Christmas Day for Daniel

Daniel started his morning at his Mimi's.  We'd already been to Mimi's the week before, but we hold our immediate family Christmas for brunch on Christmas Day.  It's the morning where Daniel (and the rest of us) get ridiculously blessed and spoiled by my parents.  The morning went a little something like this for Daniel:

Daniel got a GT from Grandpa.

It is the most amazing walker I've ever seen!

He "drove" around the house all morning,

and it's also a jumper!

He had a blast!

Here Daniel is taking a break from riding.

He's found a love for playing Mimi's piano.

He really loves pushing on the foot pedals!

He started getting the hang of opening presents.

These were from Aunt Jessica and Uncle Andrew.

New onesies - that he's already outgrown!

He was really excited over this big box from Mimi.

He couldn't wait to get into his lion walk n' ride!

Who knew Pampers Cruisers would be such an great gift?!

He played with the box for a while...

That is, until Dad opened up his Elmo from Mimi!

He L-O-V-E-S Elmo!

He and Elmo became close friends watching a movie together.

We love this walker!

Mimi got Daniel this Elmo movie,

and he wouldn't take his eyes off of the screen!

And, at the end of the day...

Daniel and his lion had a T-I-M-E

learning to walk around.

 

As for the rest of us, I'll just hit the highlights - I mean, my mom is the best gift-giver you'll ever meet.  I couldn't possibly show you just how great it all was for us!

Brian got:

A round of golf to Twelve Stones,

the 2010 Tiger Wii golf game,

an awesome argyle sweater and button up shirt,

the Flywheel movie,

some more stuff I cannot remember,

and Chick Fil A gift card and calendar...

Our very FAVORITE!

Andrew got:

some Glenn Beck book,

a BUNCH of movies,

a few pair of jeans,

a gift certificate to Guns and Leather, and

a box of Count Chocula!

It's his favorite and it only comes out in the fall.

Mom always stocks up and buys him a bunch!

Jessica got:

hmmm...

a LOT of sweaters,

the latest Harry Potter movie,

obviously things I don't recall,

and this awesome set of flatware!

I got:

a Maternity dress,

lots of tights,

two pairs of FLAT ballet shoes,

a Bar-b-Cutie gift card

(which is actually Brian's lunch spot),

a velour sweatsuit,

more and more I cannot remember,

and the very best of all:

a can opener that works!

We've had every single kind...

They always stop working!

We all gave Mimi:

her yearly Thomas Kinkade calendar,

a bottle of Pleasures perfume from Daniel,

and this P. Graham Dunn picture,

which she loved!

(probably because it LOOKS like a Thomas Kinkade)

Grandpa got "a few of his favorite things":

a pair of TN Vols' pajama pants,

a gift card to Chef's Market,

a car cleaning kit,

and a John Deere calendar -

which I personalized with pictures

of each family member on their birthday

so he'll never forget.

And, in case you didn't notice...

Baby Johnson was there too!

Except he/she didn't get anything...

Well, other than an amazing brunch!

We love our family!  Thank you, Lord, for them.

Christmas Eve 2009

Brian told me before we were married that he wasn't into Santa Claus...  As sad as that may be to some (and to me, at first) I realized what a blessing it was to TRULY focus on Christ this Christmas.  I didn't have to worry about staying up late putting gifts together or waking up early to begin the chaos.  It made the season much more enjoyable and sentimental.  With that in mind, we decided to take Daniel for his first trip to see the nativity scene at Opryland Hotel on Christmas Eve.  I don't know if this will become a tradition, but it was a beautiful thing - standing outside looking at and reflecting on the real meaning of the holiday with our very own first-born son.

Standing in front of one of the huge Christmas trees

With his Mimi at the Opryland Hotel

Fascinated by the BIG decorations on the tree

With Mommy at the Red Poinsettia tree

Outside in front on the nativity scene with Daddy and the giant "Bible"

Feeling very humbled with our own first-born son in the middle of the nativity scene

Mommy and Mimi freezing underneath the lighted trees

Then, when we got home, we decided to start our Christmas Eve traditions.  We began with Daddy reading the Christmas Story from Luke to Daniel.  I couldn't believe how well Daniel sat and listened!  He, of course, had to have his hands on the Bible, though.

Next, since Jesus was given three gifts by the wisemen, our children will also receive three every year.

First, Daniel got the God Gave Us Christmas book and a lullaby Worship cd.

Secondly, he saw what he'd been eyeing for weeks!  Daddy brought out his learning musical table.

And, last but DEFINITELY not least, his new play yard, complete with foam mats and ALL of his Christmas goodies inside - the extensions to make the area larger came in the mail a week later!  (Okay, so maybe this was more of a gift to Mommy and Daddy.)

All in all, we had a blessed Christmas Eve.  Mommy and Daddy opened their gifts to one another while Daniel played with his, and we were able to reflect on how  good God had been to us over the year!

Daniel's First Taste of Christmas

Daniel couldn't WAIT to get into these gifts...  This was his first look at all of his gifts from his great-grandfather, Pop, the morning we were to have Christmas with the Honeycutt family.

So, we're a bit late at posting these, but Daniel wanted to share his first Christmas with you...  He had it on the Saturday before Christmas at his Mimi's house with all of the family.  Daniel got so many great gifts, and he got a LOT of love that day...  Here's how it went:

The Johnson snowman family - I made these and one for every member of our family as a centerpiece.

First of all, look how excited he is because of DIAPERS, because every baby needs them!

His very own "Sports Center" from his cousin, Anna Laura.  He LOVED it!

Making his Pop (and everyone else) laugh...

Our family in front of the delicious deserts...

Even Daniel got into the sweets, eating one of the pretzel snowmen.

Falling asleep at the lunch table - Christmas is very tiring!

After his nap, he found out something he loves to do - ride on Daddy's shoulders.

Playing on his Walk 'n Ride from Pop and Gran-Ju

His favorite gift - his choo choo train!

Isn't he just the cutest conductor in his overalls?!

4 Generations - Pop, Mimi, Mommy, and Daniel

Daniel had a great day experiencing Christmas for the first time!  He had many more festivities to come...

In The Small Stuff

I have posting upon posting to do (like I know that you're ecstatic over hearing about Daniel's first Christmas and how many teeth he has and how Baby #2 is doing with its perfectly beating heart and all about how this second pregnancy and an 8-month-old are treating me), but in this quiet moment, when Daniel is tucked peacefully into bed and will, without a doubt, sleep at least four hours, as he has become prone to do, I find myself in awe of how good God has been to me.


There was a time when all I wanted was to be married.  After that, all I really wanted was to be pregnant.  Then, when the Lord answered that request and suddenly took it away, all I really needed was love.  It took four long, devastating months for me to find that God had given me that too...  oh, you know, in the eyes of my husband who longed for me to live again and then in the simple statement of a purple plus sign on a pregnancy test.  After that surprise, all I really wanted was a healthy baby girl, and the Lord gave me that as well in the form of a beautiful, blue-eyed, energetic little BOY.  And to be completely honest, I haven't expected or asked for much else.  What seriously could be better than all of that?!


Well, it's in those moments when you know there's nowhere else you'd rather be...  

When you're busy working on the house, and your baby comes crawling up to you with his hands lifted high.

When you're exhausted, and at 8-months-old, your little one decides to sleep at least four hours a night.

When you're ill as a hornet, and your husband attempts to make you laugh by playing the Grinch.

When you're fearing there is no heartbeat, and the nurse proudly states, "138 bpm."

When you're dealing with nightly morning sickness, and it's more than enough.


When you're unsure of yourself, and you walk a mile and a half carrying two babies - that is, the one in the womb and the one in the carrier.


When you're afraid He doesn't hear you, He, without your noticing, answers all of your small, unspoken prayers...

This Simple, Christmas Truth

It ends...  quicker than it even started.

Only days after putting up the decorations, wrapping gifts, and baking those winter goodies, December 26th rolls around, and for me, it isn't sad.  The day AFTER Christmas is actually a beautiful reminder, even though we can get wrapped up in this glorious holiday, that the truth is the real reason we celebrate never will leave us.  We have every reason to be joyous TODAY (and next Wednesday and every day that follows) because our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is not about presents and gatherings and shopping.  He came so that we may have life...

And that gift from Him, my dear friends, never ends.