Christmas Day

J opening gifts on Christmas morning

Playing with his new bounce back racer-- that doesn't really bounce back!

J with his new magna doodle Santa brought him!

Playing with new play dough set from Santa!

A blast from the past that Santa's elf couldn't pass up!

Today was our first Christmas with J-- our first Christmas as foster parents.... We planned and planned and now it's all done.... But, overall J had a great Christmas and got a lot of nice stuff! We talked about him letting us know he was awake so we could all come out and see what Santa brought together. I woke up around 7 am and went to check on him and although he was in bed he was awake... So, we all ventured out. He was in awe of the tree with presents all around. We opened gifts and then of course we started opening the toys one by one... When J had played with one for a few minutes he would want another one done. He loves everything (except the clothes but, what kid besides a teenage girl is excited about clothes right?) After each gift he said-- 'This is what I wanted!' Such sweet words when you worry and plan what to get and hope that it's what will make him happy on Christmas morning.

We did learn a lesson though. Listen to the Toys R Us lady when she tries to sell you batteries so you will be sure to have them on Christmas morning because you will most likely forget them and when the impatient 4 yr old wants to play with his new bounce back racer remote control care on Christmas morning you will have to send your hubby out to the Royal Farms down the street to get some and pay more for them! Hopefully this will be a lesson we won't forget! The above mentioned bounce back racer car doesn't live up to the name too much. It's supposed to flip over on the other side when it hits a wall and go in the other direction. It only flips for us when it hits the gift box with my new clothes from my in-laws that I haven't put away yet. Oh well-- J still loves it and had fun 'running' over the remote control truck he got from his family the other day when either my hubby or I were controling it.

We went to my in-laws for an early dinner this afternoon and to visit with my BIL and his family who were in town for the day and J curled up in a chair in the living room and fell asleep. I guess opening and playing with those toys in the morning wore him out! He slept most of the time we were there!

On a sadder note, a little girl named Sarah was taken from her house a few nights ago and they have been searching everywhere for her. They have a suspect in custody but, he wasn't cooperating... They asked everyone to search thier own property today to help the investigators. When we got home from my in-laws we searched our property and the empty field behind our house just to make sure. We didn't see anything but, found out later this evening they did locate her body..... I am so sad by this. You hear things like this happen and your heart goes out to those families and even though I didn't know her or her family to hear it happen in my own town really makes it hit home. My prayers go out to her family. I was thinking about MK after I heard about Sarah. MK was a daycare teacher and loved children of all ages. I hope MK was there to greet little Sarah and will look out for her. Next month will be a year since we lost MK. I can't believe it. I still think about her everyday. It will especially be hard on New Years Eve because my hubby and I spent last New Years Eve with MK and her family. Then 28 days later we lost her.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. It was a good one here!