Christmas had so much more meaning for me this year. All throughout December, I heard the song "A Baby Changes Everything". And each time I heard it, I kept thinking about how much a baby really does change everything. It certainly has for us. But for Mary, her baby's birth not only changed her life and her relationship with her husband, her baby's birth changed the world. God chose to send his Son, the world's Savior, in the most humble way - as a baby. Having a baby of my own, made me think more of what Mary must have gone through on that Christmas night so many years ago. She knew the magnitude of who her Son was. How humbling and yet scary that must have been for her.
The week before Christmas was a difficult week emotionally for me. I was reminded all week of those whose holiday wouldn't be the most joyous of times. My heart was heavy for those who have lost loved ones - parents, grandparents, siblings, children, spouses, friends. My heart was particularly heavy for a young family who lost their sweet daughter on Christmas Eve after only 5 days of precious life. My heart was heavy for an adoptive family who lost custody of their child before Christmas. My heart was just hurting. And I so wanted to be happy because it was Kendall's first Christmas - such an exciting time!
But through all of the heartache, God kept reminding me of the fact that this life is not the end. Praise the Lord. There is hope in the sadness of life, in the despair, in the hard times. Because this life can really be tough. Quite frankly, it can really just stink sometimes. But Hallelujah, there is eternal life with Christ that we can hope for and look forward to. And that for me this year, was the focus of the Christmas season- the Hope that Christ brought when He entered the world as a baby. It is my desire and my hope that as Kendall gets older, we can begin Christmas traditions for her that highlight Christ's birth and the Hope that His birth brings to her and to the world.
We did have a wonderful Christmas and really enjoyed it with K-bug. Below are some pictures of this wonderful time with our baby girl.
One of her Christmas church outfits
Dad and Kendall going to church
Kendall and Aunt Lauren on Christmas Eve
Reading a Christmas story with Pops
Opening her first Christmas gift - and eating the tissue paper
Kendall's new monkey, Banjo
One of her stocking stuffers
Excited about a gift from Grammy and Pops
Serious about this gift opening stuff!
"Brace yourself, Dad!"
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