Nativity Story

By request, here is last Christmas's family film.

Presenting...
A Nativity Story

Christmas and Babies

We had a truly lovely Christmas. It was fun to be surrounded by family and it was exciting to open presents. I enjoyed seeing the girls get excited about new toys...it was a little magical to hear Callie talk about Santa bringing her a bike and toys. I've enjoyed all of us hanging out in the family room together and talking or playing video games or watching movies while Sammy breaks a light bulb from the lamp or Callie breaks a bowl. I mean, those are some special times. It was a great Christmas and I couldn't have asked for more (other than my parents being here too).

You all know that we have started the adoption process, and as I've mentioned, it seems like the paperwork is going through even faster than it did for Callie. I've been really nervous about this baby because it seems like the jump from 2 to 3 kids is a big one. We'll need to buy a new car. And I only have 2 hands ya know? I get nervous. But I've also had the reassurance that this is right and that makes me excited and helps put my fears aside. But even still, I get a little worried. That's only human right? Well the past 2 days have been interesting for me. I feel ready all of a sudden. Not that I'm stupid enough to think that "oh, it'll be so easy to have a 3rd child." NO, not at all. I know it will be an adjustment for our family and our lifestyle, but we are ready for that...and I really feel....ready. In fact, last night we were with the extended family, and while we were there, I really felt like I should have been holding a baby. It was odd. That has happened only once before over the past couple months, but last night it was so much stronger. I can only imagine that that is Heavenly Father's way of preparing me, to some degree anyway.

I kind of got excited about that experience...imagining what it would be like if we got a baby soon. It's a little overwhelming, but what an amazing experience that would be for our family to spend time together with our new baby before Marcus starts working. There would be nothing keeping him from being around. (Update on Marcus: He's hopefully defending his dissertation in February!!!) If we have to travel anywhere for our baby -- out of state again like we had to for Callie -- and stay there, he'll be able to do that with me this time. But, that's all under the unlikely circumstance that there's a baby in the next few months for us.

Either way, baby now or later, I feel so blessed right now. I know there is a baby out there for us, and my arms are beginning to really ache for him/her. It's an awesome feeling.

A Christmas Carol

Last year, as a little Green family, we created a video version of the Nativity. We decided that this would be our new tradition. Well, we didn't want to do the exact same movie, so this year we chose A Christmas Carol. That's right -- 2 kids and, I think, 7 characters! This story, in particular, has a lot of memories attached to it as it was a tradition for my family growing up to go and see it performed around Christmas time. Apparently my parents didn't get out to see it this year...maybe this will count. It's longer than our video last year, but if you are interested, sit down, enjoy some music and a story, and be grateful for the spirit of Christmas.

We hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas!

Pressing Forward

Tomorrow I am teaching a part of the Young Women's Christmas lesson. I've taken a lot of time to think about this, and I keep coming to "Pressing Forward." This isn't quite the typical Christmas message, but I do think it applies quite well.

There was a time when people were anxiously awaiting the birth of their Savior. Now, we anxiously await the Second Coming -- and we need to be prepared. We have amazing young women who are faithful and strong. So, what more can I tell them but to press forward in faith? My hope is to encourage them to continue on the path they are taking, to be faithful -- even when there are those around them saying that these girls are crazy or stupid for believing what they do.

As I was lying in bed the other night, I was going over some of my thoughts for the lesson...and that led to other thoughts. I started thinking about my life with Marcus and our girls. I started to think about how we are living with my in-laws, have no income (though the next day that was solved -- more to come), and we are adopting? Are we crazy?! Then I thought, "People probably think we are the stupidest people they have ever met." Because really, it seems like the craziest time to even consider adoption...and not just because we are living with our in-laws and have no job. (I already told you we were crazy.) We already have Sammy who takes a lot of time, and Callie is still young on top of that. So, why would we adopt!?

Because it's what we know we need to do.
Not for us, necessarily, but we need to do it because we have felt prompted to do so.

For some reason, at this time, Heavenly Father wants us to prepare ourselves for another child. I've had several little experiences that remind me that Marcus and I must press forward with this adoption. We need to finish all the paperwork. We need to be prepared. I'm not sure when we'll actually hold our next baby in our arms. But I do know that if He were to come tomorrow and look me in the eyes, and we had shied away from this adoption because of how "crazy" it seems right now, I would be ashamed. I would be ashamed because I KNOW it's what He has planned for us to be doing right now. Perhaps the plan isn't to have a baby today, maybe it's still a year from now, but either way, we press forward because it's what we've been told we, personally, must do right now. To me, pressing forward implies action -- force -- work -- acting on what we know, not passively watching or waiting. So, we try to do that. And I'm better in some areas than I am in others. But that's ok. We keep pressing forward.

I'm really not trying to toot my own horn here, because I recognize that there are so many areas where I lack. But I have found so much peace in doing what I feel like we've been told to do. I imagine it's how Callie feels when she takes her shoes off and puts them in the box in the hallway and we jump up and down. She gets really happy knowing she's done what is expected of her. I guess, I'm feeling that way right now. Happy. And, one day in the relatively near future, we'll have our reward snuggled up in our arms. That's pretty amazing.

A note on the Adoption Process:

Here in California background checks get done very quickly because it's all online. We only have a couple more things to do and then we're ready. We started the process in October, and we're already close to approval. With that said, our caseworker told us that if a baby were to appear for us tomorrow, they would do what they needed to to make it work because we're that close to being there.

I remember last year when we got the phone call about Callie. There was no emotional prep time. We didn't know about her until she was already born and ready to come home with us. It was so fast. But it was such a blessing. She is such a blessing. Will that happen again? Who knows. But we'll be prepared.

Portraits of Mormon Women

My mother-in-law wrote this lovely article. It's worth a few minutes to read.

Hopes

I hope to be as good as this little guy one day! Hey, if you can play...who needs words?

Santa and Sammy

Today Santa came and visited Sammy's preschool class. Sammy sat so well on Santa's knee that the photographer took about 50 pictures of them! She was so happy and content sitting on his lap. Guess Santa is magical after all.

Merry Christmas to all....

Even though Callie's not in Sammy's class, they let her have a picture with Santa and even made a present for her to take home too! What great teachers Sammy has!