Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas to all. I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. I got all I wanted. Healthy kids. Warm home. Knowledge and love of my wonderful Savior Jesus Christ and I'm so glad I can share the celebration of His birth with ones I love.

Some highlights of our seasonal events are that we started reading Christmas stories with the girls. We started with one of my favorites, "The Forgotten Carols" by Michael McLean. We listened to the CD as we read, Emma just loved it. When we were finishing the last chapter, she was crying and I asked her why and she said she just felt so happy and was also sad it was over. It was such a tender moment with her. I was so glad we did that, then we also read "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" which has the same feel as the Junie B Jones books. She loved that too. We also read "twas the night before Christmas" and "The Velveteen Rabbit" and "The Christmas Box". This will definitely be a family tradition for us instead of waiting for Christmas TV specials to come on, we made such great memories with these stories.

Also, Kennedy loves to point out all the "twinkle" lights she sees when we are out driving around. Every one is like the first one. She gets so excited. I love that age (20 months) She can say Mama, Dada, Gaga, Papa, Emma, Ahhg (Audrey) as well as the "k" sound for every other word she wants to communicate.

Audrey had the most fun on Christmas morning. She gave the best squeals when she opened a few of her toys. She got some play jewelry from Grandma Jensen and amid all the noise of opening gifts, she stopped everyone with her scream of joy. It was awesome, I just wish I was rollin' tape.

Emma has been really sensitive to the Spirit of Christmas this year. She is so tenderhearted, and is such a blessing to have her in our family. She keeps us doing good things, prayers, scriptures, and the like. She truly is a spiritual giant in the making.

As far as commercialism goes this season, we have been so blessed to have what we need and just enough to help the girls have some presents under the tree. We have been soo blessed from generous family and friends helping me keep my faith in "the process" of life because as my mom taught me "life is a process, not an event" and we've been searching for more work for me and in that search I've really stretched my faith to grow and hopefully be stronger. It always seems we've had just enough work to get us through, week to week. It's all thanks to family and friends keeping us fed, scheduled, smiling, and feeling so blessed. I feel like I've had really watery eyes lately and I wondered why. I know it is my tendency, but lately I have been so blessed I can't help but let my "cup flow over."

I am thankful for these challenges. Refiners fires. Good friends, family, work, and my faith have made Christmas 2009 very memorable. Priceless. Merry Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, I played a duet with Emma, she played piano and I played violin Silent Night. She did great!  I am so proud of her.

All Emma and Audrey wanted for was Moxie Girls.  They got it. Thanks Gaga.