They are home!!!

Waiting patiently for the luggage to arrive. (Michael, Joseph, Jonathan, Charity)
We begin the festivities with stockings.
Our first breakfast together.
Yes my boys are in matching/coordinating pj's.
The happy family!



I know you all have been anxiously waiting for this post – everyone is home!!!! Eric and the boys got in on Christmas Eve at around 7 pm. They were met at the airport by Michael, Charity and I, of course, but also my mom and step-dad (Roger) and Eric’s dad and older sister. The meeting was a long time coming but it was definitely worth it. Eric had taken an earlier flight from Chicago and so we had to wait for his luggage to arrive on the later flight. It gave Joseph and Jonathan some time on neutral ground to play with MJ and Charity and to warm up to everyone a little bit before heading home. Joseph was ready and willing to love us but it took Jonathan about 20 minutes to look anyone in the eye. Eric eventually took him away for a few minutes and then brought him back and played with him and that did the trick. He has been on “go” ever since. Coming at Christmas has really been great timing. They are completely overwhelmed anyway so we might as well pile it all on at once and get it over with! : ) Christmas morning was great! Michael and Charity were up at about 7:30. Joseph was up at 8:00 and we got Jonathan up about 15 minutes later. (Michael and Charity couldn’t stand the waiting anymore and we knew he would get a nap later anyway!) My mom and Roger and my brothers arrived shortly after everyone was up and we let the kids start the madness that is Christmas morning. We don’t do HUGE Christmas in our house (many of you know our theory on Christmas presents – if 3 presents was good enough for our Lord and Savior then it is certainly good enough for my little sinners) but by the time you get those 3 gifts plus stockings plus gifts from each other, times 4 kids it gets crazy nonetheless. But, it was the best kind of crazy I could ever wish for. Definitely a once in a lifetime kind of morning. We spent the day at home and then joined my dad’s side of the family for the evening festivities. The boys got to meet most of their new cousins and seemed to fit in quite seamlessly. They got their first taste of “dirty Santa” which is a traditional game in our family that involves cards, stealing of white-elephant style gifts and making small children cry – always good Christmas fun. Today we are taking it easy. Eric returned to work and the kids and I are lounging around, eating candy and watching movies. I’m such a good mom. But what else would you do the day after Christmas, especially when it’s raining outside. Tomorrow and Sunday will be filled with more Christmas fun, so the downtime is appreciated.