"All we really wanted for Christmas was a family"

Here are mine and Phil's present under the tree. We have been awe struck this Christmas by God's provision for us and for Lily and Kate. Our minds have drifted often to last Christmas when we were apart from them; wondering what life would have been like for all of us without this miracle of adoption. As life has hustled and bustled around us and we've smiled and offered the usual holiday cheer, these pressing thoughts have brought us to quiet tears of thankfulness throughout this holiday season.

Our first Christmas

Taking in the wonder of Christmas















Cousins, cousins and more cousins :)















We got Sit-n-Spins for Christmas!















We also got some "gently used" egg cartons!















"Yo-yo, chillin' with Grandpa."















Christmas with Mammaw and Granddaddy

New definition of privacy...

Privacy = being the only one in the shower (never mind the audience of two)

Our holiday treat

We got to meet Stephen Curtis Chapman! Lily (left) and Kate (checking out SCC)

Due to the high price of baby food...

Ahhhh (sigh)...they are on a schedule after 3 months

After pushing to get them to sleep through the night for the last 3 months, it has finally paid off. The last thing to come was getting them to sleep until 6 am instead of getting up at 3:30 to 4:30 am. Phil and I were going crazy there at the end, alternating mornings of getting up with them. This photo I took of their first morning to sleep until 6am. I got them out of their cribs, put them on the floor and turned on the light. They looked at me like..."Oh, mom, turn off that light...do you know how early it is in the morning?"

Kate is walking!

...and Lily is now crawling faster out of necessity.

Aunt Lily comes to visit

We had a wonderful weekend with my best friend who is now called Aunt Lily around our house. She got to meet her namesake and the girls such a had a blast playing with her! She brought great gifts with her for the girls. One of which was a scratch and sniff book. Whew! I had forgotten all about those since my childhood. Lily, Phil and I stayed up late reading it. Here we are below with Lily scratching, me sniffing and Phil making jokes behind the camera. This is one of those pictures that is funnier in the moment because part of the fun is sharing that moment with someone who has made you laugh for 18 years. :)

Indoor sledding

We enjoyed a visit from the Burch family last week. One of the gifts they brought were VeggieTales placemats. The girls aren't old enough to eat off of them yet, but they make great indoor sleds! Kate's in front above and Lily is having a blast below.

Guess who we saw on Friday?

They were too stunned to remember what to ask for, but I'm sure Santa knows anyway.

The new parent look

Looking through previous photos, I found this one that we took on the elevator going up to meet Kate and Lily and become first-time parents. What is interesting to me, is that this expression is still on our faces after 2 1/2 months. What a wild ride! It still boggles my mind that I can love two little people so much who won't let me sleep past 5 am, poop in their diaper right after I change it and won't let me leave the room to go to the bathroom. Now I understand what other moms mean when they tell me that it doesn't get easier, you just get used to the amount of work and lack of sleep. Who teaches these little ones to smile that "I love you" smile just when you are losing it so that they live through childhood? :)

Not all interactions are positive

Kate (on top, as usual) wrestles Lily for the balls...















Just when it seems that Lily is getting away...















Kate makes her final move and wins this round.

Learning to play with each other

Kate and Lily are learning to interact with each other lately. Here they are playing peek-a-boo through the mailbox (Lily on right). They love their side-by-side stroller where they can touch each other. Yesterday when we were out strolling, they kept touching their foreheads together and laughing like it was the funniest thing!