Family picture taken 1 week after diagnoses

Family picture taken 1 week after diagnoses

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Christmas (part 3) the final "part"

Christmas Morning!
 Natalie's first one.
The kids all woke up around 7:30am even though we went to bed really late. They were so excited to see what was in their stockings and the open the presents under the tree.
But they had to wait patiently for daddy who was still putting Alton's gift together in the garage.
Last-minute-Lewie. :)




Carter was thrilled to get a helmet even though he didn't have the four-wheeler to go with it.
But Daddy had another gift hiding in the garage...
it's cold... why did we not put shoes on?

Daddy ran in and got them for us.
When the garage door went up the look on their faces was worth more than what was inside.
Alton bent down to peek under the door as it went up and shouted, "four-wheeler!"



Good Job, Daddy! It was worth waiting for.

The Big Bohn Christmas.
Uncle Bob was thrilled to have a baby to hold.
Natalie fell asleep on his shoulder.
Both were quite content.

Papoo and Grammy with their six great grandchildren

Papa and Coco with their sixe grandkiddos

us :)

 The last Christmas....
I could see the greed on their faces as they opened the last presents of the year. I didn't want to take pictures of it. The blessings had become a curse. Alton was just sick of it and refused to open his last two presents and I sure wasn't going to make him. I was able to help him open them later the next day but he really could have cared less about them. Carter would open one and with a glazed look in his eyes ask, "do I have anymore?" It could be blamed on the tiredness and all the sugar, which surely played a big part. I tried to prepare all of us for the bombardment of gifts the kids would receive but it still seemed that the greed had gotten the best of them.
The next day Pastor preached a sermon and talked about how when we are given so many blessings we forget to be thankful for what God has given us. Instead we just keep asking, "Do You have anymore, God?" As Pastor talked I pictured my little Carter's glazed face as he ripped open present after present, not even seeing what was inside. Just moving onto the next one. The more he got the more discontent he became with what he had just gotten. I then could see myself before God, receiving blessing after blessing, tearing through them without even really seeing them, the more I get the more I want and the more I ask for. Do I stop to see the precious gifts God has given me or do I plunge through them like a child on Christmas? My prayer for this New Year of 2011 is to truly see each gift God has so graciously given me; my children, my husband, my family, my friends, my salvation, my hope, my joy, my peace, and enjoy each one. I must teach my children to be content before God and not just with the presents they get for Christmas.

Christmas (part 2)

IT'S CHRISTMAS!
Well, at least Christmas Eve. We go over to Papa and Coco's in our pj's and have breakfast and then open presents before heading home to gather our food and presents for the next gathering that evening with the other side of the family. The night before we prayed for gracious and thankful hearts. I talked to the boys about how each gift was thoughtfully picked out for them and And that we also should be happy for our other family members to receive their gifts. On the drive over I schooled the boys on how to respond. They did really well. All of the kids did. We took turns opening the gifts and I smiled as Carter would get so excited for Josie to get a princess dress. He had listened well. I only heard one "I want one of those" which a quiet reminder silenced quickly. It wasn't Josie's princess dress. Just thought I should clear that up :).

A picture says a thousand words. I love the unspoken words that go with this one



Brothers and best friends
                                              

                                              
oops... forgot to take the red out.

Alton's first present of the season and he would have been perfectly content with just that.

Our little Tinkerbell... Brynnie
Marshmallow guns
Christmas JOY
Natalie's first Tea Set... she's checking out the marshmallow guns

What a cutie!
~
~
~

Menso gathering on Christmas Eve evening.
Alton's perch at the food table. He spent a lot of time there. :) Lot's of yummy food.





















Christmas! (part 1)

12-18-10 . Early Christmas present.
Alton needed his sleeping bag because we had Adam, Jen and Buzzsaw staying in their room. They were thrilled to have a taste of Christmas a week early.

Our Gallagher Christmas Celebration. The kids were going to act out the Christmas story as we read it but the costumes came off by the time we got around to reading it. At least we got a picture.
Good one, Bohn Family!




Aunt Donna loves the babies... and the babies love her :)

visiting with Grandma Gee Gee



Emma and Buzzsaw. Buzzsaw is the favored guest among the kids. Us big people like him quite a lot too.

Natalie is also a favorite.
~
~
~

I have more to add on Christmas so that's why this is part one.