A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER...

this christmas is quite different than any other year. we didn't have a home of our own to decorate. we didn't head to the mountains to go skiing. we weren't surrounded by all our family. honestly, we weren't in the most ideal situation. this is adelaide's first christmas and i had grand plans for making it special. i have daydreamed about this dec. 25th so many times. but sometimes things don't go the way i envision ahead of time, and usually the lessons learned through that are invaluable.
i wish i could say i have had a wonderful attitude about this year's situation, but that would be a lie. i have cried at the unfairness of witt being in the hospital. i don't understand it. i don't like it one bit. i ultimately want what is best for him, but my heart hurts for all of us, especially for austan, mel, and witt during this christmas season. as much as it made me sad to change our plans for adelaide's first christmas, i know it is nothing compared to watching your baby spend their first christmas in a hospital bed. this is a not-so-gentle reminder that too often christmas becomes about the traditions to me. when those traditions are unable to happen it is an opportunity to make the most of new special memories. even more importantly it's a reminder to focus on what really matters, as i always should.
this is quite an emotional christmas. but i feel certain it doesn't compare to the emotions of the very first christmas. i know that year in bethlehem there wasn't tons of family together, there weren't decorations or skiing, and yet it was the most special christmas of all. maybe through this year i have a tiny glimpse into what life felt like when their situation wasn't ideal but yet it was beyond special. and that's why i always want to remember the lessons i am learning this non-traditional christmas.

here is a picture tour of this christmas eve...

for lunch we enjoyed some of my favorite houston tacos, because nothing says christmas like eating tacos sold out of a van!










adelaide was surprisingly not scared of the giant reindeer at the mall.













i thought her carefree attitude might transfer smoothly to the santa at the grocery store. no such luck!










even when evan and i joined her for a family attempt she continued to scowl at the big man in red out of the corner of her eye.










it was much happier times for her walking with grandpa jim.










last year at the christmas eve service in austin my family took turns looking at my belly while it moved and squirmed. this year miss priss had a repeat performance of all her squirmy moves. she just did them on top of my belly instead of in it.










we went to the hospital to visit the cutest 2-month-old i know, witt, and eat dinner with his parents too.













on our way home evan and i made up rules for an impromptu one stop stocking stuffer shop. we each had $10 to spend on each other and 10 minutes to shop.










mission accomplished! the stockings are now hung by our bed with care, waiting for christmas morning to soon be here.










but before we sleep, there are some things to build and cook.










merry christmas to all, and to all a good night!