Thursday, December 6, 2012

9 years of Christmas pics

Mmmm. . . I love Christmas pictures.  I remember getting the mail as a child and carefully feeling along the edge hoping for a picture inside. 

Our online-driven society has made real photos you can hold in your hands a thing of the past.  The last time I printed photos was. . . um . . . last Christmas.  Yes.  That's bad.  Anyway, I stubbornly insist on sending real Christmas pictures every year maybe just because I enjoy receiving them so much. 

Today's advent activity for the kids was helping with Christmas cards. 

We have about 220 to do. 

We finished 8. 

I will be up all night. 



I started thinking about all the previous Christmas pictures. . . how life changes. . .

I just snapped pictures of pictures below.  You'll definitely be able to tell when we go digital.  (Seriously, the subtitle of my blog should be you aren't here for the photography.)

 
2003
stars in our eyes. 
 
 
 
 
2004
 
we had just discovered that jd was on the way.
if we look a little shell shocked. . . well, we were shocked.  wow.  obviously he turned out to be the best shock ever. :)
 

 
Mmm.  oh.  I guess this wasn't a Christmas picture.  Well anyway, I'm a sucker for dress blues and he's mine!  Wow, how lucky can a girl get?

2005
 
Aww, it's 3 of us.  It was snowing and we begged our neighbor Jenny to take our picture.  Daniel bought me that coat as a gift, and I loved it.  I also loved the curtains in the window of our little love nest that we were quickly outgrowing.  That was such a happy year.  I remember working together, making Jacob wooden blocks for Christmas.  Oh the sweet joys of being young penniless parents.  :)
 

 
 
This is 2006.
 
The 'year of the boat' as we like to call it.
Grandpa wanted his boat kept in the family;  it was our turn that year. 
I bet he had lots of laughs looking down from Heaven at us and our friends and our boating escapades. 




2007
 
 
This is not the picture we sent out that year, but I can't find the real one.  Here is where our sweet girl joined us.  I love her little bow!  I think JD is sucking on a piece of candy from the parade we had just attended.
 
 


2008
 
I can't find the real 08 picture.  This will do.
 
Apparently I was still into tying green bows on Cambria's head.  :) This was taken at Gettysburg when we were on the East Coast for my friend Lisa's wedding.
 
Here's another one from that time frame, early 2009, in Oregon for Daniel's younger sister's wedding. 
 

Love love love the Pacific Ocean!
 
 
 
 
 
 
2009
 
{this is just a random funny one I pulled from the folder of the Christmas 09)
 
My friend Rebecca started taking our pictures here.  Gabe is a little twinkle in my tummy here. . .
Sweet smiles unaware that our lives would be shattered in the next year with his birth, life and death.
 
 


 
2010
 
Sweet little Gabe. . . he changed our lives forever.  Miss him every.single.day.
 


I will never, as long as I live, forget the darkness of that year.  Christmas was unbearable.  That year has forever changed how I view the holidays and brought an awareness that it's not always the happiest time of the year for everyone.


 
2011
 
Healing
Grace.
Still an empty chair.
Eli David.
Tears.
Gratefulness.
Thankful.
 
 
Next up 2012! 

4 comments:

  1. That was a sweet post. Fun to see the pictures tell a story! I understand about Christmas time not always being merry and bright. Hugs to you this December!

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  2. Hey - I love you. Alot. And I love every single card you have sent. I recognized each one and smiled. It's good to go through the eyars and see the growth and changes, Sometimes hard… but good.

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  3. What a journey it's been. Happiness, pure joy and pure agony too with so much sadness in 2010.May God keep comforting you and healing your hearts. I am grateful for how much He has healed mine this year. 2011 and 2012 were hard, painful years of loss.

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  4. I can't remember how I found your blog....I have enjoyed your writings and love the way you honor and remember your son Gabe.

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