Best Gifts of 2012

This gift came early.

In that box was a Vanderbilt hoodie

from Brian to me.

In the box that followed were two tickets

to the Vanderbilt bowl game!

This Noah's Ark was such a huge hit!

It was from Pop to Elias, 

but Daniel and Samuel love it too.

Mimi's gift to Samuel was perfect.

He is such a little musician.

He loves this thing.

Amazed.

That's what Daniel was when

Mimi brought out her gift to him.

A remote controlled Cranky 

to go with his Thomas trains and tracks.

It's awesome.

The actual child's grocery cart 

from Grandpa to Samuel

(which Mommy spray painted

and made it to look brand new)

has been used non-stop.

Not only does it carry grocery boxes,

it also carries tracks, animals, and books.

Two surprises from Daddy to Mommy

are in this picture:

1) the necklace I am wearing has all 5 

of our children's names stamped into it - 

sweetest thing ever

and 

2) the sketch of Elias done by a young man

that is incredibly talented and is in the 

program at the Mission where Brian works.

Mimi's gift to Elias was this

Chase and Race town.

All three boys enjoy it!

Aunt Ca got each of the boys a bathtub paint set.

Be still my heart.

They've had two baths in less than 24 hours.

They love painting in the tub so much.

Grandpa's gift to Elias is a keeper.

Our sickish little one actually smiled

when he started playing with it.

The best gifts are not things...

For me, the best gift of all

is the gift of Christ and His love.

It is because of Him 

that we know how to love

and be loved.

My heart is FULL.

Our Jesus Tree

Our Christmas tree is a special sight.  God gave me the initial idea before Brian and I were even a couple to make him his own Christmas tree.  I knew he wasn't exactly home living in a church couple's upstairs bedroom, so for my pastor's Christmas gift in 2006, I purchased, decorated, and gave him a very special tree that he could have in his room.  It was SMALL, but the ornaments each represented a name of Christ.  I laminated a sheet that included each ornament, the name of Christ each stood for, and the scripture reference for each one.  It was amazing.  (In fact, it still is.  It meant so much to him that he kept it, and it is a staple decoration in our home every Christmas.)

So, when we married just a mere 4 months after that, we knew what our first Christmas tree was going to be.  We decided to make a large-scale of the small tree I had created for him.  It's really special.  We've collected and added ornaments over the past 6 years, and each one represents a name of Christ OR a scripture in the Bible.  It's decorated with scarlet ribbons, a string of pearls, a vine among the branches, and for each ornament, there is a ball ornament with the scripture reference written on it.  It's topped with a crown of thorns.  As our children grow, we plan to use each ornament and decoration as a nightly devotion leading up to Christmas.

Christmas Tree 2011

Vines

I am the vine; you are the branches...

John 15:5

Trump

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1 Thessalonians 4:16

Deer

As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after You.

Psalm 42:1

Lily and Rose

I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys.

Song of Solomon 2:1

Nets

Follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men.

Mark 1:17

After decorating our tree in 2011

Daniel with the "trump of God"

Samuel holds our "winnowing fan"

Matthew 3:12-17

Christmas 2012 included tracks under the tree.

Christmas Tree 2012

Christmas 2012

3 boys and their toys.

Elias' favorite ornaments are the "bells."

Exodus 28:34

The small tree that started it all.

Sweet, Simple Christmas

I love Christmas.  I love the truth it brings.  I love that it is a time to really reflect on the birth of Jesus.  I don't always think of my Savior as a child, but now that I am a mother, the story of Christ's arrival is much sweeter to me.  The idea that God's Son was willing to come to this earth to bless us with the gift of His life, death, and resurrection completely amazes me.

Christmas for our family is simple.  We eat too much, laugh a bunch, and love on each other.  We read from Luke over and over and over to reiterate the importance of this holiday, and at this point, both Daniel and Samuel can tell you the gifts the wise men brought to baby Jesus.  Our boys, much like Jesus, receive three gifts from Mom and Dad on Christmas morning.  They wake to find them neatly wrapped and set out underneath our "Jesus" tree.  However, they cannot open them until after we read about the gift of Jesus!  

I know we do things a bit different than most, but there's something sweet about the simplicity of what we do.  Jesus didn't come into the world with fancy things, yet He was and is the King of Kings.  He definitely wasn't the best dressed wearing swaddling cloths and lying among pieces of hay, yet He now wears a robe and a crown.  He didn't need gifts because He was and is the gift to the world.  I want our children to know that Christmas is about CHRIST and nothing more.  The reason we lavish our love on our children at this time of year is because Christ first loved us.  Yes, they got way more than they need, but I hope that in the excitement of what was today, our boys reflected on who and why we celebrate:  Jesus Christ, our Lord.

3 boys

3 stockings

3 gifts for each

(Stockings are my favorite Christmas childhood memory - 

my mom was very good about making these special for us, 

so I really want to continue that tradition with our boys.)

Reading the Christmas Story

in our pajamas

Daniel, despite having gone to the doctor

on Christmas Eve and having ear infections,

was SUPER excited to get 

Crazy Forts from Mom and Dad!

Thankful for medicine today.

Samuel, our little musician,

was happy to get a microphone

that plays music AND

records him singing!

Elias really wasn't feeling well...

He has been running temp since Christmas Eve, 

and today his symptoms increased.

However, he really liked his 

Chase and Go car.

BUT not near as much as he liked 

his Laugh and Learn farm he received

from Grandpa a few days before Christmas.

We decided to pull it out on Christmas Day - 

you know, to add to the chaos.  

We were all ready to go back to bed.

No?

Just Mom and Elias.

We really test the "age recommendation"

on toys to their limits.  For instance,

the barn says ages 6-36 months.

No joke, our 3 sons played with this for an hour.

Elias (7 months)

Samuel (31 months = 2 1/2 years)

Daniel (44 months = 3 1/2 years)

Daniel acted like it was the best thing

he's seen in a year!

What Christmas 

(and double ear infections)

does to Daniel!

Asleep on the couch by 7 o'clock

Oh, The Things Daniel Says!

While opening his Thomas Mega Bloks' set, he tells cousin Zach:
You need the constructions.
(which of course means instructions)

Early one morning, as I sat in the floor with the boys, changing diapers:
Mom, are you wearing a bra?
Um, no, Daniel, I just woke up.
You need to hurry up and get one on or your milk is gonna be spilling.

On our way to Mimi's, we realize that Daniel knows directions:
You need to turn left here.
Where?
At the red light, then you need to go right by Cracker Barrel.

Mom, may I have a cookie?
Maybe in a little while.

She said I CAN!  Right now!  My mommy said that.

Laying in bed one night, about to fall asleep:
You know, Mom, it sure is freezing.

Upon seeing his gifts:
Oh. my. goodness.

Seeing a strange commercial:
What in the world?!

When he found Elias chewing on paper:
Are you kidding me?!

On Christmas morning:
Look at my decorations!  They are yewtiful!
(decorations means gifts - yewtiful means beautiful)

7 Month Milestones

Time, you can start standing still now.  Please.

In His 7th Month, Elias:
Weighed 22 lbs.
Wore 18 month clothes.
Wore size 3-4 in diapers.
Loved his Mommy.
Said, "ma-ma," often.

Had fun for Thanksgiving!
Went to Uncle David's on Thanksgiving Day.
Stayed with Mimi while Mom and Dad shopped.
Met Mommy's dearest friend, Amanda.
Always was on his belly.
Was very curious.
Wanted to know what was going on.
Watched every move Mommy made.
Pulled hair.
Drooled.  A LOT.
Had tried bananas, apples, squash, and rice cereal.
Only seemed to like squash.
Saw his first Christmas tree at Mimi's.
Saw the pediatric pulmonologist again.
Scheduled to have a bronchoscopy.
Wheezed all the time.
Sick with ear infections and bronchialitis again.
Had his bronchoscopy on December 3rd.
Has tracheo, laryngo, and broncho malacia.
Suspected to have silent reflux and/or reactive airway.
Was amazing.
Never cried despite long hours of no milk.
Watched as we put up his/our Christmas tree.
Had the sweetest grin/smile - his whole face looks pinched!
Was able to scoot himself to where he wanted to be.
Started sitting himself up on his own.
Sat straight up.
Loved his jumperoo.
Took naps in his jumperoo and swing.
Went to West TN for Daddy's Union University graduation.
Daddy completed his Master's in Christian Studies!
Stayed at Mema's house and had Christmas.
Got a Mickey Mouse and lift-a-flap book.
Really likes books.
Had a terrible, reoccurring rash on his chin and cheeks.
In just a month, Elias went from rolling to scooting, crawling, and sitting up on his own.

He loves to play with Mom in the floor!

In waiting for the bronchoscopy...

Getting impatient but not crying.

Sweet boy after his procedure.

Just wanted to get that thing

off of his arm.

Samuel near about squishes

and squeezes and hugs Elias 

to death.  

Elias doesn't always like 

Samuel's acts of affection.

You wouldn't know it here!

My favorite grin of Elias'

Sitting up in a restaurant high chair

for the very first time - 

Smiling at Lisa :)

Weird rash.  

Dislike it.

Leave Elias alone.

Playing with Mickey.

Or at least trying to figure him out.

Other than his Mommy,

Elias' favorite person just might be

his big brother, Daniel.

Um, yes, Mom,

I can help you wrap my presents.

WHILE sitting up all by myself.

thank.you.very.much.

On his way to being just like his brothers.

LOVE.