A California Christmas!

I'm so excited to go to California for Christmas! We leave this Friday! It will be the first time in 8 years that I've been in Cali with my family for Christmas. I can't wait! Last night, Jesse and I talked with the boys about what we all want to do on our vacation. And a lot of it involves food....

Here is our top 10 list:
1. Make sand angles (Caleb)
2. Disneyland (Knox)
3. Pedros' Tacos-EVERYDAY (Jesse)
4. frozen yogurt-EVERYDAY (me)
5. Surfin' Donuts (Caleb)
6. Ichibiri (Knox)
7. go surfing (Jesse)
8. San Diego WIld Animal Park (me)
9. HUGE family Christmas time with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends. At least 35 people all eating and laughing and playing in the street after dinner! It's tradition to play in the street-football, kick-the-can, whatever. My grandparent's cul-de-sac on Christmas Day is a rockin' good time! (all of us)
10. get tan (all of us)

Christmas List

 On Christmas morning, we have a tradition for receiving gifts. Each person in our family gets three gifts to represent the three gifts the Magi gave Baby Jesus. (If that sounds sad to some of you they still get stockings and presents from their brothers and grandparents. Don't worry!) The boys generally get to choose those gifts and they tell us what they'd like. Anyway, below is one of my son's original Christmas List:

1. A real light saber. From the movie. Able to chop off an arm.

2. A jet pack. So I can fly. Or at least jump really, really high.

3. A Samurai sword that warriors use.

Ummm...no. He isn't getting any of these. And explaining why was pretty hard too. Imagine keeping a straight face as you told your son why these weren't available or good for him to have! 

But our conversation made me think of my requests to God. Some things I want seem so important, so right, so perfect for me that I don't understand why the answer is no. But as a loving Father, he knows what is best. And also what is ridiculous for me to ask for. (jet pack, anyone?) And just as I want my sons to be content with what they get,  I too need to be content with what my Heavenly Father gives me.  He loves me and everything that comes to me comes from His hand. And everything that He withholds, is withheld in love. And if I trust that to be true, I will not need to feel sadness or discontentment, will I?

Matthew 7:11 If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?

Ultrasounds

At the last ultrasound, baby Ava was too small for them to see all of the chambers of her heart. They had me come back at 20 1/2 weeks which was Monday. Unfortunately, they couldn't see her heart at all. She has one but she was in a crazy position and was sound asleep. She wouldn't move AT ALL for over 30 minutes. Now I have to go to Maternal Fetal Medicine for another ultrasound. I don't want to go though. It's where they send you when there is a problem. The doctor assured me they didn't see anything wrong but couldn't get the right views and this place will be better. But still...So, we will go for another ultrasound next week. 3 in as many weeks. 

I brought home the DVD from the ultrasound and the boys watched it. Caleb was confused because it didn't look like a baby to him (especially the close ups of arm bones and such!) but Knox really liked seeing the baby on TV. They are so excited to meet this baby. We all are. And although I'm nervous, I trust the Lord to care for her and grow her perfectly, according to His will.