Merry Christmas!!!

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! We had a great holiday, my brother Joe his wife, Jane and his step girls Stephanie and Anna came Friday-Tuesday. We had a wonderful vist with all of them and Ella really enjoyed them as well. It was a whirl wind of a trip for them but I am so glad they came. We didn't do much on Chrsistmas Eve except do some shopping. We usually go to Mom and Dad's church Christmas Eve service at 9pm but this year we decided to just have a quite evening at home. We did some shopping that afternoon and got home around 5pm but I realized when I got home that I didn't have my purse...UGH! I drove the 20 miles back to the mall in small hopes someone turned it in. We had so much going on with the kids and packages when we were leaving I was getting everything out of the stroller and think I set it down but had all the packages in my arms and thought I had my purse on my shoulder but I think I left it sitting on the floor. So far, it has not turned up. BUT it could be much worse....I don't keep my wallet with credit cards etc. in my purse for that very reason so I didn't loose it and I had my cell phone in my pocket I did, however, loose a really nice digital camera. I had just put in a new disk so I only lost a handful of photos. I hated to loose it but glad I didn't have to worry about canceling credit cards, getting new ID or loosing several gift cards. At least I now know what I will be spending my gift cards on!!

Ella really enjoyed Christmas this year although she is not, nor has she ever been a fan of Santa. She won't even look at him in the mall, so I don't fight her on it. I did ask her the other day how was Santa going to know what she wanted for presents....her reply, I already have enough toys, I don't need more presents. How do I argue that point??? But she had fun baking cookies for Santa. She woke up around 7:45. Mom and Dad were already there to watch her open gifts and she liked opening them. She opened a gift and looked it over, and took her time. In fact about 1/2 way through she took her two favorite gifts so far into her room, shut the door and started to play. She does love her room and to play on her own. She came out after a few minutes and finished opening her gifts. Alex just chilled on Dad's lap. He mostly just watched all the action going on but he did get his first hot wheels car!

We went to Mom and Dad's around noon for the day and had a great lunch with my Aunt Jean and Grandpa. My Grandpa is doing great at 96. He stays in SC during the winter and golfs about 3 days a week with Dad! We had a nice lunch and then Ella and Alex had some gifts to open there. It was really nice and warm (high 60's) and just a nice day with family. This time last year I was very down as I didn't think we would be able to have any more children...we had been trying for over a year at that point so it was kind of a sad time for me and I had pretty much given up the hope of having another. Little did I know that in a few weeks God would be forming Alex in my womb....and now he is here!

Stephen's Dad and Dorane will be coming in today from KY for the weekend. We will get together with Stephen's famiy Saturday night at our house so that will be nice. Stephen's Dad has not seen Alex yet and he has not been here for Christmas before so it will be a nice time. We still miss Stephen's mother...she would have loved to have seen Alex and to know that Stephen has a son. This is our 2nd Christmas without her. It still doesn't seem real that she has been gone that long. We miss her.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful Christmas and will have a blessed new year. I hope we all remember the reason to celebrate, Christ Jesus and all He gave for us.