Santa Came To See Us

I'll have some new things to tell you about next week, and another round of Christmas celebration photos from our last festivities starting tomorrow - including the boys being dedicated at church on Sunday. So I thought I'd go ahead and post the photos from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas.

This is what the boys left for Santa - Memaw's Caramel Pecan Cookies and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies... YUM!

James' stocking all filled up after Santa came...

Tyler's stocking all filled up too... as you can see Santa left some things that Mommy & Daddy will have to eat for the boys... bummer. :-)

The big gifts left by Santa for the boys... James' walker and Tyler's learning farm... a portable DVD player to replace our dying one and a toy chest to be shared by the boys.

Mommy & Daddy got a little lovin from the Jolly Rotund One as well... YAY a new zoom for the camera!

James checking out his new walker... cracks me up that it's a mustang!

Mommy hanging with her boy... ignore the lack of dressing up on my part... I did at least put on some makeup though!

James enjoyed opening his stocking... so cute! I didn't expect him to participate, but he did... loved it!

Tyler wasn't as interested... but Daddy helped him look at his new toys.

He's pretty much over it at this point...

Woo Hoo - Paper I'm allowed to rip!

Wake me when it's over...

This photo starts the pictures from the celebration at my in-laws on the 26th. 

This is actually a VERY special picture to us. This is James sitting with John's Aunt Mary. She is one of the first members of John's family that I met when we started dating - remind me to tell you this story later... but just a week or so after we got James, Aunt Mary had a massive stroke. One of the last actual things she got to do was go shopping for gifts to give us at James' baby shower - that she'd never be able to attend. She did however know about my pregnancy and had told John's uncle about it before the stroke - so it was sometime shortly after April 20th because that's when we found out how far along I was with carrying Tyler.

Anyway, this was only the second time she had gotten to see James... and the first time she got to see Tyler. She is very alert and knows exactly what's happening - she so desperately wanted to talk to them... but she has good control of her one side - so she held James for a short time. We got a few photos of it, and will treasure them always. Aunt Mary is a very special lady - and actually has two adopted children herself... so she always related very well to the struggle I had before the boys came along. I know she prayed her heart out for us to be blessed with children... and I'm glad that she's able to enjoy seeing our little family - even if it's not how we would have ever planned for her to experience it. 

I'd love it if you might take a moment to pray for our Dearest Aunt Mary - that she'll continue to improve in her recovery... and be able to regain the ability to talk and even walk... most specifically to be able to regain speech because I know that has to be incredibly frustrating for her. She knows exactly what she wants to say - but just can't get the words out.

Taylor & Brooklyn got scooter/bike things and were very excited about them

James opening more gifts... too cute!

John bought me this sign off Etsy - it hasn't come in yet, but they sent a proof. It'll be roughly 2 feet long, and all of the white is etched into the wood and painted... I am SO excited about it - I can't imagine anything more perfect.