Our "Tradition" Ornament

We made this at MOPS this week.  It can be used as a Christmas "time capsule" where you put little memories from the year in it.  But I already record all the girls' first moments in their journals.  So I decided to turn this ball into a fun way to record our Christmas traditions.  I put a picture of Jesse and I in it, then added a few pieces of paper (that I curled around a pen) that I wrote down some of our "firsts" for Christmas traditions.  It'll be so fun to open it and add to it each year!

Also, at MOPS one of our mentor-moms gave a quick devotional and shared with us that she gets a little sad at Christmas sometimes because all the traditions of the seasons remind her of the family she is far from.  But then God reminded her that traditions and family aren't the reason we celebrate Christmas.

I know, we all know that.  But it just really stuck with me... I think especially since I just got back from a trip to the States and am missing family even more this Christmas.  Oh, and because last Christmas the Rawleighs were with us in Mississippi.  So it can be a little hard.  

But that doesn't mean Christ's birth is anything less to celebrate!  Maybe I'll add a little picture of baby Jesus in the manger to the tradition ball... so I don't lose sight of the best part of Christmas.