Emmanuel.

I'm very emotional lately. What's new right? :) But the Christmas season just makes me want to cry all the time. I don't know what it is. It was our first Christmas with these guys...



...and it was a beautiful celebration of God's goodness. Amazing to think that one year ago my sister found out she was pregnant after all those years of waiting. Also, COULD THEY BE ANY CUTER?! I don't think so. I love them so much. I can't imagine seeing them grow up. I'll start crying again thinking about it. I bought them their first books from Aunt Abby. I hope they love to read as much as I do...even if they don't I will read with them until they can choose to do something different. :)

And Christmas is such a magical, breathtaking day isn't it? I was driving home the other night from shopping on a beautiful cold, clear night and the sky was FILLED with stars. I have always loved the sky...the way it changes...the colors. I think it's amazing. I started to think about how incredible it must have felt for Mary the night Jesus was born. While I will never feel the way she felt, and probably never be able to travel to where she was when he was born, I can't help but think that the sky was probably very similar to the sky we see now. It says the Wise Men followed a star doesn't it? I felt connected with her somehow that night. To think that she looked up at a star-filled sky holding the savior of the world the same way I looked up 2,000 years later. It made me want to cry.



What I have always loved about the Christmas story is that God chose to use such simple things and people to accomplish his purpose. Mary was a normal, Jewish girl who loved and obeyed God. Joseph a carpenter. The first people the angels told were a group of shepherds. It's incredible for me to remember that God doesn't choose to use people who are perfect but who are willing. I love that.

I promise to upload pics soon! Promise promise. Hope your Christmas was filled with family and pies and time to reflect on what this season really means. Emmanuel. God with us. What a story.