Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas...we sure did. For the first time in our marriage (and my life), we stayed at our home for Christmas day this year. While I definitely missed being with our extended family, I must say this was a great thing for our little family. Our plan is to start a rotation...every other year, switching Thanksgiving and Christmas day. We will head to my parent's home tomorrow to celebrate Eden's 5th birthday, and then to Huntsville to see my brother, sister-in-law and niece and nephew.

It was wonderful to have a lazy, slow day with just us. Nowhere to be at any certain time...and plenty of time for Eden to play with her gifts. We stayed in our PJ's most of the day, ate 3 hot meals around the table together, had homemade hot cocoa, and relaxed by a roaring fire and watched movies...including the Nativity Story. My favorite part is when the wise men bring their gifts at the end..."Gold, for the King of kings...frankincense, for the Priest of priests...myrrh, to honor your sacrifice." I love that movie.

Eden and I decided to whip up a from-scratch birthday cake to celebrate the reason for the day. It was seriously the best cake and icing I have tasted in a LONG time. We lit our Christ candle in our advent wreath and then sang Happy Birthday and had cake...it was a sweet way to end the day (no pun intended).

Okay, so the quote of Christmas came from Eden on Christmas Eve. The 3 of us were snuggled up reading the Christmas story and then we had this deep conversation and prayer time about how it's ok to enjoy gifts, but we can't let that become the most important thing. So a few minutes later Eden asks, "Why is there a light still on in the living room?" Gene responds, "Well, we might should leave a light on so Santa can see." Eden then says, "Daddy, I'm not thinking about Santa, I'm thinking about Jesus." We laughed for 5 minutes. Nothing like your 4-year-old reminding you of what you just taught her!

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas season. We celebrated Eden's birthday with her friends last weekend and Santa came...there are a few pictures of that, too. I cannot believe she will be 5 tomorrow!

Also, I wanted to thank all of you who supported our adoption fundraiser by purchasing ornaments. Your love and generosity overwhelmed us. Thank you so very much! We love you!

One of our Christmas card photo shoot pictures...love these 2 girls!

Eden with Santa at her party. We don't do big gifts from Santa so when he asked her what she wanted she said, a Wii game and remote control car. What? First we'd heard of that. She didn't get either...and didn't seem to mind :0)

He read "The Night Before Christmas" to them...and shared what the most important part of Christmas is...Jesus.

Group shot.

Eden with her GIANT dollhouse that daddy got the deal of the century on (thanks e-bay!)

Gene with his new Blue Ray player...that mommy got a great black Friday deal on (thanks Target!)

Couldn't leave Maggie out...unfortunately the bone wasn't on sale.

Lighting the last advent candle of this season.

Birthday cake for Jesus.

Okay...yum...just yum!

Happy, happy day with my favorite people!

Merry Christmas Eve

Hello friends...I have posted a video below that I hope you will take the time to watch if you haven't seen it. I saw it on another blog and wanted to post it here, too. I too suffer from depraved indifference...and I pray the Lord will continue to change my heart and break my heart for what breaks His. I love you all. Don't forget to scroll down and pause my music player before you watch.

Eric Ludy - Depraved Indifference

Orphans

I have had this post swimming in my head for a couple of days now and just now have time to sit and write. This past week, Eden and I were watching a cartoon together. I don't remember which show it was, but they were talking about an orphan and explaining what an orphan is..."an orphan is a child with no mommy or daddy" they said.

Eden perked up and turned around and looked at me with wide eyes. Then she said something that literally knocked the breath out of me. "I used to be an orphan!"

I felt nauseated as I processed what she had just said. She used to be an orphan. Obviously, this is not news to me. In fact, I am asked at least weekly about her adoption. Maybe it's the lady in Wal-Mart, or a waitress...people are always curious. In fact just today the cashier in Michael's said, "Is she yours or did you adopt her?" "Both," I answered with a grin (it went over her head). "Was she born with one of those clefts?" she continued. "Yes maam, isn't she beautiful?" I patiently answered. "Is she self-conscious about it?" (Eden is following this conversation). "Not yet," I replied. These conversations are common for all of us moms who have adopted transracially.

So why was I so moved by Eden's statement? I think it's because she said it. I don't think I've heard those words out of her sweet lips before..."I used to be an orphan." It was such a heart-check for me. It's so easy to disconnect the word "orphan" from all that it means. It means a precious child just like my Eden, that could have been my Eden, has no family. No mommy to scoop them up and comfort them, rock them to sleep, sing to them, pray for them, reassure them, encourage them, correct them, kiss boo boos, tickle, tuck in bed, bathe, comb their hair, push on the swing, read a book to, work a puzzle, fight for them, tell them about Jesus. They have no family. They are orphans...and my child used to be.

This is why our family is so committed to adoption and orphan care. We know we cannot eradicate the orphan problem in the world...that is not our job. But we can love. We can sacrifice to adopt as many as the Lord wills. We can open our hearts and home. We can help others to adopt. We can budget, sacrifice, and fund raise, trusting that God will provide for that which He has called us to do.

Eden reminded me of that...she reminded me that she used to be an orphan.