We had been somewhat anxious about Christmas for many months.  We tend to make Christmas a very big deal.  After all, we are celebrating the fact that our Savior came down from Heaven and became human.  It IS a big deal.  In true American fashion, our Christmas celebration includes several days of visiting with friends and family members.  Each visit lasts for some time and includes incredible arrays of food and gifts.  It’s typically quite loud and joyous.  We love it and want the boys to love it also.

So, let’s think about the boys for a bit…  Their early life has been shaped in a very different  world.  That world is known for its kind and generous people, but a lack of food and basic services.  The boys know Jesus as savior, but the thought of celebrating His birth in the fashion to which we are accustomed is inconceivable!  So the big question in our minds was, “How would they respond when the inconceivable becomes reality?”  Would the stimulus overload send them into a panic-type of response? It seemed reasonable to us that they might sit in the corner with completely blank expressions.  We discussed our plans and developed contingency plans.  All the while we tried to hide our anxiety and keep a positive face, especially to the boys.  And we prayed as the season approached.

We were diligent in our preparation for Christmas, writing a list of the day’s events and reviewing it with the boys often so that they would have an idea of what was happening.  We made sure to involve them in our family traditions – David and Janel unwrapped baby Jesus and Daniel and Dad prayed.  They both listened and followed along in the Bible while Sarah and Janel recited the Christmas story from Luke.  (The boys will be memorizing it for next year!!)  Throughout the day we were vigilant to ensure that emotions did not swing too wildly one way or another.  At one point a phone call took our attention away and it took a while to get things under control again.  It was clear that our full attention was required and therefore we decided to forego our usual phone calls to family and friends.  By evening, we were thoroughly exhausted!

All in all, Daniel and David did fantastic!  They were wide-eyed but not overwhelmed.  Their natural charm came across to the people we were around.  They were truly grateful for the gifts they received, and they wrote their Thank You notes willingly.  They were especially happy to spend time with Janel (& Ryan), since they had not seen her for quite a while.

Here is some video from Dec. 24 at Margie & Ruli’s house.

Here is some video taken at our house on Christmas morning.  We edited it down, but it still has lots of good stuff in it.  You’ll see:

• The kids anxious to come out and see the tree, then finally being permitted
• Checking out the cookie remainders left by Santa
• Some opening of gifts and general discussion around the tree (second video)

And, for those still reading, here are the pictures: