We have had an absolutely WONDERFUL Christmas!

Christmas started for us a week ago (holy cow I'm behind on blogging!) Thursday we came to Kaysville to start spending time with family. We had the best time seeing our niece and nephew and getting all festive!

Friday we did some shopping and the rest of my family arrived, and Randy and I got to have an ultrasound with little dude! He was SO cute and even waved at us! Then we went to the Candlelight Christmas at This Is The Place Heritage Park, which was SO fun! We ate donuts and gingerbread cookies, saw a live nativity which was one of the highlights of the season for me, and danced like the pioneers would have, making wax candles and DIY garlands. It was SO fun to hear carolers singing Christmas songs and it really got us ready to celebrate the season. We got to write a letter to Santa and then burn it because they told us that's how the pioneer parents told their children their letters would get to Santa! Randy even folded a paper crane (in about 30 seconds) and wrote his letter on it in Japanese! It was really fun! Christmas charades rounded out the evening and we stayed up WAY too late laughing.

Saturday we went and saw Jumanjii (which was funny!) and had pho for lunch (my favorite!) Then we played with our nieces and nephew, had delicious food, and spent time with Randy's family. It was a really relaxed day just full of fun memories.

Sunday was Christmas Eve and we jetted off to church with Randy's family, had a delicious ramen and gyoza party there, then went back to my parents house for a Christmas Eve dinner, then back to Randy's to talk to Elder Low! He is doing SO well and it was wonderful to get to chat with him! He seems so happy in Japan, and we couldn't be more proud of him!

Christmas Eve night was full of opening books (my family's tradition) and getting everything ready for the big day!





Christmas Day of course was too much fun. We ran back and forth between our families houses and were spoiled absolutely rotten. From clothes for us and our little dude, to surprise bath bombs and tons of vinyl for Randy, we were so lucky. We really have the best families and it was so fun to give them things and show our love for them.

 

Fun fact, my dad got a lock picking set and everyone, including Candace, had to learn how to use it!

It was SO magical to have little kids with us on Christmas morning and got me and Randy so excited for next year when we have little man here!

The days after Christmas have been filled with more family and fun and we are so lucky, it's been so perfect to have a break and refocus on things that really matter.

As we talked about Jesus Christ and His miraculous birth, I can't help but think about His Heavenly Father and Mother and His earthly parents. All of them had so much love for Him, and for all of us. They were willing to give a child so He could grow up and save us. I think about how overprotective I feel about this little babe I haven't met, and how fiercely I love him already, and it makes me sob.

There is so much good and so much love all around us. It's easier to feel at Christmas, but it's something I pray I can carry through every day of the next year.

Merry Christmas!