christmas eve

"the elements, my dear watson, are coming together."

or my version...have come together...

that is how i felt about our beautiful, simple, sweet first christmas in beirut.

christmas eve morning i slipped out of my cozy home to do last minute christmas shopping, and of course pick up some missing ingredients. i drove downtown which is this amazing restored area of the city from the war...it is so festive right now...shoppers were out...lights twinkling in a gray cold day...i bustled around. because that is what you do, bustle from shop to shop. i even bought a dunkin donuts coffee because i felt like it would just complete the experience to be bundled, bustling and sipping hot coffee while i shopped.

the crew decided that we would dress snazzy for christmas eve and have appetizers and desert and sing carols. Lebanon delivered us a first-rate rain storm that we braved to get to the Johnsons house with hot appetizers, baby, bags, 2 year old and of course- no umbrella. which layla asked me about three times " mama umbrella? " and pointed out every lady and man that had them. ha!

we had quite the spread ( still a terrible photographer of tables/food/banqueting table =)

it felt so festive to eat,drink, talk, connect and just celebrate together. as always...we attempted our tradition of kids lined up to show off their cute outfits...

but it feels extra special this year because of our two new editions...

having a snuggly newborn to kiss and hold, oooo and ahhh over is pretty fun....

i am trying to get more creative with photos so i attempted this. i took claire into a room and the other kids just followed....

mel led us with her amazing voice in carols and the kids danced around us. so meaningful, so rich, so beautiful to remember our savior's birth and the kingdom He brought.