Christmas Past

It's hard to believe that this will be our seventh Christmas as a married couple. I decided I wanted to reflect back on our past Christmases.

2004
That first Christmas together seems so long ago and to be honest I can hardly remember what Christmas was like without kids. I can remember that we both bought each other way to many presents that year. I was still working at Stein Mart, so Andy got lots of clothes that he still wears 7 years later!! HAHA!! Here's a picture of us at my parents house on Christmas morning 2004. We look so young. I was 4 months pregnant with my sweet little boy Luke here.
The above picture was us together on Christmas morning in out PJs. What I can't get over is our puny little Christmas tree!! :)

2005
Below our pictures from Christmas 2005. My first Christmas as a mama. Being a mom was truly the greatest blessing I have ever received. I just love it!! Christmas with kids is so different and it just seems magical again. This was such a special Christmas for me!

Here's a picture of Jen and I with Syd and Luke on their first Christmas! I remember my mom went crazy with the presents for her new grandbabies and my sister and I ended up opening them b/c Syd and Luke were so small. :)
This picture makes me tear up a bit. This was Andy's granddad's (Luke is named after him, Luke Sanders) last Christmas. Here are four generations of Johns' men on Christmas Eve 2005.

And above is a picture of all three of us together at my parents house on Christmas Day.

2006


This was the first Christmas when Luke actually, "got it." It was so much fun watching him rip into the presents. We started a lot of our Christmas traditions this year.... like letting Luke put the baby Jesus in the manger and reading Luke's version of the Christmas gospel on Christmas morning. Traditions we've done every year since 2006. Here we are on Christmas morning after opening our presents.
Luke with his Singing Seseame Street tool bench that Santa brought him.
Here's a picture of us on Christmas Day all ready to head to Yaya and Grandpa's house for breakfast.


2007

This Christmas was lots of fun! I remember Luke and Sydney ripped into their presents like crazy. Luke really got into Santa this year as well and he wanted Santa to bring him Little Einsteins Pat Pat Rocket. Santa had to look very hard to find it, but he did!! :) This was the first year Luke saw Santa at Christmas in Wilmore. Below is our family picture on Christmas Day. I was 5 and a half months pregnant with Emma this Christmas.
Here is Andy reading the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke.
Luke unwrapping one of many presents....
Jen, Syd, mom, Luke and me (with Emma in my belly) :)
My handsome little Luke on Christmas Eve.
Opening a present at Aunt Terry's house on Christmas Eve.


2008

This was my sweet little Emma's first Christmas.
Here she is trying to open a Christmas present. She wasn't to in to opening presents. She just like to put the paper and the tissue paper in her mouth.
Here is Luke teaching Emma about out family Christmas traditions... putting baby Jesus in the manager on Christmas morning.
This was also Emma's cousin, Reagan's first Christmas. The girls are only 3 and a half weeks apart. Here they are together on Christmas Eve.

Emma and Luke with all their presents from Santa. Luke wanted a "little red kitchen," and that is what Santa got for him.
Here's our family picture on Christmas Day. Notice the paper chain on the mantle? Those were hanging all over our house. Luke loved making those.


2009

This Christmas Luke really wanted Santa to bring him a jeep. He talked about it from about August all the way until Christmas. Also, Luke was really into teaching Emma about Christmas and all the traditions that go along with it. Emma was also much more excited about opening presents this year.
Here we are on Christmas Eve before Mass.
Here on Luke and Emma on Christmas morning. Luke got the jeep he wanted.
Here we are on Christmas Day before going to Yaya and Grandpa's house.

Some things have really changed since that first Christmas together... we've been blessed with two wonderful, healthy and kind children. Two children who've helped me remember the true meaning of Christmas, because teaching them about it has helped me remember what it is really all about. And that is the sweet baby boy who was born to a virgin and born to save us!

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Merry Christmas!!