<p align="center">I’m still trying to process all that God has taught me through the year 2014. It’s been a remarkable year. One that will impact our family for generations to come.</p>  <p align="center">One thing I’ve learned through Sarge’s adoption is to keep my focus on my family and stop looking at what everyone else is doing because, quite simply, it doesn’t matter. I’ve been staying away from social media more and focusing on just doing what my family needs without worrying if I am doing the “right” thing or what everyone else is doing.</p>  <p align="center">There is such freedom in this.</p>  <p align="center">We let the girls open their presents from us last night. Totally A-typical, but it is what was best for my family this year! So we did it. It did feel a little strange with it being <em>five days </em>before Christmas but I don’t want Christmas Day to be hectic and I wanted to be able to take our time and have fun playing with new toys instead of trying to rush through it all to get to the next event of the day. </p>  <p align="center">Before Sarge I am not sure I would have had the guts to do something so off my normal tradition, but Sarge has taught me so much. Mothers put so much pressure on themselves to <em>do do do. </em>And it has to be done THIS WAY or your kids are missing out!!!</p>  <p align="center">Not true! Sarge has taught me that I need to <em>do </em>what is <em>best for my family.</em> Period. And if that means letting my kids open their Christmas gifts five days before every other kid in America opens theirs, then so be it! (My kids got it made this year, didn’t they?!)</p>  <p align="center">We stuck to our 3 gifts per kid rule but then we also got the girls a gift that I have been waiting until they were at the perfect age to give them… a dollhouse!!<a href="/1DB25B0C4C9C4FF725BBC44D009EECCD22E13F05/images/2014/12/DSC01850.jpg"><img title="DSC01850" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC01850" src="/1DB25B0C4C9C4FF725BBC44D009EECCD22E13F05/images/2014/12/DSC01850_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" /></a></p>  <p align="center">They were thrilled!</p>  <p align="center">Sweet little Sarge got to open his presents first. His big sisters each opened a gift for him.</p>  <p align="center"><a href="/1DB25B0C4C9C4FF725BBC44D009EECCD22E13F05/images/2014/12/DSC01820.jpg"><img title="DSC01820" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC01820" src="/1DB25B0C4C9C4FF725BBC44D009EECCD22E13F05/images/2014/12/DSC01820_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" /></a></p>  <p align="center">Then the girls opened their presents and we played Hungry Hungry Hippos over and over again!</p>  <p align="center"><a href="/1DB25B0C4C9C4FF725BBC44D009EECCD22E13F05/images/2014/12/DSC01839.jpg"><img title="DSC01839" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DSC01839" src="/1DB25B0C4C9C4FF725BBC44D009EECCD22E13F05/images/2014/12/DSC01839_thumb.jpg" width="404" height="304" /></a></p>  <p align="center">Thank you for praying for Sarge’s healing. </p>  <p align="center">I feel like his little body was hit so much worse than the girls, but his healing has come so much quicker. His issues are not totally behind him yet, but he has made a remarkable recovery in just four months. Please keep praying for him. </p>  <p align="center">And have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!</p>