Christmas at Mom's

 Christmas afternoon we went to my mom's house to celebrate Christmas.  Here is my brother and many of the grandchildren sitting on the couch.

 Addison reclining with Dad.

 Here is my Cecelia

 Addison posing

 Mom & Dad working in the kitchen!

 Cecelia & her mom Larissa

 My mom opening gifts from us

 Drew got his finger stuck while trying to open a gift!!!

Grandkids crawling all over mom

Corinne & Addison cuddled up in a chair!  So cute!  

Christmas

 A photo of our family before going to Christmas Eve Service

 Little Miss before church

 All the kiddos

 The boys opening gifts

 Look!!!  Lips gloss!!!

 Here she is cooking us some breakfast!!

 Addison got a new kitchen & shopping cart!  She loved them!

 Jack opening gifts

 Nick was relaxing in his new sweats

 Drew got his long-awaited golden headphones!!

 Ahh!!!  gold headphones. 

 Drew & Nick got new shoes

 Jack chillin with his new necklace & sweatshirt

 Addison playing with her kitchen

Dad helping Addison open gifts

Highly Favored

Luke 1:28: "And having come in, the angel said to her, 'Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!'"

Most of us have heard this passage taught or read. It the very familiar passage where the angel tells Mary she will carry the Jesus who will be conceived by the Holy Spirit. It is remarkable to think that this young girl had an angel appear to her and tell her she was "highly favored" by God. How would that make you feel? How you react if you were told you were highly favored by God? Wouldn't that be an incredible thing? Wouldn't that change your perspective on life, yourself, your future? How would you react? What would you say in return? Would you sign for joy, fall down in worship, or just allow the precious words to resonate in your mind? Well, God has said that to you - to anyone who is His child – anyone whose life is hidden in Christ through faith in His completed work on the cross. He said it in Ephesians 1:6: "to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." You might be thinking, why that doesn't say the same thing, but it does! You see the Greek verb that means "highly favored "is "charitoo." This verb is only used on other place and that is in Ephesians 1:6. Here the verb "charitoo" is translated "has made us accepted." Although our English translations don't same the same phrasing, it is the exact same verb in the Greek. It is the exact same tense, same usage, and same meaning in both Luke 1:28 & Ephesians 1:6. Think about that. You, if you are a child of God, are highly favored, just like Mary - highly favored in the eyes of God. What an awesome thought. Merry Christmas.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Cor. 9:15)

(Thoughts borrowed from Dr. Erwin Lutzer Moody church – Chicago)

Foster mom gifts!!

Addison's sweet foster mom in Korea mailed her some early Christmas gifts! 

 Here are two Korean books for her!

Here is the letter she wrote us.

Addison was going through all the things in the package.

Here is the letter..need a translation though?!

She sent her these cute hair things. 

You put them over little buns on either side of her head and the little braids hang down.

Here she is looking at her books in her room.

Thanks SO much!!!  We love the gifts!

Basketball

 So, we have offically entered Drew's favorite season...basketball season!  His team actually started playing in October.  Here are a few shots of one of his games! 

 This is his favorite shot...the one of him running with the ball.

 Here he is making a free throw.

 Here he is with his entire team.  His coach is great!

 Here's Addison playing at the game.

Her she is coloring..she even found a friend to color with her! 

Update on Avery!!!!

I was thrilled to see an email entitled, “Medical Report and Photos” from our adoption agency!  YAY!  Avery is doing absolutely fabulous!!!  She has completely caught up developmentally.  She was assessed to be at a 13 month level, which is the first time we’ve seen her developmental level match her chronological age!  This is definitely an answer to prayer!!!   She has also gained tons of weight and now weighs 23 pounds!  She is only 5 pounds lighter than Addison!!!  This too is a miracle as she was very much underweight when we were matched!!!  God is very good!  I have prayed that her developmental issues would be healed and God has been very kind to hear my prayer!  Praise him! 

In addition to that, she is quite possibly, the cutest baby in Korea!!  I mean look at these photos!!  Could she be any sweeter?!?!? This was a great encourage especially as we approach 8 months waiting to travel!  The wait is so long, but God is faithful and our baby is perfect!

 Here she is with the hat we sent her.  I don't think she likes things on her head

 Here she is with the Christmas care package we sent her.

 I don't know where she got the headband, but she doesn't seem to like it!

This is my favorite!!!  She's SO big!!!

sweety!!