Joy to the World!

The JOY of the season has made me a bad, bad blogger (Can you use joy and bad in the same sentence?!). Anyways, I've been absent from the blogosphere because December has been a very eventful month. Let me show you what we've been up to...

Decorating!

We even decorated the tree twice :-) After the first decoration, it fell to the floor by way of my head :-( This is the finished product...the second time around.

Wrapping, wrapping, and more wrapping!

Turning the big 3-0!

My reaction when opening my birthday gift from Jeff...a Petunia Pickle Bottom bag to hold all of Baby E's things! (when he or she arrives :-)

Playing in the snow!


And most importantly, celebrating the Advent and Christ's birthday!

My thoughts of Advent this year are frequent and heartfelt. Thinking of Mary and the many emotions she must have experienced during the wait of the arrival of her Son, has yielded personal reflection and in turn, has given me strength. The circumstances surrounding Christ's birth~well, let's just say~ were less than perfect. Yet in the midst of worry, confusion, fatigue, and fear ~Mary and Joseph trusted, and their faith was truly amazing and inspirational. The miraculous Christmas story reminds me that the most wonderful blessings come from up above and are often the result of enduring hope and faith.

Not a day goes by when I don't think of Baby E,and often my heart aches with an indescribable longing to know and hold our baby that may~or may not be~born into this world yet. And on those days when I begin to feel worried about his/her well-being, sad for his/her birth family, or weary of the long wait until Baby E is in our arms~ I am reminded by the Holy Spirit to trust and hope. For Baby E is in God's hands~the Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And although the circumstances surrounding Baby's E birth may not be perfect, they were destined to happen this way and we will rejoice in His plan. So "Joy to the World!" From North Carolina to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia....let earth receive her King!