Christmas Recap...Yes, Seriously

I don't know about you but an average holiday season usually makes me want to take refuge for a couple weeks and recover from the chaos. Well, this was no average holiday season and I have needed more recovery time than ususal.

December started with KayLi's surgery and ending with all of us (except KayLi and Ryan, thank you Jesus) getting the flu. We never found out what type of flu but it took Allie and I almost three weeks to feel human again. All in all it was not the way I had envisioned KayLi's first Christmas. Surgery, flu, changed holiday plans, it may not have been the perfect Christmas but KayLi was home and none of it mattered.

Almost a full month later, I feel like life is getting back to something that looks a little like normal. Excuses aside, here are the highlights.

After three Christmas's of hanging an ornament for KayLi on the tree without her, it felt so good to hang this for her...with her here! Glory!!!

She and Emily worked on the gingerbread house together. Well, kinda together. Emily did most of it and KayLi "helped".

Emily also helped her make her first Christmas craft. It's so nice to have three styro foam cup angels!

I was in Dallas with Ryan and Ana, taking KayLi to her one week follow up appointment when Emily performed her first band concert. Sigh. If you try really hard you can find her right in the middle of this picture.

For about five years now Emily has taken this baby Jesus out of the manger and used him as a baby with various dolls. This year he stayed in the manager all season. Sigh, again.

I filled the Trailblazer with five crazy kids (Logan is in the passenger seat) and we drove through a wonderful live drive through nativity. KayLi really was happy...I have no idea where this sad face came from when the camera came out. Is it irreverent to eat chicken as you drive through a live nativity?

One of the many scenes in the drive through nativity. It really is a wonderful tradition. Flu or no flu, it wouldn't have felt like Christmas if we had missed it. And besides, I was just starting to feel bad and had no idea what was about to hit us.

KayLi had a very hard time saying "Merry Christmas" which worked out well. She wished everyone a "Happy Birthday Jesus" instead. When she saw a Christmas tree, decorations or even wrapping paper she would get excited and say "Jesus's birthday!" It was such a fun way to be constantly reminded of the reason we were celebrating. Such pure innocence and understanding all at once. She was so excited just opening their stockings because it was finally Jesus's birthday!

Ryan humored me for one more year and dressed up in fun Christmas pajamas to pose for a Chirstmas Eve picture. Poor Emily felt so lousy...she was trying!

We woke up to snow on Christmas Eve and it was our first white Christmas ever!

And we went to sleep that night praising God for the arrival of my precious new neice, Taylor Madison! Weighing in at 6lbs, 6 oz. and measuring 18 inches long, she was the sweetest Christmas gift. Isn't she beautiful!!! I can't wait to love on her during Spring Break!!!

Emily got many great gifts but I think her favorite were these clear Converse. She LOVES wearing miss matched, very bright socks with them!

We felt to lousy to make it to church the Sunday before Christmas and honestly, I don't think anyone would have wanted us to breath near them. So KayLi finally got to wear her first Christmas dress the Sunday after Christmas.

The biggest heartbreak of being so sick and miserable was that we had planned to travel to Allie's home town and enjoy Christmas with our family there. It was so sad not being able to see everyone but I know they didn't want us to breath near them either :0) Next year...

Even though Emily, Allie, and I felt terrible it was such a blessing to have all three of my kids home and together for a whole week. I am blessed beyond measure!