It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It's almost Christmas and I've managed to send out a lot of Christmas cards, go shopping and take Iris to several holiday gatherings. First, the beautiful tree in the picture is not our tree. The photo was at the lovely home of the McCall family who hosts a great open house. Our tree is artificial, propped on a microwave stand and secured with a baby gate, so that Iris doesn't get to the ornaments. This year it is draped with strings of popcorn that my friend, Lorri, helped me make. That is something fun I'd like to do in the future with Iris.
Another gathering was with the Redwood Empire Chinese Association's annual holiday potluck. The food was great and Iris met Santa (a.k.a. Joe Wang) there. It was fun to hear the preschoolers sing in Mandarin. Our friends, Lynette, Gary and Bobbie Wong, were singing familiar songs ("Ni hao?") that Iris listens to on tape almost every weekday morning.


In the photos, Iris is wearing her special red shoes that read, "Baby's First Christmas". Although she was in China last Christmas, this is our first Christmas as a forever family. Plus, I imagine that there isn't the big colorful celebrations with family in China as it is in the U.S. Not to mention the toys and massive shopping that happens here. Iris is still learning to appreciate her many toys. It's amazing how she can have a plethora of colorful toys around her, and she wants to crawl quickly to the other room to open drawers and pull out DVDs from a box. She likes empty plastic bottles, pulling things down from the coat hanger in our kitchen, and the "little tikes" slide that she climbs and slides down on with a lot of help from mom or dad. Because of that, our gift to her are books and time with family and relatives. This year, it's Christmas Eve and Christmas morn with mom (Cindy's) side in the East Bay, then flying to AZ to dad's family with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, whom she has yet to meet in person. They will need ear plugs for her high-pitched loud screams (of delight) and fussy cries because we think she may be teething again. What a world traveler at one year old!

So what is Christmas all about this year? I pray that it will be a renewing of hope and trusting in the promise of Christ's coming as we are reminded of God's sending the incarnate Jesus to us. Iris is here and is a wonderful reminder of God's answering prayer. We need His light on us daily, but especially in these uncertain economic times. I want Iris to know the whole of His story and why Christmas is a time for singing with joy of God's wonder, beauty and love. Our lives are truly in His hands. Next post: Iris walking??