Christmas Morning

Christmas day we mostly spent as a family of four.  We opened presents and stockings as soon as the boys woke up at 7, and had a leisurely morning of playing and getting ready for church.  A Sunday Christmas is special, and it definitely changed things up a bit from our usual Christmas morning routine.

  Every year we switch off which grandparents' house we celebrate Christmas day.  Since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year and everyone in the family goes to a different church, we decided to wait until Monday so that we would all have a full day together.  I really enjoyed going to church the morning of Christmas though.  It felt good and right to gather with our church family and celebrate our Saviour's birth together that day.  As parents, we say that it is what the holiday is about but actually going to worship forces the focus on Christ instead of just paying lip service between the opening of presents and stockings. 

   

 Christmas felt special this year and part of that was probably because Steven is a year older and understands so much more of what Christmas is about.  Steven had his first communion 2 Sundays before Christmas (we are trying to recover the pics on a memory card that decided that day would be a good day to break).  We feel so much joy that God is working on his heart and Steven loves Jesus.  The last month or so, he has been carrying Charlton's bible around with him and "reading" it.  Christmas morning we gave him his own- same color as Daddy's- with his name on it.  He was thrilled!

 James was all about the festivities once he got a snack cup full of cereal.  That boy does not wait for his food so a later breakfast was out of the question. 

 Playing with a new toy

 James is opening his present from Steven.

 Steven is showing James how to use his new book.

 Alien Legos he's been asking for

 Good-bye diaper bag!

 With my boys

 Dressed for church; the boys have on their outfits that Mammaw bought for them.

 Steven enjoyed a lollipop from his stocking after lunch.

 A great day, and to top it off we spend the evening with friends from church.   We are so blessed to be surrounded by such a great community of believers.