A long overdue update and Christmas 2011...

Well...the title is pretty self-explanatory...this update is LONG overdue...over two months, to be exact. Two months of extreme craziness in our household...craziness with work, holidays, and (oh, yes) we MOVED to Arkansas! We were extremely sad to leave our friends, church, and jobs in Georgia...but, are thankful for the opportunity He has provided for us here. We have lived in our new state for three weeks...and, while it has been an adjustment, we feel excited about what God has in store for us here. We were so thankful my parents were able to visit us the week before Christmas and Warren's parents were able to spend Christmas with us! We had a sweet time celebrating the birth of Jesus and Baker's first Christmas...

The Christmas Eve Candlelight service was beautiful. Afterwards, we ordered take out Mexican (festive, huh?!) from this amazing restaurant that is close to our house and we let Baker "open" one present. Of note, I think Baker would say his favorite part of the night was tasting the bags and wrapping paper. :) 

(before the Christmas Eve Service)

Love all of that drool... :)

...AND I adore his little profile... :)

After posing for pictures with Marley... 

Baker became a little drowsy...

...but, after a change in attire he was able to open one more present from his birthmother (a precious ornament she made for him).

Christmas morning we celebrated with a bottle, birthday cake for Jesus (my family's tradition that I hope to continue in our home), and a nap before church...

(the idea for the cake was found on Pinterest...please don't pay too close attention to the handwriting...I never realized how difficult it was to write legibly with icing...no wonder beautiful cakes are so expensive!!)

After church Christmas morning, we returned home to let Baker  eat  open his gifts...

 Can you sense the excitement?! :)

 (yum!)

Baker was blessed with an amazing amount of gifts and love from our family and friends. However, I believe Warren and I felt the most blessed...by this...

...three stockings hanging over the fireplace...where last year there were two. Warren and I had a sweet time of prayer with Baker Christmas Eve...we could not be more grateful for how God answered our prayers...giving us such an amazing, precious, beautiful child to love...

On a completely separate note...due to our moving to Arkansas two weeks before Christmas my decorations were very minimal this year...but, I was proud to adapt another idea found on Pinterest...a Christmas card display. The pins that I saw called for either an old window, shutters, or a picture frame...but, I had this old screen (which I purchased for $5 at a flea market) that I thought worked perfectly. Though I'm sure you could use two or three rows, I only tied one row of twine and used clothes pins to hang our cards. I loved the way it turned out!

I was also proud to hang an adoption fundraiser wreath made by my friend Tiffanie...

I hope you all had a wonderful celebration of Christ this year! I look forward to catching up on reading blogs and writing about what God is doing in our lives.