Merry CHRISTmas!!!

Luke 2:8-14 ~ 

"There were SHEPHERDS camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and JOYFUL event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him."

Christmas Eve at Nana & Papa's

Nana & Kaylee Grace :)

The boys ;)

Auntie Tera and Rachel ("Rah-Rah" as Kaylee says)

Claire got books!

Kaylee too!

Sissy's showing her books to Papa

Grandpa and Nana watching the kids open their gifts

The boys were awesome helpers this year....with Brodie only having 1 arm to work with, they put Kaylee's ENTIRE doll house together....it was a major project and took them about 3 hours!

Great work boys!!

CHRISTMAS MORNING ~

Kaylee is SO excited to see her doll house!

And already reading her Dora book ;)

New Sweats for the boys

Back to Nana and Papa's for Christmas morning with just our side of the family

Reading the Christmas Story in Luke 2

Anna 

Thomas

Sis

Kaylee

Kols

Rachel

Keeg

Claire

Tera's mom made us all matching aprons (yes, the girls have them on too but the picture cut them off)....so fun! 

Kaylee LOVES having her own laptop ;)

Auntie Tera feeding Emma :)

Sis holding Baby Rhys

Christmas at our house with Nana Carol and the Courages!

Getting some love from Auntie Jo

Merry Christmas!!!

Our Christmas Season

We spent last weekend at the cabin and Kaylee got to experience SNOW for the first time!

She loved sledding.....but wouldn't touch or walk on the snow ;)  She'd only sit on the sled!

The big kids had so much fun sledding down the hill over and over that she just couldn't resist ;)

We had Kolson's Christmas program this week

His classroom sang songs from Polar Express ;)

Picnic time....Cheerios, cheese, quesadilla and fruit on Kaylee's plate....we got her to actually eat quite a few cheerios and I'd sneak a piece of cheese in here and there ;)

We've been reminiscing a lot about Brodie and Sissy's Haiti trip because they will be sharing about it at our Christmas Church Service tomorrow

Sis giving knuckles to the kids in the orphanage just above the creche that they served at

High 5's from Brod :)

We are looking forward to spending time with our families over the next couple of weeks

We had Christmas with some of Brodie's extended family tonight....Kaylee's starting to really like all this present stuff ;) She caught on right away and can't wait for more fun over the next few days!

This Christmas

This is a very special Christmas season for us!!!

It is Kaylee's FIRST Christmas!

The FIRST thing we did was set up the Little People Nativity set so that we could tell her more about JESUS! She hears His Name over and over everyday....she hears His Name when we pray, when we thank Him for our food, when we sing praise songs, every week at church when we worship with our church family. 

She hears His Name when we tuck her into bed at night and tell her that Jesus made her special :)  And that Jesus loves her and that He is always with her. 

We tell her that Christmas is Jesus' "Happy Birthday" and pretty soon we will sing Happy Birthday to Him :) 

The big kids want to get her the perfect gift ~ she gets SO excited about certain things (mainly Dora lol) and they just can't wait to see her reaction to the gifts she gets :) 

I realized today.....we haven't even really told her about Santa! I'm sure soon enough she will know all about him...how could she not when sadly so much of Christmas talk is usually about him?  

But for now I love that when she hears about Christmas, she is hearing about HIM...the One who came to earth to die for the sins of all mankind. 

The One Whose very Name calms her when it is spoken....no, she doesn't understand who He is yet...or what He has done for her....or the joy she will have when she gives her life to Him. 

But still His Name spoken brings peace over her and quiets her in even her most difficult moments :) 

There is no other name but the Name of Jesus that can do that! And even if she doesn't know just who He is yet and how great His love is.....she has experienced His Peace over and over in her 9 months with us. 

The VERY BEST part of having her home is teaching her about Jesus. I love that sometimes during worship I look down at her standing in between my legs and her eyes are closed and her hand is up in the air (copying the attitude of praise she sees all around her)...she doesn't really know why her hand is up or her eyes are closed....but one day she will. 

One day she will understand why Christmas is such a big deal worldwide and why we lift our hands in praise and why His Name brings peace. And when she does, she will not be lifting her hands out of "copying" but out of adoration to the Only One worthy of our praise! 

"And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6