Christmas in a Flash....

I know, I am horrible. Here is is January 7 and I haven't even posted that first picture of Christmas....awful! If you want to read my excuses, here they are, if not, skip to the next paragraph. We passed a viral infection around our house pre-Christmas, had Christmas with no sickness, then started getting sick AGAIN! We had body aches, head aches, sniffles, cough, fever, "red" eyes and just felt bad. I was house bound for about 1 1/2 weeks, no church, no grocery, no nothing! We usually do our "last minute" shopping the week before Christmas, but this time, I was scrambling online trying to get everything and make sure it was going to get here....it was nuts, but it all worked out and we had a wonderful Christmas.

Anna was not that concerned with the whole present thing...she was more fascinated with the ribbons and the center rolls of the wrapping paper. We pretty much had to unwrap all her presents and she played with the gift tags. Parker of course, being 3, he was loving it! Everything he opened, "It's a brand new _______!!!" "Amazing!" Every gift, I kid you not. Even in his stocking at my in-laws', he was announcing his "brand new apple!!" Totally thrilled with everything. Three, four and five (before kindergarten) is really the "prime" age for kids. They are just beside themselves and have no real reservations regarding their excitement outbursts...I loved it.

Carter and Jacob, they were loving Christmas too. Of course the gifts are always great, but they love playing with their cousins (Jack & Harris) as well as the extended cousins that they don't get to see that often.

This Christmas was extra special for us since it was Anna's first real Christmas. For two years prior, I knew I had a daughter somewhere that I needed to bring home as soon as possible. Last year, I knew who she was and where she was at, and this year, she was with us. What a tremendous blessing to have this little girl in our family. The joy she brings to our lives is unimaginable.

Very, very late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. May you find true peace and happiness in 2008 and may you and yours be blessed.

Sending love from Rodney, Marcy, Carter, Jacob, Parker & Anna Mei Yi