Two Plus: Advent, Christmas, Birthday

There's been something super special about this Christmas season. Maybe it's the way we incorporated Advent this year. It wasn't perfectly done. Or even fully done. But our efforts weren't in vain and God met us where we were at every time. I'm learning so much about what it means to wait for and rest in our King who came and will come again.

Or maybe it's the stage Nolan is in. Kev describes it perfectly as the most difficult but most fun stage so far. Difficult because A.) he's mobile and B.) he's human. But fun because Nolan has become SO social and his little personality is seriously the best. He's independent, yet careful, and learning more and more everyday.

It could have been the fact that we celebrated Christmas in my mom and dad's new home. They've settled in on land that has been at the heartbeat of our family for years and years and have made a life-long dream a reality. I think Mom is still pinching herself.

Either way, this Christmas was just...special.

Yesterday was my 28th birthday, and it was such a sweet day. I feel so loved and celebrated and so full of life. God is too gracious to let me celebrate another year with people I'm blessed to do life with and call friends and family.

We went to hometown for almost a week this Christmas. We spent the first half with Kev's side of the family and the second half with mine. It was a BLAST, and Nolan enjoyed himself to the fullest. I cherish the way he's loved. The nights were late, little man ate his weight in Christmas leftovers, and I think watching Nolan collect trash and throw it away was even more fun than the actual opening of gifts.
It's the little things.

Here are some pictures from throughout the week!