How I pulled off Christmas...

 ...these, folded up and wrapped into these....

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! Hope you have a wonderful, safe and happy day filled with making wonderful memories!

And don't forget the real reason of Christmas - about the One who humbled Himself by coming down to earth as a helpless baby to save you from your sins!

Christmas???

What did you say?? Christmas is in 3 days?? Oh... ya I haven't thought that far ahead yet. Making Christmas presents isn't even on my radar yet! 

What's that? Your Christmas presents are all made and done?? And even wrapped??? Well, good for you. I'm glad you have had lots of time to do that, and you are soo on top of things!

Why aren't I done yet? Why haven't I even started mine or decided what I'm making for that matter?? 

Well because, I just got home today from spending 3 weeks in another state caring for some awesome kiddos while their Mommy went to Ukraine to adopt their little brother. There were 8 kids I was responsible for, the last week they were all on Christmas break, most of them were sick, and two of them ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and are still there. Crocheting really hasn't been very high on my priority list, nor have I had a lot of spare time on my hands.

No, I'm not a saint. I'm tired, sick, and a bit cranky - not feeling very saint-like. I was just doing what God laid on my heart to do by helping them out in that way with their adoption.

Nice talking to you too. Glad you don't have to work on Christmas presents the next few days like someone else does. Good bye.

Just a conversation I am having over Blogger with my imaginary friend... ;) You should try talking with them sometime. It's fun.

Christmas Presents 2011

Here are some Christmas presents I made and gave this year! I may post more pics in another post of more presents! :)

(Pattern from Sock Monkey Kook)

Elijah's Sock Monkey Hat (no, it doesn't have braids, I ran out of time!)

Isaac's Angry Bird Hat!

He loves it! He wears it all the time and I still can't look at him without cracking up! :)

Rebekah with her tutu. I didn't make the tutu's though.... my friend Jaclyn did.

Rachel in her tutu! She won the award for how many of your presents can you wear!

Anna with her 18" wearing the swimsuit I made and a doll tutu

And poor Matthew got another nose warmer! :) This one is for when he skis (since blaze orange isn't meant for the ski hill) and is redesigned. And I wrote down the pattern this time! Still didn't figure out how to make that nose flap...

What did you make for Christmas presents this year??

Gifts

"Every gift was given for a reason. We can't chose which ones we get, only what we do with them." How will you use your Christmas gifts to further the Kingdom of God this year?

Here are some of the gifts I got, and what I am going to do with them!

• a Walmart gift card - to buy yarn to raise money for Sergey
• tshirts - I requested tshirts that supported adoptions, and that's what I got! Part of the money used to purchase these shirts was donated to adopting families, and I will also use these shirts to advocate for the cause of the 147 million orphans around the world.
• My little brother! Yes, I count him as a Christmas gift! He is the second best gift I received even if he is a little late! - I am going to love on him and give all the love he didn't get from us in the three years in the orphanage!
• And the Best Gift of all - God's Son! Jesus came down to earth as a tiny baby on the first Christmas. He left all the splendor and glory in heaven and came down to a stinky old smelly stable to save us from eternal punishment in hell. For me, that is THE BEST GIFT I will ever get! He gave me the gift of life, so I am going to live me life for Him!

I love what one of my friends did - she didn't ask for any Christmas presents from her parents, but instead for money for an orphan on Reece's Rainbow. Now the hard part for her is choosing which one to donate to! :) Love you girl!

Remember that there are orphans who spent Christmas lying in a crib, with nothing for Christmas. Not even a family. They are just lying there, with no stimulation, in a room with lots of other cribs. No toys. No nothing. You can give them a present next year. The gift of a family. If you aren't their family, you can help their family bring them home. But, remember, time is running out for them. They soon will not be on earth anymore, they need YOUR help!

Merry Christmas

From our family (which now includes Elijah!) to yours!

One Last Christmas - Matthew West

This Christmas - Toby Mac

Be sure to listen to or watch this awesome video! When one of the adoptive blogs I follow posted this (Thanks Melissa!), I was suprised I hadn't heard this song before. I knew that Toby Mac and his wife Amanda had adopted domesticly, twins in 2002, but I didn't know he had any songs about it! This is now one of my FAVORITE Toby Mac songs! :)

Some Early Christmas Presents!

Since my mom and dad will need part of their Christmas presents for their adoption trip to Eastern Europe, I decided to give it to them early. (They are flying out on Saturday!!!) And no, I am not ready for Christmas, because it hasn't even snowed yet here, but I have started Christmas presents! (Ok ok, there hasn't been any snow that has stayed on the ground, but I have friends that would argue that is has snowed...) ;)

Update: I typed this awhile ago, but the pictures wouldn't upload so I am posting this now. And...  now it has snowed, it snowed a lot yesterday, but now it is all melted, but still freezing out! Brrr... Below is a really cool picture that one of my friends took yesterday. (By the way, this is the same friend that would argue with me that is has snowed like I said above.)