Christmas Eve and Christmas

~Christmas Eve~

 {cookies for Santa}

 {Our "Christmas" pj's this year were pink of course!}

 ~Christmas~

 This morning as I opened the word so much scripture came to mind....

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and His name shall be called: WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE. Isaiah 9:6

{I loved this one this morning in particular because when I look back over my life I can see how Jesus has been each one of these things to me. He has been my counselor, the only one who really "gets it" the one with the most empathy and compassion, the one who has seen me through and promises to stick with me until the end. (Phil 1:6) He has been Mighty God performing modern day miracles before my eyes to where when I sing the song "How Great is our God" I have my own slideshow of works God has done in my presence. He is my father, my forever father, my protector, who loves me endlessly and passionately. And He is the prince of peace, the author of peace, the fighter for peace, the one who weeps when there is no peace. What a powerful scripture.}

Also, this one came to mind:

For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but one who in every respect has been tempted yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

{This verse instantly reminded me of this post. He understands everything and He does because He CHOSE to come and live as a human. It's just unthinkable only it really happened....}

 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phil 2:5-11

{And this passage was just plain convicting. Jesus emptied Himself...I rarely do this for anyone... if for anyone it's my kids because that is absolutely what it takes to be a mom but all others I would not say I hardly ever if ever empty myself. That would require me being empty afterward and I always hide a reserve of myself for myself...always. It's part of my selfishness. This broke my heart over my sin and my lack of being like Jesus. I am the absolute worst at being a servant for my husband. I don't know why my heart in my flesh doesn't want to serve him so badly, it's sad. So conviction fell on me this morning, but with all conviction comes joy because it means that my God has not finished working on me, that He loves me enough to show me where I sin and need to be like Him. What a good God I serve. What a good good God.}



 

 {Santa ate the cookies and drank the milk!}

{This little one was on a sugar high for most of the morning. She loved it.}

 {Fun with all the new toys!}

 {Attempting to read the Christmas Story}

 {Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus}

 {And finishing the day off with a tea party.}

We stayed in our pj's all day! It was so great! Our family needed this day of rest! I made Adam's favorite parmesan chicken for dinner. We all loved it and it felt so homey and hearty! Gotta love comfort food!

Tomorrow is the big doctor's appointment. I am nervous but ok because I know that my Sovereign God has a plan that I cannot see and I DO trust Him. I mean it so sincerely.

What a fabulous day celebrating Jesus' b-day! Overwhelmed with gratitude at the sacrifices He has made for me.

Songs and Santa

We got A and A's picture with Santa today. Adelyn has been so scared of Santa all Christmas season but she was really excited today to see him right up until we got to where he was and then she started bawling, but she watched Annabelle talk to him and decided it was ok to sit beside Santa as long as she was holding Annabelle's hand. :) So sweet.

We have a Christmas Eve service tonight. I LOVE Christmas music. I especially love "Everything Changed" by North point Church this year.

Some of the other great songs on the list for tonight include:

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen   by Mercy Me  (ignore the video)
O Come All Ye Faithful  by Chris Tomlin

Emmanuel by Chris Tomlin

Glory in the Highest by Chris Tomlin

O Holy Night  by Chris Tomlin

I love what I have heard so much this Christmas season, the phrase CELEBRATE CHRIST. O come let us adore Him. Merry Christmas!

Twas the day before Christmas....

 Adam and the girls played all morning on Christmas Eve while I cooked. It was sweet to watch them play with their toys all together.

 After lunch, we had a birthday party for Jesus. It was fun. I definitely want this to be a tradition for our family. I thought about not doing it this year because they had so many birthday parties for Jesus at school and church but I decided it would be a good to do at our house as well and so we did.

 While Adelyn was napping Annabelle and I made the cookies for Santa. We love it when Adelyn helps but it only really works out with Adam at home. :)

We only had time to make four cookies and Annabelle picked out which cookie cutters we picked.

 At about four o'clock we started getting ready to go to church. Adam was there setting up and so it was me and the girls.

 They looked so precious in their Christmas dresses and polka dots.

 Adam did SUCH A GREAT JOB on the Christmas Eve Music. I wish it was recorded. :)

 It was my friend Emily's birthday and so we took a pic :) Isn't she cute..

 and the kiddos ran and ran. I think they needed to get some energy out!

 After church, we went to the Ridgeways for Christmas Eve dinner. We were the only people there that weren't their family. It was so so kind of them to have us over and the girls had a blast there. This was them after we all ate. Don't let the picture fool you, they only sat there for only a few minutes.

 We had such a great time at the Ridgeways! We played games and had fun and when we got home, we decorated out cookies for Santa.

 They both LOVED decorating cookies!

 and then got dressed in their sweet Christmas jammies which came with jammies for their dolls but they have bunnies and bears instead and the jammies fit them perfectly! It was great!

 And after the sweet girlies went to sleep, I played Santa. It was so much fun! We really only bought them a few things but they have more than enough "stuff" and were spoiled rotten by all the grandparents (which we are INCREDIBLY thankful for, since we are in the ministry and just don't make boo coos of moula)

 Adelyn's stash

and Annabelle's stash.


What a great Christmas Eve. We had wonderful holidays here in Ohio. We felt extremely blessed to be taken in by another family for their Christmas celebrations. I really hope to do that for someone some day because it meant the world to me.




I'm so excited to post about Christmas tomorrow! What a great day we had!