Monday, December 30, 2013

Glimpses of Our Christmas

Anna and I in our new aprons.

Our Christmas tree, the night before Christmas.

Anna, ready for her first preschool performance!

Children hearing a story from our pastor and his wife on Christmas Eve.

Spending an evening at the Denver Zoo Lights.

Christmas was a beautiful, quiet celebration for us this year. Just the four of us. I tried to keep everything simple and stress-free this Christmas season, from having most of the presents wrapped and mailed out in mid-November, to minimal baking, to giving to those in need more than buying for ourselves.

We didn't do Santa or elves or reindeer. I asked Anna who she thought put all the presents under the tree and she said matter-of-factly, "God." We rejoiced in the birth of the Savior, enjoyed Christmas lights at the Denver Zoo with friends, shared an Advent dinner with friends, had early-Christmas with grandparents and cousins, watched Anna in her first preschool performance. We baked a turkey on Christmas day, watched a new movie together that the kids received as a gift, and drank a lot of Starbucks Christmas blend coffee.

I shopped for next Christmas the day or two after this Christmas. Boxed up all the presents and decorations. I stubbornly listened to some of my favorite Christmas songs still, even though the day has past.

Now it's on to 2014 already. Anna will be 4 in a few days. How is my baby turning 4? We travel to New York in a week to see family and friends. I haven't been back home in over a year, so it will be a sweet reunion.

May God bless you in 2014 with the grace of faith, with His peace and joy no matter life's circumstances.

Love, from us.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

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