Minus A Few...

This year, I must say I was wondering how it would feel to celebrate Christmas with my family...or should I say WITHOUT SO MANY of my family here! I guess it's probably pretty normal in most families for there just to be a handful of people, but I am just not used to that. There have always been peeps-a-plenty running around my Mom's house on Christmas Eve, and I was just wondering if we would still be the same. The answer?...honestly?...not the same. No way it could have been without Briley bursting through the door with her million dollar smile...or Brax's sweet, quiet spirit that says so much...or Bear's LOUD shouts of glee...or sweet little Bristol crawling around beneath us all (although the little gal started walking right after they moved!)...or the fun time that Court, Tiff and I always have as we excitedly open the gifts we have picked for each other...or watching my crazy brothers just "be" together for another Christmas. One brother missing. One sis, for me. :) Four kiddos...No, not the same...

But you know what? The crazy thing was that it WAS still Christmas...because Jesus was still there, still our focus.

(...there were a few bare spots as our family prayed together this year and gave THANKS for JESUS!)

It was possibly ( I say possibily because Cy, Colbs, and Shae Jade really did try and raise the roof in honor of their missing cousins!) quieter...but it was still "Christmas"...minus a few...And we knew it was the same in South Africa, for them... still "Christmas", just minus a few. Jesus is the REASON for the whole SEASON for our family...we give gifts because He was the greatest gift we have ever received...and that was not missing- neither here nor there. My Dad still read the Christmas story...with a very cool twist this year about what it would have been like if Jesus, the MESSIAH, had been born in our time...there was still a delicious pot of Mom's homeade soup...



...still lots of big packages under the tree...


...still lots of shouts of glee (Thanks Cy and Colby for this very special ladybug that my Jadeybug sleeps with every night, now!)...


...still sweet memories made...


...and a very warm heart in my chest to watch my sweet husband tackle his very first of what will be many, many more to come "put it together yourself" kiddo gifts...thanks Non and Pop for the cutest "all in one" baby station!

COMPLETTION! Ahhh...only took two hours! :)



...And something new that we are going to have to get used to...SKYPING IN THOSE MISSING PEEPS for all special occasions! We, unfortunately, couldn't actually get connected this time...but we were ready! It was hilarious standing around the computer for like 15 minutes, hats on, kids ready to sing...stuffed animals in hand...wondering if Dad actually knew what he was doing! :)... And I guess, since we can't have them here for now, these memories are at least something to be thankful for! :) No, not the same, but still the same...CHRISTmas for us all!