Dec. 30 Blessed to be a blessing

In a decision to help our children learn to be givers, we gave each child a chance to pick a ministry gift through the gift catalogs of Compassion International and World Vision. We talked about what muddy river water looks like and what clean filtered water looks like. We talked about why some children need mosquito nets and worm treatments. We looked at pictures of broken down thatch houses in need of repair and compared the roof over our heads.

I'm now sure how much sunk in, but I do pray that our children grow to understand that we are blessed to be a blessing. (Genesis 12)

They each were drawn to something different. Our preteens chose mentoring teenagers in their spiritual growth and medical care for pregnant women. Our middle son chose medical care for children. Our youngest daughter chose clean water for a family, and our youngest son school for two orphan children.

I think this was my favorite part of Christmas, seeing them, even if only for a moment, stop to think about the blessings we have received and desiring to help someone else. Father, I pray that you would lead each of our children to love you with all of their hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. And may that love for you be evident in the world.

 

 

"To love another person is to see the face of God" Les Miserables

Grace received

Grace Given

 

Dec. 29 The Relatives Came

Since my man has to work on his birthday, the family went to dinner earlier in the weekend to celebrate. One of my most favorite things about living close together is that we can gather together to celebrate special occasions. No flights or 20 hour drives across the country involved.

Once home, the kids took turns in an impromptu talent show, playing carols on the piano, violin, lap harp, snare drum, or xylophone...even a hula hoop demonstration. When there is a captive audience of grandparents, aunts, and uncles, the "Lookie what I can do" comes out in them all...especially after a round of cupcakes and a trip to the hot chocolate bar.

Thank you, God, for the gift of family.

 

Happy New Year! Happy Birthday!

There's always one kid who is a natural photo-bomber.

This year we spent a quiet New Year's Eve at home. We watched part of the Dick Clark tribute and embarrassed our kids by singing the words to songs from the 80's.

We read that in some cultures, you eat doughnuts on New Year's to commemorate the full circle of a year. That was a good enough reason for us to make a birthday Krispy Kreme run. It's cultural and educational!

Our neighbors invited us to share their fireworks and the kids had a pop-it war on the driveway. Note to self: It's a better idea to wear closed shoes in a pop-it war with the neighbors.

When it stinks to be the boss. The last car in the parking lot on a holiday evening...on your birthday.

"Pomp and circumstance" in the form of celebratory blueberry pancakes. Mimi came over and made crispy bacon and eggs and we enjoyed breakfast for birthday dinner night since the birthday boy got a bowl of gluten-free cereal this morning.

Sweet dreams 2012

Keeping Christmas - Dec. 28

Today was the boys turn to go shopping. Target and GameStop runs brought home protective cases for the new electronics and more nerf guns, this time with little water bead pellets. Protect the electronics. Battle the family and neighbors?

The girls watched musicals upstairs and I tackled more past due organization projects... Like the little room that was supposed to be my office and is now homework and app central.

This scene cracks me up from Arthur Christmas. Santa has a few gifts that he would like Mrs. Claus to wrap. He hands them to her, she wraps them, and gives one back saying "Here dear, this one is for me." So he hands it back over. Teamwork.

 

Keeping Christmas - Dec. 27 Restoring Order

 

Today was a stay-at-home day. As the kids jumped on the trampoline, ripsticked, rode bikes, shot each other with Nerf bullets, played Apples to Apples Jr., watched Spider-Man, ate popcorn, and played on various instruments, I hit the closets and remained submerged in their depths for hours.

Many have been kind and generous to share hand-me-downs with us. In the process of trying things on to see what fits whom, there have been massive piles made and stuffed into the closets for months. Today was decluttering day. I found about 30 lonely socks with no mates and have bagged them to use in our next "let's dust this place" campaign....which doesn't happen that often.

Mimi came over to cut Laurel's hair and stayed for dinner. We ate a tuna noodle casserole that my sweet sister-in-law had put in the freezer while we were away in Latvia. As I watch my Mom's fingers cut my daughter's hair, and cooked the casserole my sister-in-law left for us, and put away the clothes that were given to us, I am blessed by God's provision.

He never promised that following Him would be easy. He did promise His presence and His provision as we take steps of faith.

I think about the Christmas story and how it took work, and faith to follow God's plan. It wasn't a walk in the park to face what appeared as scandal, or to travel by donkey when 9 months pregnant, or give birth in the barn away from your mother, or to uproot and flee in the middle of the night to escape the jealous wrath of an aging king. And yet, God provided. Empathy, in giving Mary Elizabeth, and their family's experience with God. Reassurance in the form of angelic visitations and convincing dreams. Direction and warning when danger was imminent. And even gold when money was needed for the flight to Egypt. God provided everything they needed, but He didn't make it easy for them.

As this year draws to a close, I am thankful for how God has met us every step of the way, challenged our understanding of how much we need Him, and quieted us with His reassurance and provision in moments of weakness.

Thank you God, for journeying with us. You are Emmanuel.

 

Keeping Christmas - Dec. 26

Now begins the part of Christmas where each child has an agenda of special wishes that they hope to achieve during the Christmas break.

Today was Mary Jayne's turn. She wanted to get her ears pierced and use the gift card she received to Claire's.

My baby girl is seven and brave!

 

Keeping Christmas - Dec. 26

Back to work for A.

Back to teaching Pilates for T.

Full on holiday for kids. Jumping in their bathing suits and winter hats in the chilly rain on the new trampoline.

Warm showers and warm clothes only to return for second, third, and fourth rounds of jumping and shouting. At least all that jumping is helping to round out all the eating we are doing.

Today I took a long hot bath with my new Christmas bubbles, drank a cup of my new Christmas tea, and didn't count the massive amount of calories in leftover Christmas pastry, cookies, or handfuls of cashews that had been gifted to us.

Our kids ran around the yard shooting each other with Nerf guns and swinging at each other with Nerf swords. They played their newest apps and games, watched movies, built stuff, and crafted things out of colorful duck tape. They banged on the piano, a snare drum, a xylophone, and sang karaoke.

They played outside in vicious wind until the snot ran down their faces, and I only intervened when the jumping and shooting got a little overheated. Blessed days of childhood. This makes up for the fact that yesterday, CHRISTMAS DAY of all days, two of the Davis children told me that they were bored....by 10am. They quickly swallowed their words when I gave them the stinkiest stink eye I could manage in my grinchiest mom mood. "Do not ever tell me that you are bored again. Go think up something useful to do." Today, they have found their holiday rhythm and are having a blast...and I am feeling jolly again with pastries, baths, tea, and blogging solitude.

 

 

Keeping Christmas - December 25

Christmas breakfast with Christmas crackers and silly paper hats

The kids awoke and were downstairs at 5am full of excitement and energy, ready for opening presents. I felt a little grinch-ier than usual. Perhaps it was the recent travel-jet lag time zone issue?

Santa left a note on the door to look outside for a gift for all the Davis kids to SHARE!

We're not sure how Santa drug that thing from the North Pole behind his sleigh. Perhaps he dropped some elves in our back yard to assemble it in the freezing rain yesterday afternoon while we were at Grandmama's?

Thank you, elves. You are the best.

Sometimes when you have a schoolteacher for a mama, you get educational gifts like telescopes and microscopes.

Then other times you get "experience" gifts like tickets to the circus or a show.

And sometimes, when it's Christmas you just might get that thing you were really wanting.

 

Mimi's pretty nativity

Making biscuits from scratch

 

Mmmm.....

Then opening gifts, enjoying dinner, and spending time with family at Mimi's.

We returned home just in time to be invited over to a neighbor's for s'mores in their new chiminea.

Kids watching cartoons in jammies and falling asleep on the safas.

Sweet dreams

 

 

Keeping Christmas- Dec. 24 Christmas Eve's at Grandmama's

Ripstickers

We have finally graduated into having a kids table with the addition of our newest two family members. The kids were not too excited about this, but we assured them it was a rite of passage to one day be 40-something and invited to sit with the grown-ups.

When asking Granddaddy about his Christmas memories from childhood, he told me the story of when he was about 10. His father pulled him aside on Christmas Eve and told them of a family they knew who had had a tough year financially. They had decided to give the BB gun intended for him to a little boy who would otherwise not receive anything for Christmas. He eventually received another gun, but remembers the year he gave 55 years later, and not much about all the other years of presents. I loved hearing about how this impacted him, and how generosity has been instilled and passed down for four generations. I hope that we can do our part in shaping our children to be people who think of others and not just what they can get for themselves.

He also gave us a discussion-starter pack of cards that I look forward to using with our kids this week as we decide how to give charitably as a family in the new year.

 

Peace and goodwill...mostly

The kids spend the afternoon at the grandparents' house doing crafts from their stocking. Some elves make a special drop by Grandmama's house a day early, so the kids were doubly blessed with crafts and activities while waiting for Dad to finish some holiday business and other relatives to arrive.

 

Keeping Christmas - Dec. 23

Happy Seventh Birthday, Will. On this day you will fly across the Atlantic and when your feet touch down in D.C. you and your sister will be American citizens forever. That's something to celebrate!

Meanwhile, A is taking L, B, and MJ to an extended family Christmas dinner and they will gather with relatives until it's time to pick us up at the airport.

Midnight, we'll crawl into our own beds, happy to celebrate Christmas together.

Goodbye land of icicles, croissants, and hot cocoa. We've enjoyed our visit and will remember our time here.

 

Look Nee Nee, it's "hotdogs for breakfast" just like Romania!

My favorite wintry trees by the airport.

Miniature dancing shoes as a spend-your-remaining-Lats-down-to-the-last-sentam souvenir shopping in the airport.

 

Lounge singer love adapted to families

Language learning in the frosty air. Trying to blow frosty breath clouds to make the thr- sound.


One, two, shreee.....

 

One of the things that has always cracked me up is that whenever I have traveled outside of the United States, at least one decades-old song will pop up in English in some hotel that caters to travelers.

In the Inter-Continental in Cote D'Ivoire it was "Smooth Operator". But, because the "th" sound is so foreign to many, it came out "Smoooooze Operator". Now I cannot hear the original version without laughing.

"No need to ask, he's a SMMMMOOOOOOZE Operator! Coast to Coast, L.A. to Chicago.

Today's favorite lounge lyrics are "I love you just the way you are".

I could not leave you, in times of trouble,

We never would have come this far,

I took the good times, I'll take the bad times,

I'll take you just the way you are.

I said I love you, and that's forever,

And this I promise from the heart,

I couldn't love you, any better,

I love you just the way you are.

Even if you say "one, two, shree" the rest of your life.

 

Keeping Christmas - Dec. 22 Laying Low

 

We have spent the day quietly inside.

Yesterday we took a walk down winter's memory lane and made all the "must see" stops on our list. After having eaten our way through the city on croissants and chocolates stops, found the bar of soap I have been thinking about since July, and a few straw ornaments, I have that sense of "I'm good, now." Mission completed.

It's just a bar of soap, but I love how they push rosebuds into the top of it, wrap it in burlap and twine, and package it up.

To entertain and educate ourselves, we repurposed the four magazines I brought and already read into an ABC order, vocabulary, and spelling scavenger hunt and spent the morning cutting and pasting things in our travel journal. The kids wanted to watch the Superman tv series dubbed over in Latvian, so I went downstairs to check in with the Columbia family.

Face-timing/ Skyping with children is a little tricky because most of the time they stick their noses up really close to the camera and goof off, admiring their reflections in the camera. I think I gathered that it has been a good week.

Here is a recap of Mary Jayne's birthday festivities. Kudos to Dad for excellent party planning and memory making. When I leave, he makes it sound as if he will just try and keep them alive in my absence, but they have been having a ball. Aunt Nee Nee is stepping in to hang out with the girls this afternoon while A and B try to hunt something in the wilderness.

 

Beautiful just-lost-another-tooth-this-week seven year old

 

 

Egg nog milkshakes, our seasonal favorite.

Movie outing.

 

It's Christmas time in the city.....

Soon it will be Christmas Day.