First Christmas with 5

Christmas 2014 was not Jude's very first Christmas but it was the first he had with his forever family!

It is so hard to believe it has came and went.  We had a full Christmas vacation filled with relaxing, playing, gathering with friends, giving thanks, crying and just being.  So many memories.  We are thankful to have Jude here with us!

I couldn't resist showing a flashback comparison picture of the girls.  The 2010 picture was the first Christmas we began to wait for Jude and the other is this year, our first Christmas with him.  I am overwhelmed by the change in our girls!

 

Lots of pictures from our time over break!

 

 

Gingerbread house making designing!!!!

 

 The 5th annual Ugly Sweater Party was actually a "Cowboy Christmas" this year.  Lots of fun! Good to laugh until your cheeks hurt.

 

 

Always good to take time to visit and have fun with good friends!

 

 

Lots of concerts and piano recitals this year!  They did great and worked hard!

 

 

I love to volunteer in my kid's classrooms at school.  This year has been a little more difficult being able to do that with having a baby, but I treasure the time I get too!   Adah is in the 4th grade and I'm so grateful she still wants me to come to her class!! When does that start???

 

Our small group Christmas gathering was a great time to kick back, eat a ton of yummy food, play games and just hang out as families.



 

 

This moment was truly a highlight of our Christmas break.  The girls and I had made arrangements to visit a shut in from our church but fell through at the last minute.  Adah suggested that we go to the nursing home where their piano recital is each year.  So, I cold called and they were glad to have us, surprised, but glad nonetheless. 

I was so proud of the girls.  They really have a heart to minister in this capacity.  We now have a forever friend named Don that we will stay in touch with because of this day!

 

 

We spent one night in the woods at a friend's cabin "roughing it" on a cold winter's night.  We decided we would head out {with only the essentials} for a one night adventure to a beautiful cabin with no running water and an outhouse for the "facilities".  This adventure turned out to be better than any of us could have imagined.  What a majestic and secluded place to spend a short 24 hours.  After we arrived, we wished we had planned to stay a few more nights!

Christmas Eve.

It was a different Christmas than we have had in a long time.  We spent it on our own.  I have to be honest- it was difficult for me to accept that and I put up a bit of a fight (in my mind).  I was a little sad to not have a plan to be with other people.  We had hoped that family would make it up and that planned changed.  The Lord worked on my heart and I began to see what a blessing it was to have a quiet, intimate Christmas as a family of 5.  His plans are usually better than the ones we make anyway!

 

Christmas Eve cookie bake off with our friends! This momma let go and let them and they had a ball!!

 

 

Pictures of the fam dressed for Christmas Eve church

 

 

Christmas Eve dinner was enjoyed at our favorite Chinese restaurant.  I told you it was very different than what we normally do!

Very yummy dinner!  May become a new tradition!

Christmas morning!

Of course Jude slept in until 9 AM!!!  Which he never does!  Poor girls had to wait (I made them)!

 

 The whole family helped plan and make a delicious Christmas dinner together!

It was fun!

 

A day at the indoor water park!  

 

 

 New Years Eve tradition 3 years running! 

Ice Skating, bowling and party.  Good times!

 

As we stroll into 2015, we are realizing how life's seasons can come and go so quickly.  Some, you are glad to see them go and some, you want to cling to.  Either way, my prayer is that I can be thankful for where God has me and learn to cling to Him because He will never let me go!

Enjoy 2015 and embrace whatever God has for you. I will try to do the same.