~ Christmas 2011 ~

Missed me?

I have missed you too.

Why is this time of year (stage of my life) so crazy?

How was your Christmas?

Mine? Delightful. Although, at the risk of sounding like a complete heathen, Christmas on a Sunday... with Church... messes up everything. Happy and Joyful as I was to worship and celebrate Christs birth with other believers on the actual Holiday...It was short lived... because Christmas day was CRAZY!!!!!

Good... wonderful, in it's own kooky way, but CR-A-ZY.

I am thankful that peace and joy come from Christ and not my surroundings or what I can conjure up myself... because on the bright shiny morning that was the dawn of of our saviors birth, I was conjuring up stress, hurried-ness, a bit of worry, and more sweaty-ness then I care to mention....

I wish I could tell you that I took so many pictures that I had a hard time choosing with ones to post.

I did have a hard time choosing which ones to post...but that is because I did not take a lot. In fact, on Christmas day I took 9.

9.

On Ryder's 1st Christmas, mama had a great big mommy fail.

I tried to make up for it the very next day (when we opened presents with my parents) but still...

Ryder got a great big zebra... which he loves, and I in turn love watching him with it...SO CUTE!

Both boys were "sick" over Christmas. Quotation marks used because they were sick, but had enough antibiotics in them to safely be around people....however they were whinny, tired and had noses that ran faster then a Jamaican in the Boston marathon....

See how thrilled Rigg is?

Merry Christmas...

Although tired and not feeling great, Ryder took full advantage of the occasion to show off his new walking skills and smuggle every cookie he could locate away from its original owner. Every time I saw him he had a cookie in his hand and another in his mouth... or on his face.

Where was his mother?

Shameful!

The boys are learning to share...in mess making and eating together...

Rigg enjoyed a new rocket ship plate.

Ryder likes to walk with, play with, carry around and chew on my dads old blackberry...

and chew on boxes...

Like every two and a half year old, Rigg helped everyone open their presents. He opened each one and joyously exclaimed  "A box!" like it was the best present ever!

A tricycle to share. Rigg is learning how to use the peddles, and Ryder is learning that Rigg thinks he should take him on rides.

It was SO fun this year watching the kids. I feel so blessed to care for these 2 boys.

In the days leading up to Christmas I missed Caden so much. I had a day full of tears for missing my sweet girl. And although she is always missed, and some days my heart swells painfully with the hurt of it, my life is filled with so much more joy, so much more laughter, so much more peace then pain.

Christ has, and continues to heal my brokenness.

And He has given so much.

Himself, first as a baby... then as a sacrifice.

For me.

For you.

So this Christmas, with my hurt over missing Caden, and my joy over my precious boys, I was SO thankful for Christ who holds me and all of my crazy emotions together... and brings Peace.