It’s day 18 and by now, the faces you are seeing in our family pics are beginning to look a little bit more like what you’d see today, as our kids grow and mature.

There are also some new faces beginning to appear in the church family photos, who are part of the church family still.

Is this first Christmas Memory post you’re seeing?
You can get caught up by starting back on day 1 to understand this year’s theme.

Growth

While our kids were continuing to grow at this point, you’ll see that we were still in the short & stout Christmas tree stage and Timo took great joy in lumberjacking the tree into the house after he’d selected it at the garden center… It was as though he was getting in touch with his inner Canadian… #ProudDadMoment!🇨🇦

At that time, a single string of lights still sufficed, to light up the tree, as well as the two small lengths of glittery, red-snowflaked, burlap…

After our Christmas service that year, as we often do, we had a pot-luck dinner and as I look at this photo, it’s the first where several people are present… people who have become integral parts of the church family. They have grown in many ways in the years since then.

One of the men brought a box of oysters (very French for the holiday period) and it was the first time for our kids to taste them. I’ve got to say… I’m not a huge fan, but I made an effort so as to honour the one who brought them.

As much as I’m from a seafood-loving region of Canada… I want my seafood COOKED if you please!! (and oysters are eaten raw…. gloopy, slimy things!!)

Today, looking at these pics… I’m thankful for all kinds of growth!

Thank you sharing this memory and…