Christmas 2007

Christmas in our home was relaxed, wild, wacky and fun! Dreams came true, firsts were experienced and we all got sick and tired of hearing Hannah Montana's voice echo throughout the house! I took lots of pictures and a bit of video and have compiled it into a little video below.



Highlights of this Christmas:

• First off, Asher experienced his first Christmas with our family. He had a blast ripping into each present and echoed many "Yipees" and "Thank you's" throughout the evening. He received MANY Lego sets and has spent the last few weeks putting them together. It's so exciting to watch each of our adopted children experience Christmas for the first time. I'll never forget last year during Esther's first Christmas when she woke up that morning and started crying because she thought Santa Clause had unwrapped all of her presents! This year, we didn't have any tears.. only screams of joy and delight.. more on that below.
• Ian received his much anticipated Wii. Upon seeing this startling gift, he proceeded to dash outside running laps around the pool screaming, i mean SHRIEKING.. "I GOT A WII! I GOT A WII." I did get it on video, and once I ever figure out how to upload it onto the computer, I will. =) Needless to say Christmas day and every day since then, Ian has spent playing his beloved game. And God help you if you touch it without his permission!
• Kayla got her much anticipated Gameboy DS. After going through hand-me-down gameboys throughout the years (geez.. poor kid.. has to have hand me downs!) she finally got her very own one.. and it's pink! Despite the fact she despises that color, she loves her game and has also spent a lot of time playing it. Along with that, she received lots of gift cards to her favorite store, Limited Too.
• Elena was the proud recipient of an iChair, which blasted all of her young poppy music throughout the day on Christmas.. and still does to this very minute! She also received lots of gift cards too.
  
• I've realized that as you get older, your Christmas piles start to dwindle down to very little, unlike your younger years. However, I can't complain at all! I received a much anticipated pair of Ugg Boots, a *fake* Dolce & Gabana purse (but I still love it) and several other little gifts. I must say, while my extended family was more frugal this year.. my work was not! I must have received at least $200 worth of gift cards from the kids I watch at preschool, and a beautiful Betsey Johnson purse from my boss! (My first *real* designer bag!!) (Don't take the above as a complaint at all, because I am very happy and appreciative for everything I have.. it's just something I've noticed and found funny. =)
  
• And, last but not least.. Esther and Emma are the proud owners of their own bikes! Esther has a beautiful blue bike, and Emma has a *pink* Disney princess one. They also received a dollhouse.. I take that back, doll MANSION! It's quite cute and much more elaborate than what I had to play with as a kid! Esther also received lots of Hannah Montana things, including the huge poster which is hanging in her playroom right now. Emma is a Disney Princess freak, but she likes Hannah Montana too.
  
• Mom and Dad didn't suffer throughout Christmas.. I just can't remember what they were gifted with this year! Ooops.
  

Like I said, Christmas was great and many of my most treasured memories happen during this day. It was nice realizing that we finally spent Christmas with our entire family together at last. It took almost 18 years, but at last there are seven stockings on the fireplace and all the more gifts under the tree! It's something you don't really think about, but now that we're all together it's such a heartwarming feeling. I look forward to all of the Christmas's we will have together as the next family members will be husbands, wives and grandchildren! Yikes.. that's getting a little too ahead of myself!
We hope your Christmas was just as joyful and wonderful. Only eleven more months until the next one! =)