Merry Christmas and Happy New year!

I have been wanting to do a blog for a while now so I thought with the new year ahead of us, now was the best time. We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year's spent with my family in Dallas. My sister and her family came in from Boston and there were 15 of us at my brother's house (7 kids and 8 adults), plus 3 dogs! There was plenty of space inside and out and the kids had a blast catching up with each other as we don't see each other altogether very much. Our plan was to be at my brother's on Christmas Eve so we would do an early Christmas at our house on the 22nd. Plans changed when Heath's grandmother who fell and broke her hip over Thanksgiving took a turn for the worse and Heath and his mom had to fly out unexpectedly on the 20th. So we rolled with the punches and at 9:00p.m. on Friday the 19th the kids opened their presents from us and Gamma.

Elizabeth loves babies and plays mommy all day long so she got the Rose Petal Cottage which she was thrilled with. She couldn't wait for us to put it together. After she went to bed we put it up in her room and she woke up to it in the morning. When she saw it she didn't want to come out for breakfast!

She also got the changing table and cradle from Gamma and a few days later she got the washing machine from a friend. She even slept in it a few nights. She has been in heaven! It helped to keep her distracted from Daddy being gone. It helped me too!

Caleb got the mega box of assorted Legos which he was thrilled about. He spent hours putting things together over the next few days. From Gamma he got art supplies and organizational pieces to turn his desk on his bunkbed into an art area. He loves drawing and any kind of art so he has an area all to himself now.

Caleb's first creation which he stayed very patient with! Sometimes he can get easily flustered!

Heath and his mom left on Saturday and we stayed behind trying to finish all the last minute rush before the holidays. There was a big hole with him gone but we knew he was where he needed to be. His grandmother was taken home with hospice and despite everything is still holding on. We didn't think he would be home for Christmas but on Tuesday he decided he needed to be with his family since his grandmother was now home and holding her own. We picked him up on Wednesday afternoon on our way into Dallas. I didn't tell the kids and their faces were priceless when we pulled up to the airport and he got in. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I've been wanting you, Daddy!"

Christmas morning was a blast with all the kids oohing and ahhing over their stockings and presents. It looked like the papparazi with all the video cameras and digital cameras we all had! The week was filled with lots of kids on the trampline, lots of food (I will regret it at the gym tomorrow), lots of pictures, movies, scrapbooking, reading, shopping, games, a few squabbles, a sleepover at Grammy and Grampa's house, crafts, cold weather, warm weather, a cold that circulated through most of the adults by the time the week was over, and of course lots of laughter.

We are all back at home now and the routine starts back tomorrow. I do want to end this post by saying that God was truly good to us. He allowed my husband to see his grandmother and his mother to be by her side in her last days. He brought him home to us to celebrate the birth of our King together. He brought all 15 of us together for the first time in many years and blessed each of us with great memories to take with us until the next time. Despite the chaos of the holidays and the unexpected twists and turns we had to take, He was with us and He was our Rock and our Refuge. Heath and I are going into this year with a renewed love for each other and our Lord and Savior and pray the same for all of you!