Christmas 2013!

Eric and I both come from divorced families, so usually our Christmas is insanely hectic having to split the holiday four ways.  Obviously, living in a different country meant we didn't have to worry about that this year.  But it's been weird not having to coordinate four different Christmases... I mean, it's kinda nice, but just not the same, and we are missing our families.  

So it's just us this year.

Not a single one of our Christmas decorations or our 3 Christmas trees made it to Germany.  {This was all my fault, and a long story}  We didn't have a single decoration and had no clue what we were going to do about a Christmas tree.  Eric and I thought that we might get a real tree, not the fake ones we've both had our entire lives. But a real tree sounded like a lot of work, a lot of work that we didn't want to deal with, so we really had no idea what we were going to do.  Until, I was talking with some of the gals I work with, explaining our little predicament, and one of the dental assistants so generously offered to let us borrow her tree!  Her and her husband were going back to the States for all of December to visit their families and weren't planning on putting any decorations up this year.  We are so very grateful for their generosity!

I have a "thing" for Santa (his face is really the cutest face in the entire world!) so our theme this year was Santa.  We took total advantage of the Christmas Markets and bought some ornaments and decorations these last few weeks.  Of course Eric is worried that we'll collect so many new things while we're here that when we get back to the States and get all of our old decorations back from storage we'll have way too many Christmas things.... but I'm not exactly sure how you can have "too many" Santa faces or Christmas anything....?

My collection of Christmas Market glühwein cups, so far.  I'm on a mission to get LOTS more!

I admit that because I have an only child I can go overboard at Christmas and her birthday.  I live every day knowing exactly how profound of a gift Isabelle is and I never take that for granted.  I'm not trying to justify my spoiling her... or maybe I am, I guess.  Eric and I set strict rules for grades, cleanliness, and chores, and make her earn the things she is given throughout the year.  We make darn sure she is a respectful, loving girl who understands that while on this planet she is not better than anyone, that her talents are God-given and necessary for her path, just the same as everyone else's.  We hope to teach her humility and graciousness.  But yes, I admit I tend to spoil her at Christmas and on her birthday.  But if you knew her, I hope you'd see she is a very tenderhearted, thankful spirit that does not act spoiled.
So anyway.... for her big gift this year she really really wanted a bean bag chair!  So ALL of her grandparents, two aunties, an uncle, and me & Eric, for a total of 12 people, went in together and got her a Lovesac (the bestest bean bag chair ever)!  We had set her up really well for her thinking there was NO way she was getting a bean bag chair!  {Another long story}  These are the moments when we are missing our families.... her reaction was the best!!

Santa was here!  {Well actually, Santa fell asleep.  Mrs. Santa, with a glass of wine, did all the work ;) }

This picture is blurry because I caught the last micro second my still-sleepy girl realized that a really big blob in the middle of the dining room looked like it could possibly be the bean bag chair that "there was no way she was getting this year."  And then ran to it, making for a blurry picture.

Eric and I have had to move it three times this morning, but she is so excited!  I'm pretty sure we're going to have to peel her off of it by the end of Christmas vacation.

With our faith at the center of our lives, we made sure to go to mass last night and are giving our praises to Jesus today.  We have truly been humbled by His blessings and feel His touch in our lives daily....for that we give praise.  Today, with nowhere to be, we are just spending a quiet day at home, in our pajama's, eating ourselves silly, and soaking up every second together.  

I can hardly believe that it is Christmas and 2013 is almost over!  My little family sincerely wishes y'all a blessed and Merry Christmas!  "Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay, close by me forever and love me, I pray...."