A Visit From Christmas Past

I have seen others post pictures from Christmases past, so I thought it would be fun to take a little trip down memory lane...

Christmas 2006
We were waiting for Hannah, no referral yet. Emily was sick with Fifth Disease this Christmas and missed her pageant at school. The rash remained for three whole weeks!
This was the first year Em wanted to see Santa. We went very early in the season (like the first day) and had breakfast, visited Santa and had our Christmas photos taken all in the same day - it was a great girls' day. I remember sitting waiting for our pictures and Emily jabbered a mile a minute about how grand it would be when her sister was here for Christmas, oh, she was so right!





She does NOT look convinced, does she??



Christmas 2005
This would be the last year my whole family would do the annual tree trip. My brother's children are getting older and in 2006, they opted for a fake tree. I think I actually cried when they told me - this has been a loved family tradition. Emily was three and a half and a lamb in her Christmas pageant (I have that on tape) We were just past our DTC (October 2005). Emily loved Christmas this year - still hated Santa, but loved everything about the traditions.

Looking at the snow...


Decorating the tree in our brand new great room



Emily was a huge Toy Story fan this year


The last time our whole family would cut trees for Christmas (we still do this:)


Christmas 2004
Still reeling from the losses we experienced this year, it would be four short weeks after Christmas that we would attend a meeting at a local adoption agency that would chart our path to China. Emily would not even look at Santa, let alone wait in line to see him.



Doing crafts at the annual Christmas Eve party (in their jammies, no less)


Christmas 2003
This is one I will never forget - I was pregnant with our second child and was horrendously sick with the pregnancy. The doctor tried to find a medication to stop the constant sickness, but the only one that worked rendered me unable to drive or lift, so I went without because Emily was a toddler. I found very few pictures of this Christmas and I am assuming it was because I had a hard time holding myself up, let alone a camera. I recall making a full sit-down dinner for my husband's side of the family, a true monumental task,given how I was feeling and I was disappointed at the lack of graciousness that was at the table that evening.





Christmas 2002
Emilys very first Christmas! Yes, she was a binky kid...she would have one in her mouth and carry one in each hand just in case. I thought we would have to send her to college with one, but alas when she was two, she told me they were for babies and gave them all to me to put away.

She adored Santa this year


Celebrating my dad's birthday the day after Christmas, Em with Nan


Annual Christmas Eve Party