My Christmas Cheer

My favorite Christmas things that bring Cheer

to our house this time of year. :)

1~ Family Tree: all the things the girls have made

and the ornaments we have given them

2~ Snowman Tree: Being a teacher for so long

allows you to collect MANY ornaments

3~ Christmas Card Tree: I hang all the photo cards

we receive on this tree.

4~ Santa Tree~ all Santa ornaments

5~ Frame Tree: Little frames with photos

of family through the years~

especially their first Santa visit. :)

My Willow Tree Nativity is my FAVORITE thing

I put out and have ordered the Shepherds and Wise Men.

My Santa collection

and a little tree that has ornaments that I cross stitched

the Christmas before we went to get EK.

I used my waiting time to make something beautiful!

I also started buying a new Christmas frame each year

to put our Christmas card photo in

and they are sprinkled around the house. :)

And now a sweet story about SJ~

Most every night since we got her

we have said the blessing as a family

modeling for her being thankful.

"God is great, God is good..."

And every time we asked her to say it with us

or bow her head, she just shook her head.

That was fine with us~

I loved peeking at her and she was always watching us all

so seriously... taking it all in.

BUT last night as we all began to pray...

we heard the sweetest voice speaking over us all~

with all her heart and her eyes closed...

she said the blessing, speaking every single word,

and we all gave the biggest cheer for her and to Jesus!!!

I had her pose for this precious photo~ look at those sweet eye lashes.

Another sweet moment not long after we got home

as I was singing Jesus Loves Me to her

while getting her to sleep,

she reached over and put her finger over my lips

and sang the whole verse and chorus by herself.

My most earnest prayer for all my children

has been to know Jesus and His love for them...

encouraging them to pour out that love on others!

I think SJ is beginning to get it. PTL!!!

Thank you Jesus for this precious gift

this wonderful Christmas season!!!

OH and just in case you think everything here is all

Christmas goodies and happy cheer...

SJ just bit the fire out of EK because she was trying to wipe her nose~ personal space I guess.

Ummmm... let me go and figure out how to handle this one.

Happy Friday!!!

PS... Another big thank you to Cyrise who helped make all this beauty happen this year!!!