Christmas 2010: Take two

So, I attempted to write this post a few nights ago, but my internet crashed on me, as I was attaching photos. I will make sure to publish this post before attempting to include photos :). Well, I cannot believe another Christmas has come and gone. We have had wonderful visits with most of our families, as well as friends, but have enjoyed much relaxing time at home. We really enjoyed the build-up to Christmas this year. It was such a great time of anticipation and hope. Our tree was up the weekend before Thanksgiving, and we spent many evenings riding around in the car looking at light displays (our favorites being the crazy inflatable house and the Enchanted Forest). We also opened our advent doors each evening at dinner, as the Christmas story unfolded. Cannon enjoyed singing and doing motions to "Away in a Manger" throughout the Christmas holiday. It is absolutely precious when he rests his little red head onto his folded hands :). We trekked down to Birmingham the weekend before Christmas to visit Nanna, Papaw, and Uncle Patrick. We met the new addition to the Edwards' home--Radley. The boys really enjoyed playing with him, and he was a great sport. This trip also included a visit to the Lego store, which was actually a bit underwhelming this time since Brandon and I went to the Lego store in NYC this summer. The boys were loving it though. When we got home from Alabama, a huge package was on our porch from Uncle Josh, Aunt Haley, and NiNi. It was a fantastic activity table specifically for Legos! Perfect! We wrapped up some Christmas shopping the following week and spent some good evenings with friends. Jonah really wanted to give gifts to a couple of his friends this year, and we were thrilled at the idea of it. He greatly enjoyed picking something out for each of them and then giving them their gifts throughout the week. We were really proud of this initiative and even more grateful at how he carried it out with such joy and excitement--definitely a highlight of our holiday. Another would be the addition of bunk beds to our home. We have been shopping around for weeks now and finally settled on a set. This was really more a gift for Mommy than for anyone else involved. The final nesting stage has certainly hit, and I am so ready to get our home in order for little one. Anyway, the bunk beds were purchased, and Daddy spent Christmas Eve assembling them. Thank you, Love! Molna came down that afternoon and went with us to the service at church. Then we opened gifts with her, which included new jammies for the first night in the new beds. Jonah and Mommy took Molna to the airport at 6:30 Christmas morning to catch a flight to Orlando to visit Uncle Malachi and Bhavna. We then had a nice, quiet morning of eating, reading, and exchanging gifts. Cannon was most excited about opening his new coat, which was really his brother's the day before :). He said, "It's just like Jonah's!" Jonah was very excited to open the Lego City House, which he has talked about daily for over a month now. Ba came down later in the afternoon for yet another round of gift exchanging. They got sleeping  bags, as well as guitars from great-grandma to accompany their harmonicas from Molna. We certainly enjoyed the days Ba was with us. He cooked for us and provided childcare so we could sleep in and even go to a movie :). We are thankful for good parents! My wonderful husband surprised me with a great new pair of boots for Christmas! He is so good to me. So, now a new year is upon is. 2011 will bring us our baby Violet, and we are so thrilled to meet her! Thank you, Lord, for your great provision for and protection over our family. We have greatly enjoyed celebrating the birth of Your Son this year.