Enjoying our First Christmas with Sophia

Just before Thanksgiving Eliza said something that summed up what we were all anticipating this year.

"It's Sophia's first Christmas home! She's going to see our pretty tree, and open presents, and eat good food! It's going to be so fun!"

It's been fun seeing it all through Sophia's eyes and watching the other kids watch her reaction. I'm pretty sure she thought we were a little nuts when we brought a tree in the house. Not to mention the cold weather she endured to pick it out. Now she ventures over to the decorated tree and slowly puts out her finger when she thinks no one is looking.



We have an animated reindeer named Rhonda that plays music when someone makes a loud noise. I have never heard it go off as much as I have this year. Our sweet girl is so full of life and when she and Eliza get going--it is so entertaining! You should see them get out all of my Hallmark snowmen (I have around ten) and set them all off.



This year Emma & Faith were in the Nutcracker Ballet and their school Christmas play. It was so fun to watch them perform. Eliza was so very proud of her big sisters. She told them how beautiful they were with their stage makeup on and the look in her eyes was priceless. Sophia did great at the ballet. She watched the nutcracker so closely when he came to life. She was A LOT louder and animated at the play. The girl knows how to work a room!



God has blessed us so richly! It blows my mind to think what we would have missed if we had let our fears win out and had given up on bringing Eliza and Sophia home. The long wait for Eliza was hard and at times we wondered if God wanted us to keep waiting and last year, when we lost Savannah, we wondered if we should go back on the wait list for a baby. Every time doubt would creep in God would find a way to reassure us and He would use my stubborn streak to keep me going. I'm so glad He did. If you're reading this and you find yourself wondering and waiting, God will give you the grace you need. You can persevere and what He has waiting for you at the end of this trial is beautiful, priceless, a treasure worth waiting for.....