A Merry Korean Christmas

Well, not really.  At least the Korean part.  It was mostly a fairly "normal" Christmas although sadder than usual, as we really missed our families and friends.  I've had several people ask me what we did for Christmas this year, so I thought I'd give you a little play by play with some pictures. This was our 4th Christmas together (our 3rd as a married couple!) and that was really fun to reminisce about our last 3 years together!  It was also our first Christmas with Caleb and (like so many other aspects of parenthood!!!) no one "warns" you how draining/exhausting Christmas is with a little one!  It was fun but I think Caleb got a little overwhelmed, overtired, and overstimulated!  I'm just glad he isn't eating sugar yet so that wasn't added to the mix - ha!  Lookin' forward to next year.....

On Christmas Eve Eve, Steve and I had a quiet Christmas Eve Eve dinner together by Christmas tree light.  I made a Christmas pommegranate pear kiwi salad and home made bread shaped like a wreath.  Then we stayed up really late listening to Christmas music, baking and decorating cookies for a Christmas Eve party we were going to and wrapping gifts for Caleb. 

That is our low to the ground Korean-style table (they traditionally use this and sit on the floor on mats).  We use it when we eat in the living room under the Christmas tree...and snuggle under blankets.  Our heating in Korea is water-heated floor heat.  Our water heater is in the laundry room (off the kitchen) so the further you get from the water heater, the cooler the water gets and thus the cooler the rooms get.  It follows that our kitchen and bedrooms are the warmest and our office and living room our cooler.  I'm sure that's a longer explanation than you needed but it's an interesting Korean tidbit for you.

On actual Christmas Eve we went to Pastor Nelson and Michelle's house for dinner with a group of friends from church (mostly people who didn't have family around to celebrate with on Christmas day).  It was delicious and fun.  Michelle planned some games and it was nice to have somewhere to go and people to be with in celebration and remembrance.

My handsome men :-) And Michelle's beautiful tree!

Caleb and his "friend" Grace

On Christmas Day we skyped with family

My mom's pretty cute, huh?

Which was bittersweet and then went to the Christmas Day service at noon.  It was a combined service in the Korean church with translation.  I wish I could share a video of the choir, it was beautiful.  But I wasn't about to whip out our camera and interrupt the beauty of the moment so you'll just have to take my word for it.And of course, we opened gifts.  We all felt very loved, spoiled and blessed. 

Caleb didn't quite "get" the concept of unwrapping gifts but he does enjoy the new books and toys!

Daddy does too....

Caleb's Great-Grandma B sent him a Praise Baby DVD and (as you'll see below) he really got into it!  It was fun (and funny!) to watch so I'll share two little clips below! Thanks Great-Grandma B!

For Caleb's first Christmas we bought him a red racing car (pictured above) that says things like "When I grow up I"m going to be a real racing car" in a British accent.  We think it's pretty cute.  And we got him a big toy train with buttons that make various noises when you push them and it moves forward on it's own.  He isn't so sure about it moving on it's own....we thought he would think it was really fun to crawl after but he thinks it's a little creepy.  Hopefully he warms up to it!

Merry First Christmas, Caleb!  May you come to know the Great Giver and may you see past the many gifts He gives and those you receive on Christmas, to know the greatest Gift of all.  We love you!