In case ya’ all didn’t catch Heather’s response to our Christmas get together, check it out below. I love hearing about their family traditions and I love making new ones with them. I will post about our family Christmas (6 of them to be exact!) later this week. But for now, enjoy!

Christmas has come and gone, and I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!
This Christmas was very special for me for so many different reasons.

First, seeing my children at church on Christmas eve in a play was beyond amazing. Marvell playing Joseph, standing tall with a smile on his face by the manger. Mya and my niece Cora, as beautiful angels, acting out the night Jesus was born – all melted my heart. To sing wonderful praises to the Lord with my children, mom, and sister among a room full of other believers just brightens my soul, and was a breathtaking reminder what the Christmas spirit is all about – the birth of our Lord and savior!

Secondly, being able to spend time with all my family this Christmas was so fulfilling as we come to the end of 2017.

My parents have been divorced since I was a baby, so growing up, all holiday celebrations were split into two. I always spent Christmas Eve with my mom’s side of my family, which involved going to church and our grandparent’s house, eating together (and enjoying all of grandma’s awesome baked goods), and spending literally hours going around the living room and everyone opening up one gift at a time as we laughed, talked, and embraced the love you felt all around their home. Remembering those days, I also remember my Grandma always expressing the reason for the season and always expressed her absolute love for Jesus. It’s been a little over 10 years since my grandparents passed, and Christmas just hasn’t been the same since for my mom’s side of the family. We don’t get together like how we used to. I’ve come to realize that it never will be the same, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful. Moving forward this last decade from those amazing Christmas Eve’s with Grandma and Grandpa has been a journey, but we finally have created and started our own Christmas Eve traditions with my mom and I love that.

This year, getting together with my mom, sister, cousin Becky, Aunt Mary, Uncle Jim, our children AND the Heesch Family! WOW!!! I am just so happy that we all got together. I’m so happy that more of my extended family and the Heesch family got to meet! I can’t even explain how it makes me feel. I’m so glad that the Heesch family gets to experience the love my family has to give. I’m so glad that they welcome that love. I’m so grateful that they are my friends!

On top of getting together, my Aunt Mary is just so awesome and treated everyone to lunch and reminded everyone of those Christmas traditions and goodies with our grandparents. My Aunt Mary has always been just so giving and so caring, and has such a heart of gold! I know getting together made my mother so happy, and it just brings me so much happiness to see everyone happy, especially during this time. & it was super fun watching the kids play and interact with one another!

After getting together, I went home and was just so thankful for my family. I admit, I cried a little bit when I ate a peanut butter ball (my favorite), then laughed it off, because my kids laughed at me. & as I watched my kids decorate their Christmas cookies, knowing that my nieces, little cousins, and Jackson all get to do the same, my heart was just so full! How amazing and special!

Also, just an FYI – JJ and Jessica are STILL the best parents ever!!! Even after seeing Jackson’s meltdown (haha)… I’ve been through plenty of meltdowns and tantrums in my life, so I totally understand what’s going on. I mean, my daughter Mya had a little meltdown right when we got there and it took awhile for her to get out of the funk. & Jessica – don’t take it personally, Mya gives EVERYONE the stink eye when she’s moody (even me)! Thank you JJ and Jessica for trying to love her through it with me (even if you feel like you failed)!

Also since I can remember, on Christmas morning, my dad’s side of the family gets together for breakfast. This year, we didn’t have anything planned, but ultimately, we made it happen! & we had Christmas breakfast at my house! My dad, grandma, papa, aunt, siblings, cousins, and our children all were able to get together Christmas morning. I know that made my Grandma very happy and her Christmas complete, and I’m happy that we still all get together!

Jessica, I just want to thank you again for starting this blog! I can’t wait to keep hearing the journey through your eyes! & hear all about Heesch family traditions & what’s going on in your lives! You really have helped our communication in this open adoption & it really is an awesome thing for your family, and for mine!

Heather