Christmas at Home

We had really looked forward to enjoying the chance to spend a quiet few days at home over Christmas with just our little family.  The good news was that we got to spend it together.  The bad news? It just looked a little differently than we thought.

On the 23rd as we were getting ready to go to bed, Kate woke up with a bad dream.  I told her she could come snuggle in our bed for a bit while Mommy and Daddy got ready.  As I walked away from our bed and into our bathroom . ..I somehow managed to catch our bedpost just right on my foot and went down in pain and tears.  Being that I was pretty sure I had heard a crack, I was also pretty sure mommy had just broken her toe.  That was one very not fun night.  So I spent the first half of our Christmas eve in prompt care having my toe xrayed which confirmed it was indeed broken but thankfully still aligned.

It made the day interesting as I had planned to make a turkey dinner. The turkey was thawed and waiting so I hobbled around and with a few simplifications, our turkey was made.

Mommy and Olivia with the turkey ready to carve

Or we could just skip the carving

Master Carver

Ready to eat (and maybe desperately needing a shower : ) )

That night after the girls were in bed, Ryan made our first fire in this house.  We have a wood burning fireplace with a gas starter and we have been LOVING it.

Ahh, just how I envisioned Christmas Eve: a crackling fire, Christmas tree lit, Ryan beside me . . .and a gimp foot.  : )

The girls were super excited to wake up Christmas morning and open their stockings before church

Daddy and Mommy's stockings

Then it was to the showers (we all breathed a sigh of relief) and off to church on crutches as there was no chance any shoe was going near my foot yet. : )

When we came home, the girls didn't even want to change. They were ready to open presents and very quickly and efficiently figured out their three presents and were waiting on mommy and daddy.

Daddy reading the Christmas story to his attentive listeners ; )

And Ava got started on the first present

A new outfit and scarf

Kate opening up her leapster and new game

Olivia was super excited about her new robe

Trying it on

Ava's new leapster

A laundry for her doll house

And Olivia got a garden

Ava got a new outfit for her dolls she had been wanting (with boots that matched the ones she got from another Christmas)

Daddy and Mommy

Olivia's leapster and new game

Kate's new robe

Ava showing off one of her dolls in the outfit

One of Kate's lovely stocking stuffers - Olivia thought she looked SO pretty

Olivia's

Then it was time for lunch

and some quality family time?!

 Enjoying an afternoon movie with Daddy

And that's where our day shifted once more. Daddy and Olivia were rough housing and wrestling with each other.  Daddy thought they were done and went to walk away and Olivia, thinking they were still playing, dove towards him.  Instead of tackling daddy, the corner edge of our coffee table tackled her and cut her right about the eye.  There was enough of a cut (not to mention it hit right above her eye) that with it being on her face and her a girl, we didn't want to chance it if she would need stitches.  But there aren't many places to head on Christmas day but the ER.  So Daddy and Olivia spent Christmas afternoon together in the ER (since Mommy couldn't take her on her crutches : ) ).

They made it home in time for Christmas dinner.

Kate managed to hurt her knee right before we ate, so Daddy took a picture of his three "gimps."  : ) Thankfully, when it was all cleaned up, Olivia didn't need the stitches and a butterfly bandage was enough.  She was a trooper!

Then Ava wanted a photo with mommy

Ava and Olivia in matching jammies for bed

As different as those few days were than I had pictured, really over and over I just had to keep thinking how thankful I was.  You can't not think of your child waiting in another country where life is very different for most and think how many a mother dreams of just running to a nearby doctor for a few hours and then being able to relax and recoup in their warm home, with a table full of food, and medicine available as needed.  We are so blessed physically but far more, we are so blessed spiritually.  God has given us more than we could ask or imagine in that baby boy born long ago and for that we have lots to be thankful for this Christmas.