A Christmas Recap

Christmas 2010.

Ahhhh, it started out so well....

We all went to our church's Christmas Eve service and had a great time. The kids sat on our laps and enjoyed singing songs, hearing the Christmas story, and holding a candle in honor of Jesus.

It was the beginning of something great. I just knew it....

We came home, had a lovely meal, and got our annual Christmas Eve pajamas.









Even though I don't have him pictured, Stone did indeed get Christmas pajamas. In fact, they are sitting on the coffee table in front of me in the previous picture.

So please don't accuse me of neglecting my third child.

He is only neglected in photo-ops, not in pajama reception. Just so we have that clear.

The kids got all pajama-ed and into bed with visions of what was to come the next morning. I began thinking about their faces and their reactions as they opened the presents that I had so carefully chosen for them over the past few months. All that hard work and preparation was going to be worth it once I saw their sweet smiling faces the next morning.

Too bad all I saw was the inside of a toilet bowl.

You see, it was about the time we got the kiddos in bed that I began to feel a little "uneasy" in my tummy.

"Oh, I just ate too much of that yummy sweet potato casserole," I kept telling myself.

In fact, I told myself that all the way up to the point where I was heaving said casserole into that porcelain bowl that became like a friend to me that night. It was about that time that I surrendered to that fact that I indeed had a stomach bug.

On Christmas Eve.

Oh, the irony.

But I was bound and determined to heave my booty out of bed and onto the couch to at least "observe" Christmas morning.

I even managed to take a few pictures.

The girls had a blast opening everything. I am so blessed by all the people that love my family.

And there is nothing like watching the reaction of a child on Christmas morning. It is priceless.

Some presents were from mommy...

Some presents were from daddy....

Some were from grandma...

And some were from great-grandma...

Some, we were over-the-moon about....

And others, well, maybe not??.....

(I swear, I have no idea what I am going to do with that child!)

Stone finally graced us with his presence at 10:30!

Again, with the irony!

And he opened his presents, but preferred to play king of the mountain, rather than playing with his toys.

It wasn't until about 2:00 that I really started to feel better. We managed to take one decent family shot on Christmas. Of course, I'm a little shiny, but give me a break, I puked for 12 straight hours!


All in all, it was a fabulous Christmas. I love my little family, and I love that God has given me yet another year to enjoy them.

Ben and I spoke often about the possibility of Christmas looking a bit different for us next year. We are so excited about what God has next for us, but we are being careful to relish in these sweet moments surrounded by so many loved ones.

Thank you God, for sending your Son, and thank you for blessing me with a most wonderful Christmas. My heart overflows.

And my stomach no longer gurgles. Praise.The.Lord.