Christmas - Well, maybe a little much

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel,* which means `God is with us.'" Matthew 1:23

And so we entered another Christmas. This year, our house had so many changes. I remember sitting on my couch last year reading a book about one families adoption story. For 4 hours I sat and read and cried. This is when God first called me to adoption. It was a long road over the next couple of weeks. I so wanted to bring home a baby girl. Finally George felt the calling too and so we started 2006. Our year has been crazy. We went from 3 teenage boys to 3 teenage boys and 3 little children. God has been so amazing in His blessings and His provisions in our life. This Christmas I had a whole new outlook on what it means to celebrated Christ's birth. It is so hard to get caught up in the "holiday" season of shopping, food and family. I forgot what it truly meant. I took Jesus out of the equation of Christmas and put so much emphasis on it being "the new children's first Christmas". So, as we try to contain the sheer overload of emotions from 2 little Ethiopian boys, I am trying to regain my faith and living for Christ.

The last couple of days has been hard. For three days I have tried to get to Urgent Care to get meds for this cold that won't go away. Instead last night we ended up at the pediatrician's office for Sophia. Her eye looked like she had been in a boxing ring and lost. She has cellulitis of the eye (aka a deep tissue infection). They gave her a shot in her leg of antibiotics. By this morning, she wasn't any better so they gave her another shot. Tonight we gave her more antibiotics, but it still looks the same. We go in in the morning to check again. If it is not better, we will admit her to the hospital. Poor baby! I think I am more concerned than her.

We heard from Malcom. He is doing ok. Not great, not bad. Basic Training is hard and he is counting the number of days until he is done. It sounds like he is the top of his class. I am so proud of him. I miss him terribly. My heart still aches to hear those footsteps stumbling down the stairs, or the funny stories he comes up with, or just his listening ear. There is a huge void in my heart. I can't wait to see him in just 2 weeks!

We have another boy moving in with us. This time it is Nick's friend. His parents moved to Vegas but he really wants to be here to finish school. At least this time we know he has parents who love him.

We also have another surprise in the making, but it is not ready for cyber space yet, only a select few friends and family members. Once the time is right I will reveal all.



I leave you with some funny pictures of our Christmas. Have a wonderful New Year!






The yearly tradition and my father-in-laws. My family even went this year. It is chaos, but we love it!











Our insanely packed with presents Christmas Tree.
















Grandpa made his first granddaughter a rocking horse. It is so cute and she loves it!












Look who got robes. Hmmm, doesn't seem right.











Wait, this is the right one!












Sophia opening my best friend and sister and neighbor everything a girl could want in a friend - yeah her present all the way from Mexico.












Caleb's sombrero and maracha's from Mexico!














My brother, Uncle Bob, got them Captain Jack Sparrow costumes. They are so cool looking! They love to play pirate.










Here is Giovanni with his sombrero and a plaque Grandpa made for him with horses.