Now and Then

Last year, early on Christmas Eve morning, a most precious gift arrived...

...a 7 lb 9 oz 21 inch baby girl. We named her Lucy, which means "Light." She is a ray of light in our lives and she reminds us of the one true Light of the World, whose birth we also celebrate at this time of year.

(YIKES, someone could use a splash of makeup...)

We brought her home last year on Christmas morning. It was a foggy, damp, overcast morning, just like the one today. I cried as I left the hospital, overwhelmed with emotion, fatigue, and the post-delivery ache all-over. Most of the rest of that morning is a blur.

And now...one year later...my baby is ONE...

And Lucy has grown quite a bit...

And I'm relishing every moment...and thankful for all the joys and hardships of this past year, because perhaps I've grown just as much as Lucy...

My honey is home for Christmas...

...and I feel acutely aware of how precious my family and friends are, how much I love them and need them, and how much I love and need the One who lives in me, who came into the world as a baby so many years ago. This Christmas doesn't feel like a blur...I am savoring each moment...

my cup of joy runneth over...

...and I'm hopeful and excited for what this new year will bring...perhaps another child...this time...a baby boy...

Happy Birthday my sweet Lulu!

Merry Christmas to you all!