Happy Nativity of our LORD

With Love,

John, Claudine and Lydia

Making Christmas Cookies

Lydia using our Christmas tree cookie cutter.

She loved this part!

Lydia pounded out the dough.

Roll it up...roll it up...

Lydia stirring the cookie dough. Just minutes before this...she wiped out on the floor and cut her chin. She was really happy about the Hello Kitty bandaid. She is such a trooper.

Stirring up the dough.

We had a ball making cookies for the first time. Lydia really liked helping Mama.

Lydia got a letter from Santa Claus!!!!!

Lydia laughing cause she is so happy she got stickers and a letter from Santa!!!

Lydia and her letter from Santa. She was so excited!

Lydia reading her letter to me.

How cool is this????

Lydia couldn't wait to open her letter from Santa..and put all her stickers on her!!!!

(a special shout out to Melissa--you are too awesome!!)

Decorating the Christmas Tree

The finished tree..it was so much fun. What a great night.

John putting the final touches to our tree..the Star.

One of our favorite ornaments...the Nativity.

Dadda helping Lydia put the snowman ornament on the tree. She loves snowman...she is really into Frosty this year. Everytime she hears the song..she gets really excited. And when Jingle Bells comes on..she says.."Mama..bingle beellls!"

Lydia loved putting the ornaments on the tree, helping us take them out of the boxes, and holding the next ornament to put on the tree...she had a ball. During the decorating of the tree.....Lydia came to me clapping and saying "Yea Mama!" and I turned around and all the ornaments I gave her were on the same branch! Too cute!

What a great weekend.

Looking forward to the weeks to come.

First visit with Santa Claus

Lydia got to visit Santa for the first time this year. The girl before her was balling her eyes out so I was concerned that Lydia was going to lose it when it came her time. I distracted Lydia with my camera and had her take pictures. It worked..she didn't even notice the the girl before her having a meltdown. :)

When it was her time to come and sit on Santa's lap, she ran and gave him a big hug. It was precious. It was such a great day....grateful for these wonderful blessings.

Loving this weather!

Lydia and her Christmas tree sweater. She loves her sweater!

We woke up on Monday, December 7th, with a thin blanket of snow on the ground. Our first snow this year. When Lydia got up, she was so excited, much different reaction from last year when it snowed. Last year she was terrified of it. Grant it, it was only a month or so since we had been home from China, so all this stuff was so new. In her part of the country of China it was warm all year round so this white, cold, and even painful to the touch, stuff on the ground was pretty scary.

John and I are so blessed to have Lydia. We are reminded every day how special she is. She is such a good girl. I love it when she says, "Thank you Mama" or "I love you too Mama!" She is just speaking so well (and people are understanding her!) and growing and learning so much. She is such a big helper. She loves to help. No, you really don't understand. This girl will get upset if you don't allow her to help you. She will say, "Lydia help please Mama."

I just love her. I look forward to the day when she will have a sibling. I think she would do so well. We want to adopt again..but are praying for the right time (and the right place) to do so.

As we are in the Advent Season, we have been talking a lot about Christ and His Birth. She will sing "Happy Birthday Jesus" when we talk about it. It is so sweet. She loves Jesus..she carries her Cross around (a Russian Orthodox Cross that we bought her as a Chrismation gift) and kisses it. Last Sunday we were confirmed into the Orthodox Church and during the ceremony (which was glorious) they anoint you with oil (on your forehead, your ears, your hands, feet, etc.) When the Priest (Father George) was done, she would look up at him and say "thank you" and he would smile...
I am amazed at her understanding of Christianity. She teaches me so much.

Oh, God please help our unbelief.

All this to say, we are utterly blessed.

Peace be with you all.