firsts and the blessing of a babe

"Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song, 

the joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.  

That free grace alone from the first to the last 

has won my affection and bound my soul fast".

- John Stocker, 1776

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

A whirlwind of visitors in the form of Nana and Papa, Jim's parents, who have been staying with us since the 21st, meals, festivities and firsts.  Many, many firsts for our Emma Kate.

In the midst of all the activity, hustle, bustle joy and fun, we rejoice in our Great and Awesome King.
To Him we give our adoration and worship, praise and joy.  May our hearts delight in Him alone, who was born to deliver.  


Here are a few highlights of our Christmas, along with some fun firsts thrown in!

Jeb, the wiseman and Cooper, the shepherd
(yes, he actually walked a real sheep down the aisle of church at the end of the pageant!)
Emma Kate's eyes almost popped out of her head!  

First live animal encounter for Emma Kate,
and the annual petting of the stable creatures for the rest of us!  
Emma is in the red coat and Cooper is guarding her and holding her hand. 

Our dear visitors, Nana and Papa.
We've loved having them visit,
and what a blessing to have them meet Emma
with so much time to become acquainted with one another.

Anna Elaine Juan ("all my names are after someone! ")
in her cute flowery hat!

The girls with their dolls!
Emma received an American Girl doll, to her excitement
and the joy of her momma and sister.
Yes, I requested Kirsten for myself. True story.

Look how cute!  Her doll has...
purple glasses!
Emma Kate puts her to sleep each night
and takes off her glasses to place them right next to her own.

The kids all made presents for each other and their grandparents this year.  Luke just completed a poetry unit at school, so he wrote poems for everyone, Anna loves to draw so she drew special pictures and wrote letters to everyone, and Emma Kate has learned to write all our names.  Her present to all of us was a framed piece with all our names written on it, in her sweet penmanship.  Eight weeks home and she knows all those letters!

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!
And suddenly at Christmas breakfast...Anna's front tooth fell out.
So fun and funny.

Be afraid.  Be very, very afraid.
Luke, sporting his new headband for basketball, pjs, Wild Thing slippers
and a look that even a mother could not like! :)

We were so blessed to experience so very many "firsts" with our Emma Kate.  It is such a blessing to watch them unfolding for her, and see her embracing with joy each experience.

First Christmas, first visit from Nana and Papa, first Christmas service, first presents, first skating!, first stocking and Santa, first sled that's all her own, first waking up early in new jammies, first putting out cookies and carrots for Santa and seeing the messy reindeer mess on the sidewalk after the reindeer eat all the carrots and leave them shredded all over the sidewalk, first animals, first hockey slapshot, first time her family is all home with her for two weeks!, first Christmas carols, first hand raised in worship as she sang Jesus' name with joy and a smile.