God is with us

The past 2 days have been hard. Out of respect for Alyona and our family, I am going to withhold details. I pray that I can share details when we are on the other side of it. For the past 24 hours I have been on the verge of tears. I have felt the weight crushing me. I retreated to my room with my bible and was comforted by 1Peter 4:12" Dear Friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. "

I would pull it together and then despair. Then out of the blue my 3 yr old started singing, "I depend on You, I depend on You, Jesus, I put my trust and my hope all in You. Whatever I face, You will see me through, Lord, guide my steps, I depend on you". Thank you, Lord.

He is with me. If you want to truly experience Christmas, take a risk for Him. Even though it has been hard we truly have been blessed. This is living! I was overwhelmed during Christmas Eve service. Emmanuel- God is with us! I have really dropped the ball this Christmas on gifts outside of our children. I just can't get it together. I am on the receiving end and it is AWESOME! Today even in the midst of my tension, we kept receiving. We got 3 surprise gift cards!

 Alyona LOVED opening up that mail! Our neighbor came over and gave her a light up hot pink watch. After her shower, she put on her pretty Christmas dress and rushed down to get the watch! Here is a picture of our silly neighbors breaking the ice, oving her.
At church I saw her joy. Abigail rested her hands on Alyona's shoulders. The words of the songs penetrated my soul. After the past 2 days and seeing the brokenness of this world, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel"! The hope we have in HIM.
Alyona adores my mom. My family has truly been fabulous. Yesterday we went to the Nativity at the zoo. Alyona loved the animals. Then at my parent's house, Alyona looked at the years of picture ornaments on the tree of the grandchildren. My mom sent them hunting for gifts and she found her picture in an ornament for the tree. She put it right at the top.

Tonight at my sister's she ran around with the cousins really enjoying herself. When we got home she got some footie pjs one of you gave her. She was THRILLED. She put them on right over top of her Christmas dress! Then the rest of the kids got their pjs on and started sliding down the stairs! They were going crazy, giggling, and running. She was engaging with both Perry and I and even let him read her some of a Russian children's story. Merry Christmas to all....goodnight!