'Tis the Season - Part Two

So after all the yuck we headed home to enjoy Lauren's birthday and Thanksgiving with family. I remember last year's Thanksgiving. Matt and I were going to be here alone, so we had planned to help out feeding the homeless at church. Church is our family here, so what better way to spend the holiday if we can't be with our other family. Then Lauren decided, Amen, to come a little early so we ended up spending Thanksgiving with our new born baby and my mom, who had come to spend the week with us to help out with Lauren and the house. It was a quiet day and mom only cooked up a turkey breast since it was just going to be the three of us. It was our first holiday with Lauren and one I will not soon forget.

This year there were a lot more people to celebrate with. My sister, her husband, and my nephew were in town too, along with my step-dad's son- Matt. So my mom had a full house with five adults and two babies added to her and my step-dad. We relaxed and enjoyed each other. My favorite moment is when my mom, my sister, and I took a walk to the lake. We were being silly and making each other laugh. I felt relaxed and full from our meal. I was very content in the moment and was enjoying being with them. Being so far away that type of stuff doesn't happen very often so I embraced the moment.

I'm smiling now as I remember it. I just love them so much. My sister and I are very close in age, 14 months apart (what in God's green earth was my mom thinking- yikes). We tend to be opposites, although just the other day we discovered that our core values and life ideals are very similar but how we live them out isn't always the same. Shauna and I have been doing a Bible study on Luke and it sure is wonderful to see our relationship grow and to share the Lord together makes it feel like its strengthening too. It's hard ,since now we've lived apart from each other for just a little under half our lives, to really forge that bond and continue a strong relationship. But God is making it happen and I know we're both very grateful for it. Especially with the babies now and staying home, it gives us common ground, which is something we didn't always have. I know that I sure am thankful this year for our growing relationship.

We also stayed with Matt's parents and as always it was fun and relaxing there was well. We had my dad and step-mom , Sue, over for dinner on Lauren's actual birthday. All day long I kept remembering that day just one year ago. How I went to brunch with the girls and was bummed when the contractions stopped mid-day. Then how I was afraid they were going to send me home from the hospital when they were sure my water hadn't broken. Matt kept picking on me because I said I wanted to stay up until 11:50- and sure enough he was right I fell asleep just shy of 11:50. I can't help that I'm not a night person.

Lauren eating snack at her big girl table at Grandma & Grandpa B's on her birthday

The Saturday after her birthday we had a big birthday bash at my in-laws for Lauren. There were only four kids there, lol, one was Lauren, one was her cousin Finn (5 months old), and then the two kids I use to nanny when I was in college. Emily is in high school now and Ethan is in middle school. It was more for us than her, but she had a lot of fun. I had made her two cat cakes. One for her to have and smash and eat and one for the rest of us. She L-O-V-E-D the cake and frosting. She's got four sweet teeth, that's for sure!

Lauren's Big Cat Birthday Cake

Over all we had a wonderful visit. I was thankful for the time to relax and see Lauren get to know all of her grandpas and grandmas, aunts, uncles, and her sweet cousin Finn. I loved that I didn't have to cook for a week. I didn't realize before leaving what a nice break that would be, but I can tell you I sure appreciated it. I think the cakes and Thanksgiving stuffing were the only things I baked/cooked. It was great to spend time with Matt too. I would call it a successful vacation and a wonderful visitation! I'm a poet and did even know it...hehehe...I know I'm corny and I'm okay with that!

My sweet baby girl enjoying her little cat cake at her birthday party.

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord" Luke 2:10-11