My Favorite Christmas Moments!

Christmas this year was perfect! We had a great time doing so many fun things. There are a few highlights that stand out in my mind...Some of my best memories of this Christmas are...

**Having our first Christmas with Max! Our best friends Michael and Laurie adopted Max in July after years of waiting and then a really rough year with adoption. Max is their miracle and ours too! Max was truly our best gift of the season (after Jesus, of course!) 8-)

**Paul and Addie spent much of the holidays laughing and playing. They have so much fun together. They really enjoy each other!

**Paul was on the verge of not believing in Santa this year (due to kids in his class telling him Santa isn't real). He told me one day "Mom, I'm having a hard time believing in the flying reindeer"! We weren't ready for the awe and excitement of Santa to be over so we found "Elf of the Shelf" at a store in town and began it as a Christmas tradition in our house. Paul got into it 100% and fell back in to the magic and awe of Santa. It was so much fun!

**Singing carols at my parents house with all the grandkids. That was a fun evening!

**Paul reading "The Night Before Christmas" to the entire family for the first time. He has just learned to read in 1st grade and it's amazing to see him read and be excited realizing he's actually reading!

**Emma this year really got into one of the songs from the Christmas program we did at our house..."Go Tell It on the Mountain". She stood alone at each family gathering and belted out her version..."DON'T tell it on the mountain, over the hills and every way, DON'T tell it on the mountain, over the hills and every way" (that part repeats endlessly..."that Jesus Christ is born"...never comes unless you cue her)! I'm going to try to blog the video of it if I can figure it out.

**Christmas Eve was so much fun....watching their faces getting the cookies, milk, and picture Paul had drawn for Santa ready. They could hardly go to sleep. The excitement continued when they woke up and Paul raced to the living room!

Christmas was a wonderful time this year! Being with all of our family and friends made it so special for all of us. We are truly blessed in so many ways. The gift of His Son is our greatest blessing and having Jesus helps us to enjoy all the other blessings we have.