Merry Christmas from Texas!

Our second family Christmas of 2013 has come and gone, but it was a wonderful day (well, really week!). Stepping back a bit, I want to brag on us for our bravery in driving 14 hours (over two days) with an 11 week old baby (plus dog) from GA to TX.  AND WE SURVIVED!  JB did great in the car as long as we kept things moving and we stopped to let him eat every 3 hours.  (Now, once we arrived at the hotel on the first night and my parents' house on the second night, it was clear that the travel really took it out of JB.  Talk about craaaaaaaanky.  Lots of pouting and angry baby screams to let everyone know we had arrived!)

We spent a good week before Christmas in Texas so that we would have plenty of time to see folks.  It meant that Grammy and Gran Gran got lots of one-on-one time with their newest grandchild, and that JB got to meet many Kerr friends and family that had only seen him thus far through pictures.  Besides the fact that this was JB's first Christmas, having our little guy receive so much love was probably the most special part of the trip! 

Meeting his aunts and girl cousin:

Meeting his boy cousin and uncles, who are already trying to teach him bad habits:

Meeting Krystal, Aaron and their precious little girl Ella.  (James and Aaron were there, just too busy trying to get the little ones to look at the camera!):



Meeting Laura, Ben and her sweet baby girl, Annie.  Little Annie was so gentle with JB and wanted to touch his feet and stroke his face.  (Again, those boys were on "entertain the babies" duty and not in the photos.)

Meeting the Caswell clan!  We can't wait till JB is a little bigger and can play with these guys.  (And, next year, their newest addition!)  (Also, where are our husbands in these pictures!?)

More boys to play with when they grow up!  One of my mother's oldest friends and her daughter and grandsons.  They were also so good with little JB.

When we weren't introducing friends and family, we spent a lot of time hanging out at the house, eating, opening/playing with gifts, eating again, etc.  Thank goodness our niece, Tori Claire, was here the week so that she could work her baby soothing powers on JB.  (Really, how important is 6th grade?  Can't she come live with us a few months?!)

Speaking of baby whisperers, this one had his hands full on Christmas, trying to juggle both of these little ones.  (That is our precious one year old niece, Brielle.)  :)

I can't express how blessed we felt to have a little one to share Christmas with this year.  It was something we've waited for a long time, and I tried to soak in all the special moments.  And he was such a joy! We took him to my home church for the Christmas Eve services, where I've attended my entire life.  The pastor even called out how JB was sleeping so calmly in the pew, "maybe like the young Christ child in his stable on that night 2000 years ago". (Hey, he said it, I didn't!)

Christmas morning we had a happy little camper who enjoyed all the attention and excitement of family around to talk and smile at him.  I know next year he'll be all about the presents, too (or at least the paper and boxes.)

It was just a beautiful day and a wonderful first Christmas for James Benjamin.  We so loved all the time with our family, introducing our new son to so many special people, and celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus. 

A very Merry Christmas, from our family to yours!