Programs, crafts and more Christmas...oh my!

I was doing pretty good getting everything caught up, and well, then I got behind.  So please forgive me as I try to close up 2012 over the next few posts!

As soon as we got back from California we hit the ground running, no time to recover from vacation!  Lyla's school Christmas party was Monday, and that night was her Christmas program, a first for our whole family!  All the girls in Kindergarten were angels, and thanks to some friends, her costume was borrowed and looked awesome!

Our little angel

Here she is during the program, we were in the back and it was hard to see, but she did great!

The next day Xander had a small Christmas party in his speech class.  The kids were so cute, they sang a few songs and then we ate some yummy treats!

I managed to throw in a few Christmas crafts this week as well, shew!  We were busy.

Ice cream cone Christmas trees!

We opted for foam sticker gingerbread houses this year. Best. Decision. Ever.

By the time we got to the weekend we were barely unpacked, but managed to host our annual Christmas with the Swanson family!  Years ago, I think 7 to be exact, we decided to start a tradition with the Swansons that we would get together each year. This started because Kevin grew up doing the same thing with close family friends, a tradition that continued through his life, and I think still continues today.

We cherish this night, we don't get to spend as much time with the Swansons as we would like, but we know that each year we will have this!!!

McNeely Christmas

We headed to Fresno, after a few days in Bakersfield, to celebrate with the rest of the McNeelys!  My little ones LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their big cousins Alyssa and Lindsey, and could hardly wait to get playing!

Unfortunately, the big girls were still in school and so playing was left for the afternoons, but it was still a fun time for all!  Here are a few pics of our Christmas and opening gifts!

Waiting so patiently!

Lyla's Bible from Grandma Connie

Books from the big cousins

Christmas everywhere!

Grandma Connie took us to her work, Fresno Pacific University, to meet some of her friends!  They see all these kiddos in pictures, and so she wanted to show them in real life.  Um, they are much more peaceful in pictures! Ha!  We then headed to Charlotte's Coffee Corner!  FPU is where my two worlds collide.  Grandma Connie works there now and it is where I attended college (and my dad, and my mom and my three sisters, and one cousin...well, you get the idea!)  And Charlotte's just might be named after another special Grandma that we know! ;)

As an added bonus we had professional pictures taken of our whole family, what a treat!  We got all coordinated and headed to Woodward park.  I was very pleased with how things turned out and these are just 3 of my favs!

McNeely 5

The whole clan

I couldn't resist this picture!  I hope that someday I am lucky enough to have 2 sons, one for each cheek!

I can't finish this post without remembering our 2011 McNeely Christmas.  We were fresh off the heels of a not so hopeful cancer diagnosis, and a few weeks shy of hearing good news about bringing Lyla home.  It was a sad, desperate time.  But during our visit last year we all knew we had been given a gift.  Ross, who had been in bed unable to get up much the few weeks prior, was up climbing, fixing and tinkering around like he loved to do.  Joy, God gave us all moments of pure joy during that week.  None of us wanted to be believe that it would be the last Christmas with Ross, but somewhere, deep inside, we couldn't bury that thought, so we savored every moment.

Ross was certainly missed this Christmas, and is missed every day.  There were a few times, as I headed into his garage, I had to hold back tears.  I knew, that as much as I wanted to see Ross as I entered that garage, he wouldn't be there.  Maybe because we just aren't in that house very often, or maybe because I am slow when it comes to dealing with loss, but it felt like he would walk in any minute.

Then there is Lyla, Christmas time was SO exciting for her.  Everything was new, and so many times she would remind us that she had never had a Christmas before and this was her first one.  That alone brought so much joy to me!!!  See, God provided again, some joy, this time through the eyes of a child's first Christmas!  

As we took our new family pictures, with Lyla, but without Papa, it was hard not to remember that we are not promised one single day.  We are in this life for such a brief moment, and no one has any idea when their "moment" will be over.  So I found joy in the day, in the bright sun, in the giggles between cousins and siblings.  Much like last year when we found joy in sharing one more Christmas with an incredible man!

Merry Christmas from the McNeelys!

Steinert Christmas

Ok, back to our trip to California!  After Disneyland we headed to Bakersfield!!

See that sweet face in the background...on the left?  My nephew Mark flew in from Tampa for the weekend!!!  

Lyla and some of her loot!!!

Not only was this our Christmas trip, but Aunt Stephanie's birthday is December 10th, so she hosted a pink party!  She had pink EVERYTHING!  There was a parade, some games and lots of fun pink things!  Aunt Stephanie loves pink, and since "the babies" (what she affectionately calls my kids!) were in town she thought it was a great opportunity to celebrate with them.  They loved it, and I think she did too!

Pin the tiara on Aunt Stephanie

A pink parade

As soon as Macey heard that Aunt Stephanie was having a pink party she immediately thought that she should give her something pink.  Macey thought of her own stuffed pig, lovingly named Oink, and decided that is what she wanted to give Aunt Stephanie.  Aunt Stephanie was touched, and since this day we receive updates about what Oink is doing now!  Currently, Oink is in HAWAII!  Lucky pig! (No, really, she took Oink with them on their family trip.  So she's really in Hawaii)

With a family as big as ours, coming from all different places it was impossible to get us all in the same place at the same time for a Disneyland castle picture.  So with ears and hats on our heads we took our family picture at my parents' house!

Merry Christmas from the Steinert clan (well, most of us)!!!

This time last year

Last year, on Christmas Day, our family was missing something, Lyla.  We still hadn't received our letter of approval, and even at that time we had waited longer than expected.  We didn't know that just a week after Christmas we would receive that approval, and in 10 fast and furious weeks we would finally meet her.  All we knew was that she wasn't there.

On Lyla's blog last year I posted THIS song.

Last year I knew that the child in this song represented Lyla, she was missing, and all we wanted was to wish her a Merry Christmas.  This year we get to do that, PRAISE GOD, we get to spend Christmas with our big girl!!!

As fulfilled and blessed as I am, I can't help but feel empty and burdened for the remaining orphans, the ones who do not get to be loved on by a family this Christmas, or maybe ever.  So, please do something for me, ask yourself if you have a child, in another country, or maybe just across town, that is spending this Christmas away from his or her family...YOUR family.  Before you answer too quickly, stop, ask and listen.

Instead of a New Year's resolution, for the month of January, I am committing to pray daily for God's plan for our family, in terms of adoption. Will you join me and pray for God's plan for your family?

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

A Very Disneyland Christmas!

It took me about 4 days to unpack our suitcases, but now it's finally time to tell you about our AMAZING trip to California which included 2 days at Disneyland!!!

Off we go!!!

Until I started choosing pictures I didn't realize how many characters we got to meet!  It wasn't our #1 goal (as you will see, Xander isn't a big fan of characters), but somehow in the middle of all the riding we saw a whole bunch of folks.

Snow White

Sleeping Beauty (Aurora)

Jasmine and Cinderella

MICKEY!!!!

Minnie Mouse

Tea Cups

Tractor in Carsland

Lyla and Gpa Max on the Mickey Ferris Wheel

Pluto!

It was a wonderfully, exhausting way to start our Christmas trip to California.  We learned that Lyla is fearless!  Her first ride was Tower of Terror in California Adventure!  Even though she was scared during the ride, and held onto Kevin's arm for dear life, she LOVED.  She would try anything we put her in line for, the faster the better, for her.  But at the end of it all she said her favorite ride was It's a Small World, which speaks very loudy that her girlie side is dominant! :)

Macey was very brave this time around, according to Disneyland she is 40" exactly, which allowed her to get on some of the bigger rides.  She loved Radiator Springs Racers, but about halfway through Thunder Mountain Railroad she decided she'd had enough.  I was greeted by a bawling little girl who clung to me for a bit while she recovered.  I was so proud of her for trying.

Xander, well, he was a bit scared.  We forced him (yes, I'm that Mom) on some of the rides he had been on last time (when he was 2), only because we knew he could.  He isn't quite 40", which was fine because he had no interest on going on anything too fast.  Characters aren't his thing, rides aren't his thing, but because it's Disneyland, he had a great time anyway!

We landed in LAX, stayed two nights there, used all of our energy on 2 days at Disneyland, and then headed to Bakersfield for Steinert Christmas...

3 years ago

3 years ago today, an email with this face changed the course of our lives.

Although he may not always be this smiley, he is always mine to love!!!!

A New Perspective

My sweet friend, Candice Scott, said of my Lyla on a recent Facebook post that she will be bringing a lot of perspective into our lives.  This was in response to my story about Lyla explaining how she shared a toothbrush while in the orphanage.  So this post is in response to a new perspective that I have on Christmas, more specifically, starting all things Christmas early in November.

This may be long, so bear with me.  

Growing up, Christmas decorations, songs and celebrating came in December.  Not the day after Thanksgiving, it had to be December.  I don't think this was really a hard rule, it just kinda happened that way.  When I was real young we would go cut down our Christmas tree and put it up the first weekend in December, and the season began there.  So, in my mind that's how it should be.

I married a man who LOVES Thanksgiving, and he is kind of like Scrooge when he sees early signs of Christmas.  He wants us to focus on Thanksgiving, his favorite holiday.  I am not anti-Thanksgiving, but really it pales in comparison to Christmas.  Jesus Birth vs. football and gluttony (ok, so maybe that comparison is a little biased, but you get my point) I had always said that I have no problem waiting until December 1st to put up lights, the tree and all things Christmas.  However, December 1st through December 25th you will hear nothing but Christmas music in my house or in my car, and I didn't want any complaints.  I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME!

There have been a few years that we got things out a bit early, for simplicity.  Once we had kids getting things done on a weekday evening was much harder, so lights needed to go up on a weekend.  We made exceptions, but still tried to keep it until after Thanksgiving.

As Christmas decorations began creeping into stores this year Macey and Xander immediately knew that Christmas must be coming soon.  This is the first year that they remembered a past Christmas and were able to get excited about what's to come.  As Lyla was exposed to the word Christmas, she just kind of associated it with decorations, the things she saw in the store.  Honestly, I was just kinda brushing it off, not really saying much and was going to wait until "Christmas" started showing up at our house and then we would explain the true meaning of Christmas.  Well, as you no-Christmas-before-Thanksgiving-believers know, there is propaganda everywhere.

One day at home we were mentioning Christmas, and even Santa Claus (Yes, Santa will be delivering presents to our kids this year. Yes, we will visit him and have their picture taken.  On another note, for another post, I do not know how I feel about that anyore.  So, do not judge me for playing Santa, Lyla has brought a whole new perspective on that idea too.  For another time.) and Kevin said to Lyla, "Do you know what Christmas is?"  She simply said, "No."  There it was, an open door to tell her what Christmas was.

Now, literally, in that instant, before I started talking I thought to myself, "OHMYWORD!  I have a 7 year old child, who has no idea what Christmas is.  She doesn't think it's about getting presents, or telling Santa what you want, or combing through a catalog putting every high priced toy on a want list. DON'T SCREW THIS UP, ALLISON!"  I really did think that.  So, in all of my wisdom I said, "It's Jesus birthday!"  That's it folks, that's all I came up with.  *sigh*

I know it's the truth, I know that is what is important and because she is still gaining an understanding of the English language and her limited knowledge of who Jesus and God are, that was probably the best I could do.  But I felt that I had failed, in a small way.  I want her focus, our focus, to be not only that Jesus was born but that GOD GAVE US HIS SON!  He GAVE US HIS SON!  THAT IS OUR GIFT!  She has memorized John 3:16, and so I could have used that verse, then she could have tied the Bible, God's Word, and all that is in there to the celebration of Christmas, it would have made sense.  But I choked.

So, that's what brings me to this post (I told you it would be long, but I do have a point).  I can't think of a better way to teach my child, who has NO IDEA what Christmas is, the true meaning of Christmas than to live and breathe it everyday.  So that is why we've already been playing Christmas music in our house!  That is why we have already read the Luke 2 version of the Christmas story.  That is why the kids Nativity set is on the coffee table.  That is why tonight our family movie is going to be about Christmas, and why we're headed out to buy some new Christmas books.  My daughter will know that Christmas is a day, but she needs to know that the reason we celebrate Christmas is present all the time.

Like I said, we will do Santa this year, I don't mind Santa, it's fun.  I grew up in a house where Santa was alive and well and I believed until I was way too old and I think I turned out ok.  I always knew that Jesus' birthday was the reason we celebrated and Santa did not take the focus off of Christ...at least in the big picture.  I'm sure I was a bratty kid who wanted everything and may have even cried when I didn't get what I wanted, (sorry, Mom and Dad), but we knew why we were celebrating.

I do agree that Christmas is over-commercialized, it is a greedy holiday for a lot of folks.  However, my new perspective is this, if I can use all the over-commercialized Christmas stuff on TV and in stores to take more time to explain the real meaning of Christmas to my daughter, then I will.  We all need a good reminder about why we celebrate.

So, Christmas time came early in our house...WAY before Thanksgiving. :)

Orphan Sunday

It's Orphan Sunday.  Many of you may not know what that is, so here is an expert from http://orphansunday.org/ 
On Orphan Sunday, Christians stand for the orphan. We are a people called to defend the fatherless…to care for the child that has no family…to visit orphans in their distress.

Each event is locally-led. Sermons and small groups, concerts and prayer gatherings, shared meals and youth activities—each rousing believers with God’s call to care for the orphan, and what we can do in response.

From many sources, one voice. On November 4th, 2012, thousands of events echo across America and around the globe, all sharing a single goal: that God’s great love for the orphan will find echo in our lives as well.

Orphan Sunday is your opportunity to rouse church, community and friends to God’s call to care for the orphan.

So this is my platform!  This year, Orphan Sunday is especially significant.  On this day, 4 years ago, my son became an orphan.  Left alone, abandoned on a street corner.  An orphan.  

When he was abandoned, the day he became an orphan, is the first record we have of his existence.  Our older daughter is the same, the first documentation on their lives is the day they became an orphan.  Sad and heartbreaking if I dwell on it too long.

Fortunately, for us, we answered the call to care for orphans in 2006 when we started the adoption process.  I will be honest, at the time I didn't see it as a "calling," just something we were both willing to do.  God used our years of waiting to reveal His plan for us and our role in caring for orphans.  Today OUR part in caring for orphans includes a family with two former orphans, sending others to care for orphans in other countries and sponsoring a few more.  Had we not asked God what our role was, these things would never have happened.

So that's my plea to you, WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THE ORPHAN?  As believers we are called to help: 

James 1:27

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Isaiah 1:17

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

I stop short of saying that everyone should adopt a child, I'm not sure if that is a good suggestion.  I don't know what God wants you to do (it's hard enough to figure out what He wants me to do ;)), but I know His instruction to care for orphans is clear.  Caring can mean so many things, it can mean adoption, one less orphan in this world!  It may mean sponsoring an orphan in another country, there are many trustworthy organizations that make this very easy to do.  It may mean giving money so someone else can go work in an orphanage, it may mean going to that orphanage yourself.  There are so many options!

I also want to add this, after prayerful consideration about what God wants you to do, don't stop there.  There are 147 million orphans worldwide, it's going to take all of us to make a difference.  God may be asking you to sponsor and orphan now, so do it, start today and do it, but keep asking.  Sponsoring an orphan today may be God's way of opening your heart to more, or different things in the future.  And I promise, speaking from experience, you do not want to miss out on what God has for you!!!