Christmas and Romance, ahhh

Yesterday was a big day of firsts for all of us.

J.'s first was helping to decorate his first Christmas tree. Although I didn't realize it as we set up the tree yesterday, it was almost exactly a year ago yesterday that we finally received the call that said our LOA had arrived from China. That ended a 152 day (5 month) wait. I remember feeling so joyful, so incredibly relieved only to get ourselves psyched up for another wait for the TA.

Ahh, a year ago we waited and this year we decorated with our amazing little man. He loved it. At one point he pulled out his special ornament. It's a one of his referal pictures inside a frame that says 'Love'. It was so bitter-sweet creating and hanging that ornament last year, knowing that he was coming home, but never knowing when. This year J. hung that ornament himself as he proudly explained to E. that this picture was when he was in China and we were waiting for him to finish the puzzle of our family. He has definately done that....

Our other first yesterday was that we left the kids overnight. Yes, we spent our first night away from them! I surprised myself. I wasn't the least bit worried about them. It really felt like the time was right and I was leaving them with one of my sisters and my niece (her daughter obviously) so there really wasn't anything to worry about. The kids proved that they were really ready for it too. Neither of them cried when we explained it to them and they were totally 'fine' when we left. I say 'fine' because at one point in the afternoon my sister came over to drop some stuff off. It was a couple of hours before we needed to leave and my sister was just dropping the stuff and then she was coming back. As soon as she walked in the door, E. was literally pushing me out. She kept saying, 'Isn't it time for your meeting Mama? You'd better get going to your meeting Mama.' Umm.... I had just stepped out of the shower and was only wearing a towel. I don't think I was quite ready for my 'meeting' (as she put it).

So, off we finally went to DH's work Christmas party and then stayed in a hotel literally just down the street from our house. The kiddies made cookies, watched movies and ate popcorn with their (likely new favourite) Auntie and their (already well loved) cousin.