CHRISTmas and Emma's Birthday

As the title to this post implies...Emma's birthday falls on Christmas. 

She is our no-longer-little Emma Noelle.  14!!!  How is that even possible!?

For the record, she says she is thankful that she was born on Christmas because it meant that she didn't get stuck with Suzanne as a middle name.  The nurses talked me into a Christmas name.  And I love both the name (sounds like Emmanuel...God with us!) and the girl!

 

This year she chose an Oreo Cheesecake for her birthday cake.  As you can see...there was no shortage of desserts that day!

Christmas was an absolute blur in so many ways!  But one thing I was able to take in and enjoy was having both sets of grandparents over for Christmas and my uncle.  This was the first Christmas ever that we have been able to spend with him.  And I think his first with children as he has been a life long bachelor.

Christmas Eve was particularly sweet as Kevin & I and the three oldest girls each had a part in the Christmas service (reading Scripture).  It was such a treasure to see the tears in my uncle's eyes following the service!  I pray he felt the love of Jesus through the love of family.  Lily certainly did her part to make him feel loved and he fell head over heels for her!  Notice in the picture below who made sure Lily sat on his lap!

My dad is next to the Christmas tree, my uncle 

and Lily are next, then my mom.

Below are Kevin's parents with us.  They live a couple of hours away so we get to see them frequently!

With everyone gathered, the gift-giving commenced and the sweet smiles were gift enough for the adults!

The gift that keeps on giving!  A new Bible!

The conversation that day frequently came back to "next year Luke will be with us." We wondered what he was thinking of the gifts he had gotten from us.  I could just picture his sweet smile and was soooo looking forward to being with him the next Christmas.  


It's hard to explain how there is an emptiness in a day like Christmas when one of your children is oceans away.  In so many ways it was a wonderful day.  There was joy, there was laughter, there was family. Lots of family!  But Luke was not there. 


One of our family's traditions is to give each child a new ornament each year.  Once they have homes of their own, we will give them their collection of ornaments (if I can let  go of them!).  My parents did this for me and I hope to continue the tradition.  


This year, however, I was never able to find ornaments that I liked for them.  Quite honestly, I was bummed about it.


Then after Christmas, after we received the news of Luke's home-going, after I had had the seizure and while I was in the hospital...a dear friend of mine brought us a gift.  


And I instantly knew why I had not been able to find ornaments for the kids this year.


For 2011 there would be only one ornament.

Luke's.

As a memorial to our little boy who got to see Who I always long to see on Christmas.

In Him,