{Our Favorite Christmas Tradition}

Can’t stop this weary world {or family} from rejoicing! In the face of the deepest grief a dozen years ago or a national pandemic today, we know Christmas means HOPE and we are here for it.  

Hope for the tiniest, bravest little fighters within the walls of our forever favorite Children’s Hospital and hope for the ones who stand by their sides whether walking the journey as a parent or fiercely battling for those little lives through their God-given gift of intellect and medicine.  

Hope came as a baby and we can’t think of any better way to celebrate HIM than to love on those He’s made.  

Rejoice! Hope has come for us!

Our first stop was to the NEW Children's Hospital.  We made a basket especially for a friend's son, Hudson, who would've turned 12 the day before.  He was one of the first to ever receive a boy Christmas basket a dozen years ago and we could think of no better way to honor his life than to bless another little boy in PCICU for Christmas this year.  God totally appointed Cheryl (who was one of Hudson's first nurses) to be the one who would meet us to get the baskets.  As soon as I told her who we made it for, she knew everything! She totally took ownership of it and had just the sweetheart baby boy picked out to bless with it.  

We enjoyed seafood & BBQ on the water at Shem Creek and then headed to Pitt Street Bridge to walk for a bit.  It got increasingly windy as we were eating outside so our walk didn't last too long.  It was a glorious 65 degrees most of the day but that wind blowing in was cold! 

My boys! 

These four were the best!  It was a long busy day and they really did excellent! 

We were way past nap time and Ailee James wanted her Bubba to carry her like a baby.  She was soaking up every second of this! 

This may be one of my favorite pictures ever of our Panda!  She loves this dog she has affectionately named Rufus (sweet story but my grandma got it for Luke many years ago but AG took right to it so Grandma ordered another one for her).  This dog sleeps with her and sits through speech therapy almost weekly.  Today, he went to Charleston! 

And this one of Bear!  You can tell this kid is in his element at the beach!  I always get my best photos of him around water. 

Still soaking it up! 

Me and mine!