Christmas 2012

The Christmas season this year was so wonderful! It was so fun to watch Sabrina and Fiona talk about Santa and presents and the Baby Jesus. They learned a lot of the words to Jingle Bells and were very excited for Santa to bring them treats.

Since Dallin and I both live so close to our parents we were able to spend some time with both of them for the Holiday.

At my parents house on Christmas Eve, the girls got to participate in The Nativity. Fiona was a shepherd (because Sabrina took that costume off) and Sabrina was one of the angels ( I'm still not sure how she managed to wrangled this coveted position in the nativity, it gets fought over every year) and they looked darling, if I may say. Which I can.

On Christmas morning, the first thing the girls wanted to do was take off their pajamas. And since you don't argue logic with two 2-year olds, we let them. Then they ran down stairs to see what Santa left them. The girls were very spoiled this year by both Magas and both Pagas. They got all sorts of toys and books and things to color. They also got lots of new (and much needed) pajamas and a new dress each for church.

Sabrina left, Fiona right- Modeling their new pajamas

We spent Christmas Day with Dallin's family, complete with the traditional breakfast of delicious Swedish pancakes. Yum yum.

We told both families that we are having another baby in July and that we are very excited! It was a wonderful holiday.

I'm a little hesitant to share this next part because it is very near and dear to my heart, and because it is personal, but I also feel the need to somehow express my gratitude for some wonderful holiday miracles that happened to us. This past semester, since I wasn't working and Dallin was only working part-time, it has been very tight for us financially. We weren't quite sure how we were going to make Christmas happen this year. We decided not to get each other anything and only get the girls a small gift each.
Well about a week before Christmas, we received a gift card anonymously in the mail. It was signed by "Santa's helpers" and it allowed us to get a few small things for the girls. Mostly clothes, because they are in desperate need of ones that aren't too small. And we were able to pay a few bills with the rest. Dallin and I felt enormously grateful to whomever gave us this incredibly generous gift. It was much needed and much appreciated.
Then, two days before Christmas, we came home to find a box on our front step. Inside were some beautiful dolls for the girls, a few outfits, some new snow hats and gloves, a bag or delicious oranges and a gift card. I could not stop crying. I don't know how this person (or people) thought of us, but I will be forever grateful to them. We were able to give the girls a wonderful little Christmas because of others' generosity. I still can't even think about it without crying.
I hope that one day, Dallin and I will be able to give back to others the way that others have given to us. I hope that we will be in tune enough with the spirit to know of people who are in need and be able to help them too. We have been so richly blessed this year and will always be grateful for the tender mercies that we see in our lives.