Thanksgiving & Christmas 2017

Thanksgiving found me 4 days postpartum.  We got home from the hospital two days before.  I was still adjusting to all the hormones, the breastfeeding (I think my milk came in around this time), and waking up every other hour during the nights.  I was tired, sore, bleeding, elated to finally be home, and probably a thousand other emotions.  But the biggest emotion I was feeling was gratitude.  I know that sounds cliche with it being Thanksgiving and all, but this year was different.  My heart was so full of love, happiness, and thankfulness to have my beautiful children and husband by my side.  Healthy and happy.
The Thanksgiving before (2016), found me tired, sore, bleeding, and depressed, but for a different reason.  I had just had a laparoscopy performed and was told I had endometriosis.  I was in so much pain for an entire week.  I couldn't hold Charlotte, and I had to sit on the couch and watch/direct Luke as he put out the Christmas decorations.  I was in a lot of pain, but it was our tradition to pick out a Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving.  So I took a lot of tylenol and trekked through the rows and rows of beautiful trees until we found ours.  I cried multiple times a day. All I wanted was to be pregnant, not be told that there was yet another obstacle in our way of that happening. . . . .
It's incredible how much can change in just a year.

Evan has truly been a dream come true.  He is the puzzle piece that fits perfectly in our family.  The holidays were completely different this year and even though I was still recovering from childbirth and so extremely tired, I couldn't have felt happier and more at peace.  I'm so thankful for a Father in heaven who knows my strengths and my weaknesses.  Who knows, and trusts, me to accomplish hard things and to come out all the stronger for it.
Did I mention that I got to see my sister Christie the day before Thanksgiving?  Her and her family live in Arizona, but her in-laws are in Pocatello and they were in town for Thanksgiving.  Her father-in-law was kind enough to drive her all the way here so she and her boys could spend the afternoon with us.  I truly needed that!  It stinks living so far away from my family.  Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures with them.  We also met up with her, Jeff and their boys right before Christmas in Twin Falls where we got to have lunch and visit for a bit.  Love them.

{Enjoying the water show at the Village in Meridian.  She loved dancing to the music.}

{ m a k i n g  C h r i s t m a s  t r e a t s }

{Visiting with Santa at the Village. Lottie was very excited to give him her letter she had written.  And Evan's first time on Santa's lap.}

Christmas morning was magical with the snow falling softly outside.  Lottie was so excited to open ALL the gifts (even the ones that weren't hers).  And even though her and Luke were unfortunately sick, we still managed to have an enjoyable time.  Lottie received lots of fun and meaningful gifts.  One of my favorites being a Tinker Bell Sky Dancer I found at a thrift store.  Sky dancers were my absolute favorite thing as a little girl (I can still remember the Christmas I received my first), and with Tinker Bell being her favorite character right now, it couldn't have worked out any more perfectly. That evening we watched our traditional Christmas movie, It's A Wonderful Life.

{Evan's 1st Christmas!!}

With Christmas Eve falling on Sunday, we also had the opportunity to watch Lottie perform with the primary in the Christmas program up on stage.  She ran right up, found her place on stage (without any fear), and sang all the words to Picture a Christmas and Silent Night.  We practiced a lot in the weeks leading up to it.  My heart was bursting with love, pride, and thankfulness for that daughter of mine.

{ C h r i s t m a s  m o r n i n g }

H a p p y  N e w  Y e a r s ! !

{one of my very favorite photos of her}