Christmas/New Year's At Our House

What can I say...Our first Christmas together was what we expected...fabulous! Miss Olivia did the expected and collected decorations off of the tree for me each day leading up to Christmas and each day I got to put them all back on the tree and remind her that we should just look at them. We usually have a housefull of familiy and friends on Christmas Eve, but this year opted to have a quiet one with just the three of us. Our plan was to go to the Christmas Eve Choral service, but the wind and the rain were so bad again that we really thought the power would go out and a few more trees may come down, so after a brief visit with some friends, we stayed safely at home for the night. Christmas morning was soooo much fun with Olivia. I don't think she really got the "gift opening" thing, but she sure LOVES to tear paper. Even after she opened all kinds of new toys and fun things to play with, she still went back to playing with her good old familiar toys and the tupperware in the kitchen drawer - next year we're just wrapping empty boxes (not). Later in the day, we headed up Island to visit my dad and then on to see Ron's youngest son (who is a pilot and had to work most of Christmas day) and my brother and sister's families. All in all, a very busy, but enjoyable first Christmas home with our beautiful girl, finally where she belongs. New Year's Eve was also spent pretty quietly at our house this year - had our good friends, the Lums over, a lotta Chinese food and Pirates of the Carribbean 2 movie. We all barely stayed awake until midnight. While we are so very blessed with all we have to enjoy in our lives, it's hard to go through all that we have experienced in the last year and a half and not still think about all the other children left behind, still waiting for forever families. My hope is that they all have their own angels watching over them and that they are safe, warm and loved.