I love getting up early with my coffee in hand. There's something special that comes alive this time of year when you rest and read by the twinkling tree (I'll most certainly get to do this until the tree is dried up and surrounded by its needles! We are slow to take that tree down). We have only heated with our woodstove this year, so the house has been cool (with the exception of a few crazy warm days), and you just want to wrap up in a blanket. All year I have been reading the Bible from beginning to end (my first time ever). Would you believe it started as a "Read the Bible in 90 days" program?! That should not be allowed for people with small children because it's almost impossible to have that much free time. But alas, I'm determined to complete it at least in a year. What a gift it has been to me to get a fuller picture of God's beautiful story for his people. I'm so thankful he has made His Word come alive to me!
And the kids are extremely excited about this time of year with Christmas, New Year's and Frazier and Leila's birthdays. Leila brings a whole new level of excitement and wonder because everything is new to her. She has embraced it all with no signs of being overwhelmed. She watches the other 2 for cues and goes right along with them.
Geoff and I decided this was definitely one of our best Christmas seasons. Leila is here, there was less rushing and more intentionality about what we were going to say yes to. We were mostly consistent with our Advent reading from The Greatest Gift (family version by Ann Voskamp; I highly recommend it!), and we really tried to keep our family focused on the real reason for the season. Here's some of the Advent and just fun things we did this year:
Picking out our family Christmas tree (in the rain!)
Decorating the tree. Leila would hold up and inspect the ornaments with a look of wonder and awe. She made us all find joy in those things we've known and taken for granted our entire lives.
Delivering pizza, drinks and words of encouragement to the Richmond City homeless. This was so cool and Leila completely inspired the idea. One evening in November we were on our way to church, saw a homeless man and had no HOPE bags to give him that I could reach (they were in the trunk). Leila said, "We have hot pizza!" And we did. The man was thrilled and the kids were, too. So, we spread some more love in December with 5 pizzas. We met some really kind and grateful people and prayed for them by name. The kids were much more into it than we expected. Awesome!
I enjoyed a Francesca Battistelli Christmas concert with some girlfriends. I love her! And we went to our church's awesome musical "experience" as they call it with with Zach, Christina and friends.
We did a lot of baking and cooking together! The girls and I made many loaves of bread for their teachers and each school needed stuff for their Christmas parties. I remembered most but definitely was THAT mom that had to apologize for forgetting things. Is it any wonder my husband made me a personalized planner for Christmas!?
My mom and I, Brandi and another friend took our daughters to dinner (that my husband sneakily paid for! He's awesome. Have I mentioned that?) and to see The Richmond Ballet's Nutcracker.
We made a list of the gifts we already have and added to it periodically.
Geoff took the kids shopping for Christmas gifts for a local inner city ministry. He also enjoyed and started a new tradition of taking each child on a "date" for a meal and then to shop for me and their siblings. It was very special for each of them, and they loved giving their gifts to each other.
I share all of this not because we've got it altogether because Lord knows we DO NOT! We are broken and human, but I share this for my own children and self to remember. Throughout the Bible we're reminded to remember what the Lord has done - it encourages us when we're in the valleys. And perhaps, it will give you an idea and spur you on to keep seeking the Giver of Life who has so drastically changed our family and the way we live.
Posts
