A Christmas to Remember...

... but not one to repeat.

The first week can be summarized with this one picture. Sorting, packing, moving and some deer.

My amazing husband spent countless hours alongside my mom sorting and packing and organizing for the big move. Since my mom and dad had to move and since my dad broke his hip in four places about a month ago...oh, and since I am 16 weeks pregnant, we stayed up and took care of the "lighter" tasks while mom and David did the heavy lifting.

We knew we had a week before Christmas to get as much of the packing done as possible. As if God wanted to just remind us of His presence and to bless us with little gifts, we would look outside and see the most beautiful deer. They would walk right up to the door, the house, you name it. Here is one of the 10 point bucks we saw. Incredible.

David would take a "move break" and go take pictures of deer. This is not in zoom. He was literally that close. It was amazing.

Another special gift was getting to see one of my most favorite people in whole world, Kimber-Leigh. For the life of me, I don't know why we didn't get one picture - but we were more concerned with just seeing each other and I will never be able to tell her how much it meant to me for her to come and remind me that she was there, supporting and praying us through each step. Another gift of provision to have her visiting just an hour away during this craziness!

The very next day...

...a snow storm blew in with a fierceness I have not experienced many times in my life. David drove the whole family 5 hours round trip to the airport to pick up Mama 2 and Stephanie. We made it. I don't know how, but God protected us from the many accidents we saw alongside the roads we traveled. More provision.

And of course, we had to get out and play in it for a small "break". :)

Daddy chopped down a real tree for our Christmas tree. We decorated it with all of the ornaments that were going to be given away or thrown away. It was special and hysterical all at the same time.

Christmas Eve after the church service, we made a birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus. I can tell you it was one of the sweetest highlights of the week.

Christmas Day started out perfectly. Kate came down the stairs with expectancy in her eyes. She saw that Santa had brought her the three top things she had requested this year: a popsicle, a lollipop, and a sticker. (OK - maybe there were a few other things as well)

For gifts this year, we did not want to spend money, so we wrapped up things from down in the basement for each other. Things that each of us hadn't seen in years. Things that made us laugh hysterically. Things that made us cry, as we thought back to those who are not with us any longer. One of my favorite Christmas mornings by far. I think we might have started a new tradition.

Then, that afternoon, we called 911 as my grandma, Mama 2, turned from bad to worse. There's nothing like having an ambulance arrive on Christmas day! Of course, David had to document it all.

Dad and Rhett went to the hospital for most of the day while the rest of us tried to have a quiet and thankful Christmas meal together. Thankfully Mama 2 was OK, but needed to stay in the hospital a few more nights.

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up!

Through it all, we played and laughed. Sweet Kate and Uncle Rhett sure did make us laugh a ton and get through the tears and drama.

The sun rose...

...and the sun set.

We all said goodbye to the mountains and hello to city. It is a good place to be; the place of letting go and simply trusting God.

This Christmas will go down as one of the most memorable holidays our family has ever experienced. We survived. We did it. We did it together with God's sweet provision and grace.

And...we are all still family. Still standing, barely. Better for it. Stronger through it. More grateful because of it.

We are more blessed now than any other time I can remember. And, may God receive all of the glory.

It's His story after all.

Here's to a NEW year!