and truly loves both. Going is always hard for my little girl but I’ve learned to enjoy the ritual of kisses, hugs, prayer and more hugs. She is a snuggler and there’s nothing I love more than her hugs and whispered “I love you’s” that I get to hear throughout every day.
Kate and Olivia (21 months) live life at one speed: fast forward. They are climbers, explorers and creators at heart (I hear “colored-on” blinds are all the rage?!). I’ve stopped trying to think ahead of them – life is lived mostly in the defensive these days. J
We hear new words about every week and I love hearing their language come to life. Well – let’s be honest, most of the time I love it. “No,” “mine,” “HEY!”, “stop,” and did I mention “NO?” are heard often around here (by me AND them). Both girls have lots of spunk and their daddy’s sense of humor. Watching the two of them giggle and snuggle and have fun with each other are easily some of my favorite moments of any day.
Ryan and I have found the past year both refreshing and incredibly stretching. Refreshing in the sense there’s been no “real” big changes. We’ve appreciated the routine, the sleep J, and the time to dig in and grow as individuals and together.
Yet amidst the routine, God has given us more than a few situations that have forced us to follow hard after Him and trust Him when we didn’t see the how or what. Through every prayer we’ve prayed this past year that God would show Himself, I can truthfully say that we stand in awe how every time we asked to see Him, He was there to offer us His best: Himself.
I think that’s the gift I’m standing in amazement at this Christmas. So many years ago, God sent His best, Jesus, to be born in a tiny manger. Not many years later, God once more gave His best, Jesus, to die on a cross that we could be in Heaven with Him.
Even today, He still offers His best, Himself, to every one who asks to know Him. Regardless of the unknown, the hard, and the uncomfortable, we can still seek His best and wait expectantly. That gives us all reason to rejoice this Christmas!
God bless,
R, A, A, K & O
Our family? While you’ll find us more rested than last year, I’m not sure I can say the pace has slowed any! If I had a penny for every time I walked into a store with the girls and heard, “Well don’t you have your hands full!” I’d be quite rich. But I mean every word as I always reply, “but in such a good way.” Simply? The girls keep us hopping.
Ava is 3 going on 10. A first born in every sense of the word, she’s always ready and willing to let me know what I’ve forgotten, missed or should still be doing (or any one else who will listen). She delights in organization and her naturally disorganized mother stands back in amazement as she’ll get excited to pick up just for fun? My mom is just excited to see the fruits of her labor finally showing up in her grandchild.
Ava started both preschool and Sunday school this year and truly loves both. Going is always hard for my little girl but I’ve learned to enjoy the ritual of kisses, hugs, prayer and more hugs. She is a snuggler and there’s nothing I love more than her hugs and whispered “I love you’s” that I get to hear throughout every day.
Kate and Olivia (21 months) live life at one speed: fast forward. They are climbers, explorers and creators at heart (I hear “colored-on” blinds are all the rage?!). I’ve stopped trying to think ahead of them – life is lived mostly in the defensive these days. J
We hear new words about every week and I love hearing their language come to life. Well – let’s be honest, most of the time I love it. “No,” “mine,” “HEY!”, “stop,” and did I mention “NO?” are heard often around here (by me AND them). Both girls have lots of spunk and their daddy’s sense of humor. Watching the two of them giggle and snuggle and have fun with each other are easily some of my favorite moments of any day.
Ryan and I have found the past year both refreshing and incredibly stretching. Refreshing in the sense there’s been no “real” big changes. We’ve appreciated the routine, the sleep J, and the time to dig in and grow as individuals and together.
Yet amidst the routine, God has given us more than a few situations that have forced us to follow hard after Him and trust Him when we didn’t see the how or what. Through every prayer we’ve prayed this past year that God would show Himself, I can truthfully say that we stand in awe how every time we asked to see Him, He was there to offer us His best: Himself.
I think that’s the gift I’m standing in amazement at this Christmas. So many years ago, God sent His best, Jesus, to be born in a tiny manger. Not many years later, God once more gave His best, Jesus, to die on a cross that we could be in Heaven with Him.
Even today, He still offers His best, Himself, to every one who asks to know Him. Regardless of the unknown, the hard, and the uncomfortable, we can still seek His best and wait expectantly. That gives us all reason to rejoice this Christmas!
God bless,
R, A, A, K & O
1 comments:
christmas would not have been the same without seeing you!! xoxo
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