CHRISTMAS HAPPENINGS 2011

What a beautiful weekend. Christmas Eve started us out on the right foot with an annual hike up to Snowbasin, our favorite mountain. 

Buca learned how to make a snow angel

 Christmas traditions were in full swing and everything was wonderful.

The Christmas Nativity was read and the children all dressed their part. Layla our angel and Rider was the sweetest baby Jesus.

Cookies for Santa needed to be tested to make sure of the deliciousness

Kday stayed up all night assembling Santa's gifts

A 4 foot doll house was in order this year was the closest thing to our having a real house for Christmas

Buca loved it

It wouldn't be the holidays without a delicious candy cane to eat... and I munched on his cheeks all day and night, and day and night.

Santa brought Rider a "Hawaiian Island" It will be his escape when the chaos of another baby hits the fan.

 

Buca's traditional Christmas Chinese attire. My own little China doll for church.

MY EVERY DAY MIRACLES

I loved that we attended church on Christmas morning. What a better way to show our gratitude for Christ than to attend and worship Him. Despite the fact that the Christmas program was intertwined with beginner level violins, harps, and off key singers... I found myself on the back row of the chapel, crying my chubby little eyes out. Sweet Layla kept asking me what was wrong but all I could say was "I'm just so happy." As I listened to the twangy, desperate violin attempt to play Oh Holy night it didn't matter that it wasn't perfect. My life is perfect enough. I looked at my two beautiful children and I sat in awe as I contemplated how they could have been so courageous in the Pre-mortal Existance, to volunteer to live their lives on earth according to their birth mother's free agency. To sacrifice their livelihood for the freedom of one person's choice... would they grow up in a broken home without the gospel or opportunity in their lifetime? Or would they be loved enough to be given a chance, an eternal sealed family, and a life of love, happiness and the gospel? It was up to their birth parents and they chose to make the sacrifice of a lifetime for these sweet spirits.
And I, how lucky to be the one to receive such miracles? Why me? I am not one ounce deserving of these beautiful babies that stand before and inside of me. What a wonderful weekend to focus on the gift of life that one small baby can bring to millions of other lives.

My family is beautiful and I wept.... as I'm sure Mary and Joseph did as they stood over their small miracle.