What I love about Christmas

1. It is all about CHRIST, or should be at least.

2. I love doing the advent wreath (or calendar) with my kids. Advent means waiting for Christ's 2nd coming. I love the verses from the old testament that prophesy about Christ's coming. I love reading the nativity story with my kids.

3. I love Christmas eve service with my family. Especially when it is a candlelight service (reminder that Jesus is the light of the world).

4. Ultimatley it comes down to all the 'meanings' behind everything we do at Christmas, and all the traditions we have as a family.

5. Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus Christmas morning before opening presents, and talking about what Jesus has done for us, his greatest gift.

6. Teaching my children about giving to others. Cookies to neighbors, clothes to the homeless, gift box to a child in another country etc. Next year we will only do 2 gifts for the kids and the rest of the money will go towards orphans on the angel tree through Reece's Rainbow.

7. Singing Christmas carols we don't hear much of during the rest of the year, like Silent Night.

8. Decorating our Christmas tree, pulling out the ornaments the kids have made over the years, and remembering who gave us the other ornaments. Putting lights outside on the bushes and lights in the windows of our home. I love seeing lights on other homes too, and driving around with the girls looking at them.

9. The past few years we have made hotchocolate and taken it with us in the car to look at Christmas lights, with Christmas music playing in the car.

10. Eating Christmas Cake (fruit cake to Americans) that my mom makes (yummy and moist not like the ones in America). Eating trifle on Christmas Day for dessert, mince pies and popping crackers at the dinner table. Roast potatoes, fried yams, brussel sprouts (all English traditions carried down from my family). The American tradition we have added to the meal is green bean casserole for my husband.

12. Talking to family members overseas on skype :)

13. Buying my family gifts that I know they will love and enjoy. We don't buy our kids things during the year (other than 1 for their birthday). So through the year if they ask for something I will keep a list and buy it for them later (not everything of course).

Christmas is my favorite holiday with Easter close behind. Thank you God for your gift of your son Jesus. Emmanuel with us.

Radical Give away :)

So I got a book from a fellow blogger who is adopting from Ukraine and I am going to pass it on. This book is life changing and it is called Radical by David Platt. If you are interested in me mailing this to you please leave a comment and I will draw a name on Sunday.

In a nutshell it is about taking back your faith from the American Dream. The main question is: What is Jesus worth to you? This is the most convicting book and the best book I have read, and very easy to read.

Fear....

John 6:15-24 was the sermon this past Sunday. Have I told you how much I love the sermons at our church, very applicable. We are studying the book of John and this Sunday was about the disciples in the boat during a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Pastor Samra mentioned this chapter is about FEAR. The disciples were 1. first seperated from Jesus when he went up the mountain and they went down towards the sea. Jesus told them if he wasn't there by night they should go without him to the other side of the sea. So they obeyed and did this. 2. They were then confused (didn't see what was going on in the situation) 3. Then the storm comes and they then see Jesus walking on water (which he hadn't done before) they thought he was a ghost and they became fearful. It was just awesome to see how it tied in to our life. When we sin (or are seperated from God in our daily walk) we then are confused about what is going on in our life if we don't see God or feel close to him, then we have fear when God doesn't work the way we think he should. But God doesn't promise our life will be easy (without the storms) but he does promise to be with us during the storm and help us get through it. Pastor Samra used other examples in the Bible where we see this. The Garden of Eden: Adam and Eve sin (disobey and eat the fruit), they are seperated from God (the fall) and they hide when they hear him (confusion, they now know good vs evil) and Fear (of God , they hide). I could go on and on with examples and scripture but what I took away from the sermon is that God will be with us during our trials, He promises to see us through the storms, maybe not the way we want (He doesn't calm the storm) he helps the disciples get to the other side.

Thankful for my Children

Yesterday I went to the library with my youngest to get some books for homeschooling. On the express bookcase I spotted MaryBeth Champman's book Choosing to See. I started reading it in the late afternoon and couldn't put it down until I went to bed. I highly recommend you read this book. As you most probably know Steven Curtis Champman is a Christian singer and he and his wife have adopted 3 little girls from China (at the probing of the eldest biological daughter Emily, and God). In 2008 one of their sons ran over their youngest daugther and she talks about how God prepared her, and her family for that horrific accident and how they are coping today. She is very open, honest, candid about her faith, her short comings, and her marriage. What I took away from this book is that I need to treasure each day with my children, as if it were their last. I also took away that God is working in each of us, completing a good work in us until we go home to Heaven to be with Him. Each incident in our life isn't an accident. We see the picture close up, blurry, but it isn't until we step back and look at the bigger picture then we can understand. I have often seen my life this way, during the difficult times it is hard to see what God is doing but once you are out of that pain, or situation and take a step back you can see the tapestry that God is making with your life. Like MaryBeth I like the idea that I am 'in control'. This adoption has shown me this, and I am working on letting things go that I can't control and turning to God in prayer. I also have to stop making this my idol, focusing on it all the time. I need to live my life with my children that I have at home. Not plan for the future but live for today.

Today Cathryn and I went to the Nutcracker and it was so fun. After school I took the girls to Panerra for a treat and a Chai tea for myself. I wanted to listen to my kids, ask them questions and not be busy but know them. We enjoyed sitting by the fire and cuddling on the couch. I am thankful for my girls, who love me even though I am impatient with them. I want to take the time to enjoy them and not to rush things anymore. They don't stay small for long. Caroline is 7 already, where did that time go?

Food Cravings when you are pregnant.

I remember when I was pregnant with my first I craved mexican pizza's from Taco Bell. Every lunch I would go to Taco Bell across the road from my office and at night I would ask hubby to get me a Mexican Pizza. I have noticed with this 'pregnancy', especially the last few months I have been craving Thai and Indian food. I think hubby is happy that I am trying new recipes. Tonight we are having Green Curry Chicken. It smells so good. Last week I made Kicked up coconut split pea soup which also has green curry in it. No I am not actually pregnant with a little one growing inside of my belly but I am definately dying to bring our little boy home. I was told today that our updated paperwork is being scanned and emailed to Vesta and we could have our official referral before Christmas. That would be the best gift.

If this does all work out, my plan is to make a trip out to IKEA after the new year so we can buy a few more things for Calvin's room so it will be completed by the time we make our first trip to Bulgaria.

While following other adoptive parents visiting their children and bringing them home, I have come to the realization that this doesn't journey doesn't end when we actually bring him home. The Journey only begins then. I am hoping to buy the book 'Holding Time' soon to read. Do you have any other books you recommend?

We got our I800a approval letter

Yes we did finally receive our approval letter Saturday from Hague. Monday I will be taking a copy of our approval letter and getting it apostilled with our updated homestudy and mailing it to our agency, who will then forward it to Bulgaria. So on my timeline :) our agency should get our paperwork the following day (7th) and then they will send it to Bulgaria which takes 8 days, so probably the 16th or 17th. Thankfully we have a very nice lady who is our caseworker over at USCIS, I have heard some horror stories from others so feel blessed about that. Now we wait again for our referral.

Please watch this...

Pictures from this year 2010

Summer time
Beach we visit often in the summer months
Caroline piano recital
Cathryn ballett recital
Gull Lake with our extended family
Caroline on the zip line and she loved it!!
Disney February 2010
Sea World and Universal