2011 - What a wonderful year!

Christmas was wonderful!  Santa was very very good to all of us this year, but the best part is always the simple fact that we are all gathered together, sharing a special memory.

We were blessed this year by the presence of my parents on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

Madeline bought gifts this year for her parents and siblings using her own hard-earned money.  Christmas morning she was so excited for us to open her gifts for us that she insisted we do that first, before she even touched any of her own gifts.  She put so much thought into what she bought.  It was probably my proudest moment of the day.  She 'gets' it.  And it makes my heart sing.

Elliott opened this as his first gift and loved it so much he declined to open any additional gifts for the next hour.  That kind of contentment is so rare on Christmas morning.  What a great reminder he gave us of the REAL meaning of this holiday season!

Charlotte got some sassy pink hair!

Madeline got a sewing machine of her very own.  It was a BIG hit!

TWO cars?!?!?!

New pink clothes for the Pinkaliscious Princess!

Playing trucks with Grandpa H.

So silly!

Story time with Grandpa

We didn't forget the doggies.  They got minty denta-bones.  They were devoured in less than five minutes.

And then it was nap time. 

Two days later we celebrated Christmas again with Matt's side of the family, which included a rousing game of Blokus!

What a wonderful Christmas holiday! 

Now the tree is down and the thousands of falling pine needles are all cleaned up.  I love having a live tree, but every year when we drag the dead tree carcass to the back of the yard and set it aflame in the fire ring, it scares the dickens out of me.  That thing is FLAMMABLE!  It was shooting up five foot flames in less than three minutes.  My house wouldn't stand a chance.

We took the younger two to the Grand Rapids Children's Museum while Maddie spent a couple of days with grandparents.  It was fun to see how Elliott explored the playrooms.  He is so curious about everything!  He is such a quick learner.  Charlotte has been to that museum several other times, but still finds it quite enjoyable.

And here I am, on New Year's Eve, reflecting on this wonderful year.  2011 has really been one of my best years: I got to travel to Kenya and to China.  In one trip I got to help change the lives of some wonderful, deserving people, and in the other I met my forever son and got to bring him HOME.  I got to soak up the culture of two incredible places and meet some wonderful people I will never ever forget.  We completed our family of five, and it just feels RIGHT.  We celebrated our tenth year together as a married couple and I am so thankful every day that I have Matthew by my side.  He is my best friend and so much more.  We are healthy and happy, learning and growing, enjoying time spent with one another.  We are aging, but doing it gracefully with no major health concerns.  We have gone on some really fun adventures with our family, near and far, and have so much to look forward to in 2012.  Our children are our life's work and they are really the driving force behind all that we do, and they are the source of much of our contentment.  And on this evening, I reflect on what truely wonderful kids they are.  There isn't anything in life that I need that I don't already have.  That is truely the most wonderful feeling of all.   Thank you, God!

2012 is going to be another awesome adventure!