Kick off to Christmas

We've had a busy week leading up to Christmas - all of it in the rain! First, it rained here from last Friday though this past Wednesday night. Rained hard. A lot. Too much to even be outside at all. Combine that with school vacation. Combine that with the week before Christmas....let's just say it was getting a little out of hand! 

Fortunately, several weeks ago we planned a Happy Birthday Jesus party - so we at least had a lot of friends over to all be nutty with together (and the moms had a support group meeting!). 

We had craft time.....

...and food.....

and singing! The kids made jingle bells, then did a chorus or two! 

It finally stopped raining on Thursday - but was still super cloudy & overcast - so nothing dried out at all. Friday - we had possibly the worst case of cabin fever - so it was boots on and out of the house. We did a Christmas Eve Day walk on the trail across the street with our friends Nicholas & Genevieve....

The girls had a great time - they got totally muddy and no one cared! I recently read blog post about not worrying about having everything perfect and neat and clean and enjoying the moment - and decided to try it out. LEt me tell you..it felt pretty good! 

Over Whelmed

We already have a lot of pictures to post of the Christmas festivities, but they will have to wait. Right now, I am over whelmed this Christmas at the love of Jesus and in absorbing just what His birth means to us - personally - in our family. His coming to earth in human form to take on my sins and allow me to be reconciled to my Creator have such tangible meaning this year in Katie. 

You see, without Jesus, there is no way that my flesh would have every agreed to parent a child with a mental disability. I am too prideful and selfish. I know me - and I am. Without Jesus, there is no way I could lay aside my plans for my life and my marriage for a child that might very well be dependent on us for the rest of her life. Without Jesus, I could not be calm in a storm of no diagnosis and not knowing from one day to the next what issues we might have.  You see - Jesus provides me the power to change my heart in the deepest places and to move beyond what I think I can do on my own. 

With Jesus, two little hearts have become molded into sisters. With Jesus, a marriage is growing stronger because we know that there is One who cares more about our children than us and He will provide the way and the means - not us. With Jesus, I have the transforming power living within me to be who He wants me to be and to do for Him what He calls me to do. 

Jesus came to earth - and changed the world. He changed me. I am changing the world for two little girls through him. There are those reading that are thinking "you (or anyone) could do this by yourself" - let me assure you, not only could I not, I would not want to. I would be far too concerned with myself - and how I would be impacted. 

Today, I am overwhelmed by the thought that 2000 years ago, a baby was born, A child was given. Today, because of that, I have been given two children. Two amazing, wonderful, precious, precocious children. Praise God! 

School Christmas Festivities

Thursday was a big day for the girls - they both had their Christmas celebrations ("Holiday" at Katie's school....). Dad was able to go to work a little late so he could enjoys some of the acitvities - and see how beautiful his girls looked. One of the most amazing and wonderful things about this holiday season is Katie's reaction to the party clothes - she simply lights up with delight when we get all dressed up! It is precious - 

Tia Annie came to Katie's luncheon at school; Katie's teacher put on a great lunch for everyone~

There were presents

and playing!

Becky's program was in the morning - and she was very intent on her performance! 

ok - in reality - she got very distracted on more than one occasion during the two songs they did!

but did eventually re-gain her focus! 

She looked pretty cute - and I loved the dresses :) 

Now it's two weeks off from school for all - a well deserved vacation for the teachers, some fun family time for the girls with their mom and getting ready to celebrate the birth of a Savior! What more could a girl ask for! 

Obligatory Christmas Program Video

Every parent has it..the video of the first real Christmas program that their child participated in (Becky was in one last year - but didn't actually participate...). So as not to disappoint (the grandparents) - here it is.....a clip from Becky's program. Her good friend Nicholas is on the end - and her other good friend Kayla is two kids down on her right. It's very cute - and watch the ending....classic Becky! 

scroll down & stop the music to hear them...

Festivities

We've had a weekend filled with Christmas festivities. Yesterday, our church hosted  Christmas Boulevard - complete with a sledding hill for the kids...Becky was a little unsure of the whole sledding concept....

....Katie, however, did not share her trepidation! 

There was a HUGE Christmas tree with equally huge ornaments that they found fascinating

and small trees and displays that were beautiful. It definitely invoked the feeling of Christmas - even if it was 70 degrees out! 

They had a live nativity show complete with the barnyard animals 

and no Christmas celebration would be complete with firepits and s'mores! 

Our friends Ben & Sam and their kids Nicholas (aka Superman) and Genevieve joined us which made it super special! 

Sam and I - we realized that we are always behind the camera and never get to be in pictures together, so we took this opportunity. We are so blessed to have this family as our friends - it's hard as a "mature" mom to find moms that I get along with that have kids the same age. Moms the same age have much older kids, and a lot of moms with kids Becky & Katie's age are plain & simple too young mentally for me! Sam is one of the young ones that is real and down to earth and "gets it"! She's the kind of person that everyone wants to be friends with - so I'm glad I make the cut! 

Today we took the girls to LA to see "The Rockette"s Holiday Show." They got all dressed up in their Christmas finery - and had a GREAT time at the show! We went with Sam;s family - and had a great time. We took no pictures actually at the show...too much going on with FAR too many people around! 

(these aren't great pictures - but they were the only ones we got of the kids!)

The kids are cooked - we've had a big week with Nana's Christmas party, Disneyland, John & Destiney leaving, Christmas Boulevard and the Rockettes - and we've still got 13 days till Christmas! 

A Fond Farewell

We had a pretty sad Friday night & Saturday morning as we bid farewell to Uncle John, Auntie D, Paloma & VIncent as they begin the next phase of their life in Wisconsin (yes - they are moving to Wisconsin in the middle of December!) Their household goods left Monday, so they spent the week with us and Friday night we hosted a little good-bye dinner and dessert. We ate, had dessert and had a little early Christmas for the kids.....

The nicest thing about this picture is that you can't actually see all the red eyes from crying! It was very hard to say goodbye - and we will miss having them close. Praying for a smooth transition for all - and lots of trips back to visit!