We opened presents with Max a few days before Christmas. We just didn't have enough room in the van to pack all those gifts!!! He understood that it wasn't actually Christmas yet, and he certainly wasn't complaining about getting to open them early!! We're in super saving mode these days, planning for bringing home baby number two so we tried to be as frugal as we could with gifts this year. We scored some good deals though, and Max loved everything he got! One of Stephen and I's fave purchase was his new Bible. We went with the "Jesus Story Time Bible". It's seriously awesome...definitely less "picture" Bible than his last one, but still very much meant for children, with every story being brought back to God's awesome plan for salvation. It really helps Max see God's "big plan" and nightly we get to remind him of Christ love and sacrifice. Love that! Max also got a super cool Texas A&M jersey, complete with his name on the back. He really hasn't taken it off since he opened it! But, I think his favorite gift from us is a new...slightly more impressive than the last, acoustic guitar. Last Christmas we bought him one, but all the strings had broken by the time he'd had it 72 hours! Well, he's had it a good two weeks now...and we haven't lost a string yet! Max also received a gift from the sweet couple, Lek and Edmond, in Thailand that loved and took care of him from the time he was an infant until the day we came to bring him home. I LOVE that Max has that special relationship!
A few days later, we packed up the van and headed to North Carolina for some super fun time with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt 'Ginia and Uncle Ryan. We had such a great time with them and started a new tradition that I'm super excited about! Grandma and Grandpa took Max out to pick out his very own little Christmas tree. They brought it back to the house and decorated it. It was super cute sitting out on the back porch! Then, the day after Christmas, they planted it in their yard! I love that every time we visit, Max will be able to see how tall its growing! Santa came while we were there..and Max could hardly contain himself when he saw his present. He kept asking "do you think its a football helmet?!?!?" Well, sure enough, Santa knew just what he wanted, and he got himself an A&M football helmet!! This boy is by far the cutest football player ever!! We headed to the local high school and let Max play on their field. He really felt like hot stuff! Super fun times in N.C.!!!
We were home for just under 24 hours, just enough time to do some laundry, then we headed off to my folk's house to celebrate New Year's and open more presents. Max and his cousins had a blast playing...you guessed it, football! The boys got matching pj's that glow in the dark, and for some mysterious reason, they had a really hard time getting to sleep :) Max got a Wii from my parents and it included Rock Band, so you know he was sold when he opened the box and there was a big guitar inside! We went bowling (and yes, my sons eyes are closed in those pictures. He's got this thing lately about making the silliest faces possible in every picture!), celebrated my dad's birthday, ate lots of yummy food and just enjoyed being together...exactly how I like it!
Time with family always flies by way too fast...but better that way than the other I guess!! Love, love, love Christmas time, and I'm usually a little bummed when its over. But, you know, I'm pretty excited about 2012! Praying this is the year we see our sweet girl's face! And speaking of our girl...she was in EVERYONE'S thoughts this Christmas. Max opened her gifts for her, a super cute stuffed animal and sweet book about a little girl and her dad (that totally makes me cry every time I read it!) from Grandma and Grandpa and a tiny pair of diamond stud earrings from Meemaw and Pops that match the pair they got for her sweet cousin Clara who my brother and sister-in-law are bringing home from Ghana very soon! Seems like just yesterday I was typing the post a few Christmases ago when Stephen and I were opening all of Max's gifts, longing for the day he was here with us. And, now he's here, and helping us prepare for his sister! God is so good!
