Christmas Part IV

This Christmas will be a very memorable one for the Watts family,

or at least for me.  Not only was this our first Christmas so far away from our families and as our own little family  unit, it was our first Christmas as parents.

This Christmas I had hoped that we could really focus on the true meaning of Christmas. 

I didn't know how we would do it but I had a few ideas.

BUT...

On Thanksgiving weekend we opened a part of our present from Chad's mom.

We upwrapped this book.

We started dedicating Chad's days off as the days that we would read the chapters.  We recieved this wonderful book, full of ideas of how to focus on Christ throughout the Christmas season.

I am so grateful for this experience and we have made some decisions about how we will incorporate the traditions into our family for Chrsitmas's in the future.

Throughout the book, characters of the nativity are discussed

and then you add that character to the nativity.

{I was so excited to recieve such a beautiful nativity...we've never had one}

This Christmas my favorite "character" was Mary. 

Even before we read the chapter I felt a connection to her.

Possibly because this was my first Christmas as a mom.

And not only that but the mother of a baby boy.

Chad worked a lot of nights in December, so I had a lot of time to think about Savior and Christmas.

I often wondered if Mary felt overwhelmed.

If her baby was ever "hard".

If she truely knew what her son would become.

I thought about Peyton and wondered who he will be.

I was reminded that although he is not the literal son of God,

Peyton is His son.

I'm so GRATEFUL for the reason for the season.

I'm GRATEFUL for Mary and her example to me.

I'm GRATEFUL Kelli gave us this gift that will impact our home for many years to come.

THANK YOU!

It is our family goal this year to remember Christ and to try to become more like Him.

What a blessing He is in our lives.

**Happy 2012**