Corwin and Christmas

Well, it seems strange to combine a baby post with a Christmas post, but I guess the 3rd child is just like that.

My baby boy is growing just fine and is larger than average (estimates are that he's already 5lb 9oz) even though I am measuring small. So no worries on that front, other than now I worry that he'll come early or he'll be enormous ;0) We finally decided on the name Corwin Ward. Corwin is a Celtic or Old English name meaning "Heart's Delight or Heart's Companion/Friend". We do pray that he will be this in our family and that Alden and Rhianwen will welcome him into their lives and activities with joy and thankfulness. We are finally done memorizing Psalm 139, and it is always so fun to hear Alden saying, "For you formed my inward parts, you covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise you in my mother's lap." It should be "I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made", but Alden just says it this way. Anyway, Corwin is made just according to plan both in the timing and in the details of all that he is and will be. I also love the verse, "Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed, and in your book they were all written, the days fashioned for me when as yet there were none of them." Corwin, you are desired by us and by God, and we are so EXCITED to see what God has planned for you. We love to be reminded that it IS God's plan, and He cares for you so perfectly. You are a wonderful surprise, and what God desires for us, we also embrace wholeheartedly with delight and anticipation. Ward means watchman or guard. We hope that Corwin will be a man who watches over those who need care and protection and will keep God's truth close to His heart. I've been studying the book of Luke this year, and it's been so special to see how Jesus notices people in such a way that brings true physical healing, spiritual wholeness, and restoration to their communities while providing a new identity defined by their relationship to Him and not defined by their weakness, sin, and failures. I hope Corwin will notice people in a way that reflects Jesus' wisdom, compassion, and desire for restoration.

Perhaps partly in preparation for Corwin's arrival, we have moved back into our family room. His nursery is now empty of all of the boxes, but still not set up yet. We are enjoying Christmas activities and finally got our Christmas tree this past weekend. It is nearly the most perfect tree we've ever chosen.

You can see how helpful our children were in selecting the perfect tree. It's hard work, but somebody's got to do it. Mommy certainly wasn't since she was taking so many pictures.

Alden helps daddy cut it down: a man's job. Rhianwen and mommy were the adoring cheerleaders.

Daddy likes feeling like he deserves a live tree, I think. No going to a lot and picking out a Frasier fir. Not even allowing someone else to cut and haul a freshly picked one will do. We really miss the tree farm up in PA which brought us down to the trees on a tractor-drawn hayride, allowed us to cut and haul back any way we wanted (hayride or dragging), shook and netted it for us, AND had an amazing Christmas barn full of decorations to buy and free cocoa and cookies. There is nothing like it here. We also miss the Blue Spruce. Here it's mostly Cypress. But we DID get the perfect tree, so I shouldn't complain.

Decorating with the fun star of David ornaments we made. They look really good on the tree. I'd like to make more. Rhianwen and Alden looooved using the glitter. It may seem odd to have such a Jewish symbol, but Jesus really is the King from David's line and the bright morning star (Rev. 22:16).

Serious work, but they were really quick at it! I've never decorated a tree so quickly.

The finished result along with nicely clad children and a beautiful family room floor. Ahh. Life is good...

...and so are sprinkles, icing, and fresh Christmas cookies.

We offer the last 2 pictures as evidence for our reasoning that we are keeping our Christmas cookies to ourselves.

How are we behind if I can't do laundry?

Did you ever think Wally could look like Steve Tyler...yikes!

You should see our laundry pile. It is sad. Out of desperation, Wally did some of his clothes in the bathtub. Yes, I suppose I could go to the laundromat or ask a friend, but I keep thinking we'll be back in our family room soon! I really do think it will be soon. Wally is putting the finishing touches on the molding, and we hope the floors are ready for furniture tomorrow. However, we discovered something is leaking near our washer hook-up!!! So, I don't know if we will be able to do our laundry after all.

Mr. Eggplant's got the idea, no worries about laundry. A bow tie will do.

All that to say, we're halfway to Christmas and I haven't even posted about Thanksgiving. I guess you are becoming accustomed now to having immense picture posts from me.

Here goes. First, be looking for a new post soon on baby boy: ANOTHER ultrasound tomorrow. Everyone keeps saying how tiny I look, and apparently the doctors are getting nervous about it. Now I am too! Can't wait for it!

But back to Thanksgiving. We had a lovely time at Grandmama and Grandaddy's. We had much quality time with Great Mama and PaPa who very sweetly lavished attention and much book reading on our two kids.

Great Mama doesn't know what she's signed up for!

My kids could have books all day!

Uh huh. We get home, and they go through book withdrawal.

We were happy to get a surprise visit from Aunt Clara and Uncle Brooks especially since we won't be seeing them over Christmas.

We also enjoyed seeing some friends/cousins who have some kids right around our kids' ages. Very enjoyable.

And Uncle Averett very sweetly shared his motorcycle with Alden. Alden's looking around like, "Can you believe this everyone?" Alden's living on the edge of danger just about all of the time. Trips out to our library or store are wrought full of daring escapes and Houdini-like attempts. Today, he even managed to get a child-proof bottle of infant Ibuprofen open. Of course, he helped himself. Thankfully, there's nothing to fear after that ingestion, but I really feel like I need tunnel vision on him 24/7. I don't know what we'll do when baby comes!

Back at home, we began minor decorative attempts for Christmas, but with our house still in renovation mode, it's pretty much impossible. We do have our advent tree up and lights outside, but sadly when the snow came, we didn't have a tree or anything else to make it feel like a white Christmas.

"Helping" Daddy. We made the LED switch for the exterior. I only wish I could have found warm icicle lights that were inexpensive, but these do make me think of snow...which we got for free!

Sledding fun.

All on his own.

Rhianwen was incredibly helpful making our snowman...do you sense the sarcasm?

What sweetness. I love family time when we're not having to referee.

Rhianwen asked me: "Mommy, is our real Santa going to come to our house?". I had no idea what she was talking about since we had just been discussing how Santa is imaginary and based on a normal man in history. So I asked her what she meant. She said, "You know. Our real Santa. He gave me a candy cane." Then I remembered at a rest stop last year we met a nice old guy who was all dressed up as Santa with a real white beard. He gave her a candy cane, and I let her eat it with visions of stomach pumping dancing in my head. (I figured he was nice, married, with a wife in the car). Still, I'm not sure if I made the right decision even now.

Each year I enjoy focusing on Christ at Christmas more. His birth is really worthy of celebration, and just because we don't know when he was born doesn't mean we can't throw him a birthday party sometime each year. I'm so grateful that all of the things we do and ways we decorate at Christmas reflect the precious reality that He was born here to save sinners like me and my children.

We visited a live nativity which was a lot of fun. Of course, the kids didn't want a picture with Mary and Joseph, but all of the animals were great. They got to feed them, we went on a wagon ride, and Alden and Rhianwen rode on a camel! I figured I'd better forgo the experience since I am quite far along in pregnancy. I could just imagine my doctor's face when she asks, "Any questions?" and I say, "Um, yeah. Is it ok if I ride camels at this point?"

The great adventurers after their ride.

We 3 princesses of Orient are? (Rhianwen with some friends after their ride.)

Funny dinner table conversation:

Alden: Who loves me? God?

Wally: Yes, and who else loves you? Daddy loves you.

Alden: And Mommy loves me, and Ronwen loves me.

Rhianwen: I love Daddy, and I love mommy, and I love Alden.

Alden: I love chips.