We have been having so much fun the last few weeks leading up to Christmas. As always the kids LOVE decorating the house and putting up the tree. This is Leighton’s first Christmas that she has really been interested in what is going on. She loves our Christmas tree. For the first week that it was up she would grab my hand randomly throughout the day…walk me to the tree…and say “Look, Look Mom!” First thing in the morning she would walk into the living room and ooh and ahh over the tree…so darling! The ornament Leighton picked out this year is a puppy dog with a santa hat. She carries it everywhere! Christmas is magical when seen through the wonder of a little child!
Some of the things we’ve been up to…
* One of our favorite things we have done in the last few weeks is attend The Journey to Bethlehem presented by the Church of the Cross in Grapevine. This will definitely be a yearly tradition! This was a wonderful reminder of what the Christmas season is truly all about. You walk in groups of about 20, over about 43 acres to “Bethlehem”. Along the way you visit Joseph’s carpentry shop. Roman guards come riding up on horses to harass you. You visit wise men with camels who are following a special star placed in the sky proclaiming that a king has been born this special night. You come upon shepherds with their sheep…as an angel appears in the sky. You finally make it to the stable with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. It was so well done…you felt like you were a part of it all. It was such a perfect start to this season in which we are trying to truly impress upon our children that JESUS is the reason for the season! It brought up great conversations with each of our kids. Christmas is a celebration of Jesus…our savior!
*Carter got to pick an angel off the tree at his school for us to go shopping for. He got in the car and said, “Mom, the only thing this little boy put on his list for Christmas is shoes and socks. Is it because it is so cold outside and he doesn’t have any?” His tender little heart brought tears to his eyes…as I said yes. I went on to tell him that we were going to buy him shoes/socks…AND toys and gift cards, etc. We went immediately to the stores to shop and Carter kept saying over and over…”I LOVE making people happy…he is going to be so excited…I wish I could be there when he opens all of his gifts.” Christmas is about GIVING to those in need.
*We spent one evening, along with 5 other families, serving food down in an area known as como…in the middle of Ft. Worth. We ate, worshipped, served, and had fun with our new friends. We brought cookies for them all to decorate which was the hit of the party. They loved making cookie masterpieces:). Christmas is about SERVING others!
*Caroline had her school Christmas program last week…Our Best Gifts. She had been practicing her song…and was super excited to perform for us! Her class sang “Go Tell it on the Mountain!” It was so sweet to see all of these precious children singing their hearts out to God. Christmas is about PRAISING the Lord in song and worship.
*One of the sweet girls that we have babysit the kids, Mallory, called and asked if she could come bring the kids their Christmas present. She brought over a gingerbread house for them to decorate and let Ben and I go shopping! HOW NICE IS THAT??? The kids were so excited to see her walking up with a gingerbread house…this was their first time to ever decorate one! Christmas is the kindness of friends.
*Our niece Cassidy was in A Christmas Carol at church. She had been working hard in her role as Scrooge’s partner Jacob Marley’s wife, who returned from the dead. Caroline and I went to see her perform on Sunday. She did an excellent job…I was so proud of her! After it was over the student minister was talking about how this play is a story of redemption. Christmas is a reminder of our own redemption through Jesus Christ!
A week and a half left until Christmas…and a lot more fun activities left to do! I love this time of year!
Oh thank goodness this day is over because I would need to redo my makeup!
Great post Amber!! I loved seeing all of the pictures and hearing how you guys celebrate Christmas. I sure wish our families could do a lot of this together!