Christmas Day... the 20th?

Today was Christmas Day for our family... Ben leaves the 23rd (his birthday - yeah I know) to go back offshore. This will be the third year in a row that he has not been home for Christmas and for me that is the hardest thing about living the offshore life. He was supposed to be home this year, but right after Christmas last year, he got a promotion (Yea!) and then found out that he would be on the exact opposite crew and would miss Christmas again (Boo Hoo!) Anyway, we are thankful for his job and we have found that we can celebrate Jesus' birthday any day, so today was our day. We had Christmas, Christmas, and more Christmas. This will be a long post b/c there is much to document, but here we go!

First, Santa Claus made a visit to our house last night (because Santa only comes when BOTH parents are home of course). So, Jack gets up and finds his tricycle and robot which is what he has asked for for several months. Here is what Santa's treasure looked like!

When Jack woke up, he wasn't really interested in the fact that Santa had come. We first talked about Jesus' birthday which I was determined to do. But Jack is not at his best in the morning so he walks down the hall crying and whining but when he FINALLY acknowledged his Winnie the Pooh tricycle, it was all over then. He sat on that thing forever!

We finally got him to open the rest of his presents and then he discovered how much fun that was. He did NOT want to stop. Fortunately for him, there were many, many more coming his way!

Grandaddy and Granny San (my parents) came over at lunch to open presents. I need to clarify that when I say they "came over", they are coming to THEIR house. My parents are the most servant minded, giving people I have ever met. I know that I am biased but my husband feels the same way (as do many people that they minister to all the time!) My mother really believes that her ministry is being a servant to others and they both live this out all the time. A good example of this is the fact that while we have been building our house, my parents leave their home for two weeks each month (while Ben is home) and go stay at our family's trailer at Point A so that the three of us can have time alone! Ben, Jack and I started staying there but the moving back and forth was hard on the baby so they just traded with us. They leave their nice, comfortable home and stay in a little trailer way out of their way for half of each month. So, point made, right?

Anyway, they "came over" and gave Jack a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and several other things. (Ben and I got several too).

Here is the money shot from their visit.

Granny San, Jack, Eeyore (a present from them), and Grandaddy

THEN, we went to Nana's (Ben's grandmother) house for some yummy lasanga. Nana is BY FAR the best cook in our family so anytime we eat at her house (which is a lot), it's a good day. Papa and CeCe (Ben's stepdad and mom) were there and Uncle John (Ben's uncle). I must say that this is the side of the family that goes NUTS in Toys R' Us. CeCe always goes way overboard with the toys and Papa, Nana, and Uncle John aren't far behind her.

We are so blessed to have so many amazing grandparents for our baby. Jack feels just as comfortable at Papa and CeCe's, Grandaddy and San's, and Nana's as he does at our house. I love the fact that we have so many people that we can trust to care for our child as much and as WELL as we do.

Here is the family shot from the Kimbro Christmas.

Nana, Ben, Jack, CeCe, Papa, Uncle John

This is Jack's crane that was a present from Papa and CeCe.

Uncle John and Jack reading a new book. Jack LOVES books - more than any TV show or DVD we have found. He is constantly saying "read book" and Uncle John was happy to comply.

I think Papa liked the crane as much as Jack did!

Here is Jack on his tricycle from CeCe and Papa. If anyone is counting, this is the second tricycle of the day (can you say "spoiled rotten"?) but this one will stay at CeCe's house, so I GUESS that makes sense. LOL

And now the basketball goal. Uncle John and Daddy liked this one about as much as Jack did. Can you see now that CeCe goes CRAZY in Toys R Us? I don't know if there were any toys left!!

And finally, here is our family Christmas shot.

We had an amazing day as you can probably tell. As sad as I am that my husband will not be here on the actual day, the good part of that (if there is a good part) is that we are done with the gift giving part of the holiday (well except for Aunt Dee Dee, Uncle Jay, Uncle Tractor, and Aunt Judy, but that will be another post). And as much as we try to get away from that, it is ingrained in our culture and it's just FUN!! But, we're done with that and I am hoping to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day reflecting on the incredible and unbelievable gift that God sent to us so many years ago! It still blows me away at his goodness and his desire to create any type of relationship with me at all, especially when I act in ways that are horrible in His sight. I hope to be able to spend some time alone with Him in thankfulness and surrender in order to draw closer to Him.

I feel that my family is starting a new phase of our life with the new year. We will soon move into a new home and Jack is really beginning to understand things and converse in more adult ways. I greatly desire that this new year start with me in right relationship with my Savior. I hope that this following week finds me in humbleness before Him allowing Him to work in my life in ways that I have only begun to imagine!!

So, from my family to yours, I wish you a Merry Christmas and hope this holiday finds you in a place where God can speak and touch your life in such a way that you will never be the same (and mine too!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!