Christmas and New Years

I intentionally did things different this year for Christmas.

My little girl likes things to stay the same. Christmas to her is putting the tree in the same place and decorating it the same way each year. This nativity goes here and this one goes here.

We have some major changes hopefully occurring in the next six months or so. We are going to have to majorly downsize our stuff. Space is going to be an issue. We will be leaving the only house that my beautiful girl has ever lived in and moving. We will not be taking the huge tree and maybe not any tree. Most likely only one nativity will make the cut, not the three she is use to. Christmas decorations are not a high priority on the list of things to move.

So this year, we focused on things we can do together. Christmas cookies took a much higher priority and to be honest, our little tree didn't get fully decorated but sat with just lights on it for this holiday season. I wanted her to see that Christmas could be good even if it were different. We opened presents the same as always. We still had waffles Christmas morning. We spent time together. We still went out for Chinese food. Our Christmas was much like it has been only without all the decorations around the house.

We spent a lot of time with family during the last two weeks but we also made a trip to Dallas over New Years to see friends that have recently moved there. I wanted Lily to see that new places and new experiences are good. We stopped at our favorite coffee shop both there and back. I am hoping to build some familiarity into places that will be important in the future. I want all of my children to make the transition easily. I just know that it will be hardest for my little girl. I know that God is going before us. I am confident this move is in His plans. I am praying for my children's hearts. Praying that this step of faith, this act of obedience will grow them in their faith and trust in their heavenly Father.