Here are some pics from our fabulous Christmas!! It was different not having Cindy, the Chapmans, my Uncles LaVaughn and Stan, and the Griffin family with us since as you read in previous posts my ENTIRE family deserted us and moved away this year (no, I'm not bitter in the least) but we still had a wonderful day. Sammy was on cloud 9 having both his Aunt Heather and Aunt Sarah in one house.. I think if his Aunt Cindy had been there he would have actually burst into a million pieces! He really turns it on for them, showing off all his silly moves and all. Poor Heather, she barely got any moments of peace our entire stay b/c if she retreated to her bedroom Sammy would go to her door and call "Aunt Heder! Aunt Header!" until she came out to discuss whatever important matter he had for her.
Sarah and Brennan came over early that morning and we got to spend all day with them, it was just so much fun! We played with Sam's marshmellow shooter and I ALMOST got it in Brennan's giant mouth and we had a fun game of Taboo. Sammy loved going on a wagon ride with his Tia and he played cars with her all night long. She even helped give him his bath. He was in Aunite heaven! All of the family time only refueled my desire to live closer to family soon. Sammy just flourishes around all of them and he had the greatest time just being his silly self. In fact, he provided us with quite the dinner show when we ate our Christmas dinner. He enjoyed all his yummy food and made several funny comments throughout but when desert came.. wow. None of us were prepared for what he had in store! He had helped me make the birthday cake for Jesus the day before and he was very proud of it and was telling everyone about how he had stirred the batter, etc. He somehow got some chocolate icing by his eyebrow in the telling of said story and wound up smearing chocolate all over his face and hair. Did any of us intervene and stop the fiasco? NOPE! We just let it all unfold and I even caught some on video. He had us all laughing so hard we had tears! It was a very memorable dinner for sure!
I think the only thing that would have made this Christmas anymore perfect would have been if all our family were together and if I could have had Cristina and every kid from Casa there with us. I realize we would have needed a much bigger house for that though. =) My heart just aches for them constantly and as I watched Sammy make so many memories with our family I couldn't help but think of the kids and teens there in Gautemala who have never and may never experience that. I know the staff there does their best to make it a grand Christmas for the kids but it just can't be the same as spending it with a real family in a real home. I prayed especially for Cristina, that God would just surround her with his overwhelming love and presence and fill her heart with love and remind her that she DOES have a family and many people who love her and ache for her here in the states. I just wish we could have told her just how much we love her and miss her especially on that day. Thank you to Mom & Richard for our fabulous Christmas memories and especially for saving Christmas for us (you know what we mean Richard!) !! It was simply the best!
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| Make a Smilebox scrapbook |
Sammy wanted to touch the moon after the Christmas Eve service and instead of telling him it was too far Sam just lifted him up and told him to try his best!! It was so sweet! I had to snap a shot.
Tickle time at Cody's house!
Our Christmas Dinner.. so small we could all fit at one table this year! It was delicious thanks to all who helped prepare it!
Sammy digging in to his "tuffin" (stuffing)
I think this is about when things started to go downhill......see that crazy look in his eye?
oh boy...
The aftermath...I of course had to put the video up too so it is at the end.
Thank you Aunt Sandra and Uncle Tom for my T-ball set!
Thank you Minima and AddyAddy for my new wagon!!
Aunt Sandra and Uncle Tom
Showing Tia Sarah his cars
Chasing Pixie.. one of his favorite things to do!
He begged mom to come "wing" with him
Now if this isn't love.... I sat ON THE CORNER in my PJS waiting for the train to come by b/c we heard it coming and Sammy loves to watch them go by.. .the things I do for that boy!
Minima fixed him some nice hot chocolate to warm us up after waiting for the slowest train on earth to come. MMMM good!Here is Sammy's crazy video!
