Whew, what a Christmas! In many ways, it was more relaxing than others, but in other ways, it was more exhausting. Call it pregnancy brain, but I don’t remember everything we did, so bear with me while I recount what I do remember.
Our weeks leading up to Christmas were filled with checking out NYC at Christmas time (Rockefeller Tree, windows on 5th Avenue, our staff team Christmas party, visiting Santa at Macys, school Christmas parties, and making Christmas cookies). I am sure there is more that I have forgotten 🙂 And we also had a really nasty course of the norovirus for Ed and I…talk about intense pain and a horrible virus! Our cookies turned out great considering they were made by little ones and as usual, we made way too much!
I will have to say, I am a little creeped out by this Elsa and Olaf. They look very similar to the creepy ones you find in Times Square (they actually probably are)…am I the only one creeped out by them?
A sweet, sweet friend of ours here in the city made these awesome mermaid blankets for the girls. They literally freaked out and were so excited that they haven’t stopped wearing them, including sleeping in them.
Christmas Eve, we rested around the apartment, got food ready for the evening, and then we attempted to go to the New Years Eve service at a church we have been visiting. The combo of our kids being excited for Christmas, not listening and being quiet when they needed to in the service, and things not being handled properly by a lady usher in the service, we ended up leaving early and feeling very bummed and frustrated. I won’t go into all of it, but just know it was a hard evening with lots of discipline. Such is life with young kids… We also attempted to make homemade cinnamon rolls, and after two failed attempts at them rising, we threw in the towel and made coffee cake instead. Sharon Mehaffie, you are my hero for getting them to turn out every time.
Christmas morning, our kids actually did a decent job of sleeping later, but when they woke up, it was on. They had a great time reading the Christmas story, opening gifts and enjoying our time as a family.
My parents flew in Christmas day about lunch time and the girls have had a blast playing with them, showing them their favorite things in the city, and loving having family around. We all (Ed’s parents, my parents, and us) pitched in to send the girls to the Broadway show, Aladdin, the day after Christmas and they LOVED it!! Other than Emerson being sick, its been a great trip so far and we are still getting to enjoy them while Ed is at Baltimore Winter Conference with college students from our region.
Could you pray for us as we enter January and anticipate Brynn’s arrival in the next 5 weeks? That everyone would stay healthy, that we would enjoy great family time, that we would make friends and find a solid church, and that I would have energy to care for everyone as I am feeling really exhausted and ready to have this baby? Thanks for your prayers!