Resolve To Be Happy In 2011

Are you making any resolutions for the New Year?

How about resolving to be happy? To celebrate contentment?

My "Resolved: To Be Happy..." series will kick off on Monday, January 3, 2011. For five days, I will be covering various aspects of my life and how I'm resolving to adjust my thoughts, feelings, dreams, or perspective and to be happy. Care to join me in the journey?

Come link up! You can join in for one day, five days, or any number in between. Here are the topics I'll be addressing, by day:

• Monday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Home
• Tuesday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Job
• Wednesday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Appearance
• Thursday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Friends and Family
• Friday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Limitations

(Huge thanks to Sidnie, my dear friend who blogs at Green Enough For Me. She pulled that button together for me lickety-split- so talented! Feel free to grab it if you're going to be participating!)

Some Things Change... Most Stay the Same

This year, Christmas Eve was hosted at my sister's beautiful home. It worked out wonderfully since it is closer to where my 88 year old grandma lives. It also meant that we were able to see my two nephews serve as altar boys in the Christmas Eve Mass... so special! We're normally at my parents' house and eating an Italian feast on Christmas Eve; this year, at my sister's, we had a huge ham spread. So... some things do change. But most things- the important things- stay the same...

Children still gather round Bama at the piano to sing carols.

Tasty appetizers are tested in a warm, noisy kitchen.

Siblings- and sibs-in-law- still lend hands with the babies.

Stockings- some older than me- are still stuffed and distributed.

The birthday girl is never forgotten!

Sweet hands still find jingle bells hanging from a welcoming door.

Treasured new friends are made.

Joy is- always and forever- found in the simple things...

I hope you all had beautiful, blessed Christmases!

Can I PIQUE Your Interest?

Go take a PEEK at what I'm sharing over at Vanderbilt Wife!

Five Breathless Years

Five years ago today, I gazed upon my precious newborn daughter in the early hours of Christmas Eve...



Amazingly, against all odds, I had this giggly ball of smiles to bake cupcakes for a year later...



At 2 years old, she was still tiny, but able to do SO much... even help decorate the Christmas tree! (She still likes to put lots of ornaments on one branch...)



And, at 3, she had already declared herself a princess...



When she turned 4, she was both a beloved little sister and an awesome big sister... with fancy hair "just like Mommy"...

And now...



Now she is 5.

Our miracle.

The one pound baby with long-shot odds.

The little girl who came so close to going blind.

Our precious daughter, born in the wee hours of Christmas Eve, her cry ringing out and leaving the medical staff awed, silent, and breathless.

Happy Birthday, C.

Resolved: To Be Happy (and Merry Christmas to YOU!!!)

Merry Christmas!!!

Like so many of you, I'll be taking a few days off to spend with my family as we come together to worship and give thanks for this blessed season. Wherever you may be, I wish you joy and peace.

Thank you for taking moments out of your busy days to spend with me here- it means the world to me.

As the New Year rolls in, I'm not going to be making any grand "New Year's Resolutions", but I will be writing a one-week series the first week of January all about the subject: "Resolved: To Be Happy". If you'd like to join me in embracing happiness and contentment in the New Year, I'd love for you to read along and I will offer a linky each day for anyone who'd like to join in and share. Topics I'll be addressing include:

Monday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Home
Tuesday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Job
Wednesday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Appearance
Thursday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Friends and Family
Friday- Resolved: To Be Happy With My Limitations

That will all start up on January 3, 2011. I hope I'll see you then!

Christmas Preparations Interrupted

Five years ago today was a Thursday. I don't have to look that up- I just know. I had been doing a bunch of last-minute errands the day before, preparing for Christmas, running around and exhausting my 5-month pregnant self.

I woke up feeling achy and off. I resolved to take it easy that day. I went so far as to pop in Baby Einstein for the 10-month old and sit on the couch to crochet.

I was wearing a dull teal top and size 8 non-maternity jeans.

By noon, I knew something was very, very wrong. I was bleeding. My husband was two hours away.

The doctor told me three things:

• I had to get into the office (despite the snow) ASAP.
• I should NOT- under any circumstances- lift my 30 lb baby son.
• To not panic- things like this are scary, but happen fairly frequently and are usually harmless.

Within four hours, I would ride with my sister-in-law to the doctor and find out I was in labor- 3 cm dilated and not yet 24 weeks pregnant. I would ride, semi-reclined in the back of a minivan, to the "big-city" hospital... the one with the level III NICU in case they couldn't stop my labor. I would call my husband, and my mom, and deliver the news so calmly and without any tears.... so calmly, my husband almost didn't believe me. I would kiss my baby boy goodbye as he rode off with my mother-in-law. I would get admitted and learn that I would NOT be home for Christmas.

Five years ago, I was praying and praying that my body could somehow sustain the pregnancy for another six weeks or more. Ideally, I would have loved another three or four months.

Five years ago today, I was full of fear and hope. I had no idea what I would be receiving for Christmas that year.

Packing Baby or Toddler Snacks

Have you seen these little things before? They're designed to hold pre-measured amounts of formula powder for when you're out and about with baby. Not a bad idea! I used one of these with my exclusively formula-fed son and it came in handy.

My second baby was fed expressed breast milk, first through an NG-tube, then in a bottle and thickened with cereal. She had swallowing difficulties that prevented her from being able to nurse directly at the breast- the risk of aspiration with the thin liquid was too high. So, we again used this little container, but this time to hold pre-measured amounts of cereal for thickening the bottles.

Now... my third child? She was exclusively breastfed. Not only did she never have a drop of formula, but she never really took a bottle. I really didn't see any need for this contraption anymore.

Until I realized...



It's a PERFECT snack container! I'm able to pack three different foods for G and keep them all separate. (Here are some of our faves!) It's "crush-proof" and completely reusable. And it's easy to tuck into the diaper bag.

A quick, easy solution to toddler snacks on the go? That definitely works for me.

Hot Cocoa Oatmeal

Want a super easy, super fun way to impress and delight your kids sometime this Christmas week? How about Hot Cocoa Oatmeal?

This little idea came to me while preparing the oatmeal pan one night while mixing up some hot cocoa for my husband, my mother-in-law, and myself. What if...

You need, for each serving:

1/2 cup oatmeal (quick or old-fashioned- the only difference will be cook time)

1 cup water

1 packet hot cocoa mix (or equivalent homemade)

a few mini marshmallows

Dump oatmeal, cocoa mix, and water in a pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until cooked. Quick cook only takes a minute or so, old-fashioned takes about five. It will look like creamy, chocolatey oatmeal. Dish up in bowl and top with a few mini marshmallows. Yum!

I loved this breakfast for several reasons:

• It is fun and so wonderfully seasonal.
• It is super quick and requires no special skills.
• The kids think they're getting an amazing treat.
• It's reasonably healthy, as treats go, and will "stick to their ribs" more than, say, Count Chocula.
• It's a hot breakfast for a cold morning!

Give it a try sometime! (And sneak a taste yourself... it's pretty indulgent!)

This post is linked to:

Tasty Tuesday

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Because Santa Likes Him Better...

If you and your family don't "do Santa", feel free to pass this post right on by. But, if you do, please take a second and just think about something along with me for a minute...

If Santa will be visiting your home this year, consider letting the big guy be in charge of leaving one desired (but fairly modest) gift or a couple very small things.

Here's why:

Some people have simple Christmases, some have extravagant ones. Some people can afford lots of things, some can afford next to nothing. And some lessons are hard.

While children can understand and accept that some families have more money or choose to spend their funds on certain things, it is more difficult to understand why Santa might bring one child a Wii and ten games and another a coloring book. Don't get me wrong- I believe the coloring book is as good (or better) a gift. But kids aren't stupid. They DO know the difference. And, while it's never too early to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas, it helps if he doesn't have to wonder why "Santa likes that kid better..."

If we're going to "do Santa", it should be a joyous, fun, magical, FAIR part of the holiday. If you want your child to have a fancy new phone, great, but why don't YOU give it to her? Let the cute new scarf be from Santa and the big ticket item be from Mom and Dad...

It's just something I've been thinking about.

Menu Plan: 12/19- Happy Birthday to C. and Jesus!

It's Christmas week and also C's birthday week... busy, fun times. Lots going on doesn't mean it has to be complicated, though. Our Christmas Eve celebration will take place at my sister's house this year and, with everyone kicking in a dish or two, it shouldn't be overwhelming for anyone. Christmas Day will be just us- the five of us- at our home. I really, really like it that way. I've had years where we were alone for the entire holiday, years where we had parties/festivities to attend every single day of the season, and years where we had just one big family gathering and then plenty of time for our nuclear family. That is my favorite way to go. How about you?

On to what's hittin' the table this week:

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Yogurt, Juice

L-French Toast, Ham, Sausage, Tangerines

D-Sunday Supper at Bama & Papa's (after Bama and I attend The Nutcracker)

Monday:

B-Hot Cocoa Oatmeal (how FUN does that sound?), Milk

L-P,B,&J, Apples, Milk

D-Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Tenders, Green Beans

Tuesday:

B-PB Toast, Apples, Milk
L-Buttered Noodles, Green Beans, Water

D-Spaghetti, Broccoli

Wednesday:

B-Biscuits w/ Honey, Apple Slices, Milk

L-Taco Pie, Juice

D-Sausage Pigs in Maple Blankets, Oranges

Thursday:

B-Smoothies, Fruit

L-Sausage Pigs, Raisins, Water

D-Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Baguettes

Friday: (Christmas Eve AND C's 5th Birthday!!!)

B-Sugary Cereal, Grapes, Water (C. doesn't like milk all that much, especially in the morning- I have no idea why. I still make her drink it almost all the time but, hey, it's her birthday! Water it is. We're keeping it quick and simple because she has a salon date with Bama to get her hair all purtied up! They'll be styling it with this beautiful clip custom made by Kelly.)

L-P, B, & J, Apple Slices, Kool-Aid (Daddy's home, so our usual "Cheesy Beans & Rice" is off the table- he won't TOUCH beans. C. loves P, B, & J. Our dear friends tucked Kool-Aid in our giant Christmas basket... what better time to indulge than a kid's birthday?)

D-Ham and all the fixins at my sister's house after Christmas Eve mass! (I will likely bring a cake or cupcakes along with baked beans...)

Saturday:

B-Scrambled Eggs w/ Cheese, Cinnamon Rolls, Hot Cocoa (This is Christmas breakfast every.single.year. Seriously. I hope my kids continue the tradition because it's just so good...)

L-Turkey & Swiss Sandwiches, Fruit, Chips (Keeping it simple after a busy morning!)

D-Fettucine Alfredo with Chicken & Broccoli (This is for you, husband of mine! He believes everything is better with alfredo sauce. ;))

And that's that! I'm so happy to realize that it's really not an overwhelming week for me, despite so much going on. Plenty of time leftover to make Reindeer Food and cookies for Santa...

This post is linked to Menu Plan Menu.

Deck the Halls

I am so blessed to "know" so many crafty, talented bloggers. And, well, this time of year, it's been amazing to witness the glorious, gorgeous Christmas decor they manage to pull together and display. I love it. Love seeing the beauty, love being inspired by their creativity, love enjoying the warmth of their holiday homes. But...

Oh, how I hate that "but". But there it is...

But it makes me feel bad. But I feel like I don't measure up. But I don't seem to have that "crafty gene". But I didn't even think to decorate the soffit above my cabinets...

But.

It's not those talented ladies' faults. No, ma'am. Not at all. It's all in my head. It's time I take you on a little tour, folks...

Welcome to my home.

See that wreath? Yeah, I didn't make it. I bought it. At Walmart. About four years ago. Many, many little hands have enjoyed ringing those jingle bells over the years...


Ah, my beloved Three Kings. My late maternal grandmother made them. I adored them as a child and my mom passed them on to me when I had my own home.
They're not on a lovely decorated mantel (my mantel is in a chaotic playroom) or on a lovely, festive table (too many little hands could reach them). Nope, instead they are on the top of a tall hutch. But I can still see them. And I love them.

On to the tree...
You don't think a smorgasbord of pink, silver, green, purple, gold, etc. ornaments is going to land me the cover of Country Living? Me neither. But they sparkle and shine with the children's favorite colors. And not a one of them is heirloom or breakable.


Why, yes, that IS an impaled snowman. The one-year old put him there. I like him just like that.


What's that you say? It's not proper to hang three ornaments all on the same branch? Well, you and I both know that, but the four-year old didn't get the memo. And she thought it looked amazing...

And, oh yes, our star...
It's crooked. No surprise there... tradition dictates that we let the youngest child help put it up. I imagine it'll be a few years before it's nice and straight.

But when I step back and take in the whole picture...

Or, more importantly, focus on the details that matter...

I see curiosity and wonder and little hands that are allowed to touch...


The glow of soft lights on a precious baby's face....



...and the sheer joy and merriment of having a perfectly decorated home.

Merry Christmas.

Linked to Finer Things Friday.

Five Years Ago... I Asked For Prayers

Five years ago today, I sent this email to my best friend many states away:

hi m.,  this will be a really quick one... i'm just asking
 that you cross your fingers and say a little prayer
 for us.  when i woke up this morning, i had blood
 running down both my legs.  i'm only 22 wks pg...

t. raced home and went 
with me to doctor and he said i had a tear on the
surface of my cervix... the baby is doing great, but i
have to be on bed rest for 2 days and restricted
 activity for at least 2 weeks.  i know this baby is
 TOUGH... he or she has proven it before.  but i could
 still use any prayers i can get... thanks.  i miss you
 and love you. -jl

Nine days later... our daughter was born.

I was right, though.  She IS tough.

And I'm so glad I asked for prayers...

I Lost My Cell Phone

I lost my cell phone.

Well, actually, I've tracked it down now. It's about an hour and fifteen minutes away from me in West Hartford.

*Sigh.*

I was in West Hartford at 3 p.m. on Sunday. I just noticed it was gone.

This fact shocked the woman who answered my cell when I called it. "What did you do without your phone for a day and a half???"

(Played with my kids, shopped with my hubby, prayed, cooked, baked, talked to my mom on the- gasp- land line...)

It appalled my neighbor, "What if something had HAPPENED at school and they had tried to reach you???"

(I imagine they would have called that antiquated land line, but- not surprisingly- they didn't need to reach me. Ninety-nine percent of days, they do not.)

I really didn't miss it. Fact is, I don't text, I don't tweet from my phone, I don't take pictures on it, and, well, it's just not that important to me...

And you know what?

While I have no idea how- or when- I'm going to get my phone back...

I feel pretty good about the fact that it's not bothering me all that much.

Homemade Baguettes in 10 Steps

In France, they serve up the most delicious crusty bread pretty much everyday. They call it the baguette. You can buy it at the boulangerie. There are bakeries here in the States that make reasonable facsimiles too. But, oh, nothing beats a fresh baguette, warm from the oven...

My dear friend Jessica makes a fantastic baguette at home. At least, it looks fantastic. I've yet to make it out to visit her in California, but, oh, when I do, I can just imagine the things we'll cook up. I digress. Her baguette looks wonderful, but uses a special pan. Despite how much I cook, I am so simple and basic when it comes to my kitchen gear... no full-size crock pot, no bread machine, no pastry bags, no fancy graters or slicers (I use a simple plane grater)- you get my drift.

I wondered... would I have to invest in a special pan to make a decent baguette? Turns out... nope. While I have no doubt the "correct" pan probably yields great results, I think mine turned out acceptable too! Here's what I did:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I made this with all white because that is how I remember it... I imagine you could play around with mixing in wheat flour if you'd like.)
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Pour 1 cup very warm (not hot) water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle sugar and yeast over the surface. Let sit until it gets foamy.
2. Add flour and salt and mix until dough forms into a ball- it will be a little sticky, but it shouldn't fall apart in a gooey mess on your hands. (I do this step in my Kitchen-Aid mixer, but I'm sure you could add and knead the flour in by hand too.)
3. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk- mine only took about 30 minutes.
4. Punch down dough.
5. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 16x12" rectangle. Let sit for a moment, then cut in half to form two 8x12" rectangles.
6. Starting at the 12" side, roll each rectangle tightly. Then, roll gently with hands to create tapered ends. Place both loaves on large, greased cookie sheet.
7. Make deep, diagonal slashes across the surface of each loaf- about 2" apart.
8. Cover and let rise about 45 minutes in a warm place. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
9. Mix egg yolk and tablespoon of water together. Brush this mixture over the tops of loaves.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy a little taste of France... bon appetit!

This post is linked to:

Tasty Tuesday

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Top Ten {Tuesday}

Menu Plan: 12/12- The Calm After the Storm

Whew! What a WEEK! My mother-in-law came to visit and it had been so long- too long- since we'd seen each other... almost a year and a half. It was great to catch up and even more fun to see her with the kids. Our 18-month old was only two weeks when we moved from Indiana and she hadn't seen her since. Those are some big changes! Needless to say, my priority last week wasn't really staying caught up on my site, so I do apologize for the lack of new material around here. But, moving on...

Sunday:

B-Cereal, Applesauce, Milk

L-Migas, Clementines

D-(we'll grab something quick on our way home from a concert- we're taking the kids to see Steve Songs)

Monday:

B-Honey Raisin Oatmeal, Milk

L-P,B,&J, Apples w/ Cinnamon, Milk

D-Hot & Sour Peanut Noodles w/ Chinese Veggies

Tuesday:

B-Jelly Toast, Yogurt, Juice
L-Peanut Noodles, Applesauce, Milk

D-Chicken Marsala over Linguine

Wednesday:

B-Egg Burrito, Juice

L-Hot Dog, Toast, Fruit, & Water

D-Cheeseburgers, Oven Fries, Corn

Thursday:

B-Cereal, Oranges, Milk

L-Potato Wedges w/ Cheese, Juice

D-Ham, Egg, & Cheese in a Nest

Friday:

B-Smoothies, Toast

L-Cheesy Beans & Rice, Milk

D-Salsa, Cheddar, & Chicken Pizza

Saturday:

B-Scrambled Eggs w/ Cheese, Cinnamon/Sugar Toast

L-Turkey Soup, Grilled Cheese, Fruit (that soup is already made and in my freezer... what a yummy, easy lunch for a cold winter afternoon!)

D-Spaghetti, Broccoli

I'm excited about the week! My husband thinks my peanut noodles are the bomb... they rank almost up there with my seafood crepes, in his opinion, so he'll be happy. (He like those crepes so much, he put them on his Christmas list.) Chicken Marsala is one of my all-time faves, so that's good too.

We have a calmer week going on and that, during this busy season, is a real blessing!

What's your favorite thing you're serving up this week?

This post is linked to Menu Plan Menu.

Main Dishes and Sides and Being Behind!

I am so behind this week!

My mother-in-law is in visiting from Indiana and it had been almost eighteen months since my kids and I had seen her... too long! We've been having a delightful time catching up and- trust me- my ever-running and -climbing G. has changed quite a bit since when Grandma saw her last... she was only two weeks old then!

Anyway, the Bloggy Progressive Dinner carries on, with or without me. Today, Jeff at Food + Heat is serving up some brussels sprouts that look fantastic... be sure to go check them out! Looking through my own archives, I realized that I don't seem to share side dish recipes. And, thinking about it, I realized that that may be because most of my sides are pretty boring. But it made me think I'd better get a few of my better ones on here in the future! But, for now, go check out Jeff's place and see what yummy things others are cooking up.

As for me, I'm showing up late to the party on main dishes. Amy served up a delicious twist on French Toast yesterday. Mmmm mmmm! Here are a few things I like to serve a crowd for a festive meal:

Orrechiette With Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Arugula, and Brie

Shrimp Rotini

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Scarpariello (my recipe that apparently went viral in Sweden one time and had over 20,000 hits in one day... NO idea how that happened! ;))

If you're very short on time, but want a recipe to impress, here are two super simple go-to's:

Garlicky Clams Linguine

Noodles With Marsala Cream Sauce

My Dad's Rockstar French Onion Soup

The Third Annual Bloggy Progressive Dinner continues today and I invite you to join me right here for our second course- Soup and Salad.

I absolutely love French Onion Soup. One of my favorite meals to order when we make a (rare) restaurant visit is a small, medium-rare steak (ideally with blue cheese) and a cup of French Onion Soup. Mmmm. I think that melty, cheesy goodness on the top really seals the deal for me!

Lots of restaurants have good French Onion Soups but, if you ask me, my dad's is even better. After I bragged it up in my menu plan a few weeks back, he kindly offered to share the recipe with me. Hooray! And, really, how lucky are you all to be my friends and be privy to this great soup recipe too?

Ready? Well, let's go then!

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 - 3/4 lb. onions, thinly sliced (2 large yellow onions did it for me)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar (I wouldn't have guessed this one!)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 4 cups beef stock or broth (I used purchased broth because I'm not handy at making my own beef stock.)
• heavy cream (Oh yeah, baby. This is what is going to truly elevate this from that watery canned stuff you can buy.)
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)
• 3-4 pieces crusty bread, toasted (I made my own. You do NOT have to. I'm just over-ambitious like that sometimes. Or, um, too lazy to go to the store to buy a loaf...)
• Swiss cheese

Now here's what to do:

Brown the onions slowly in the butter. Give 'em time. Keep it on low. Patience is a virtue. All that good stuff. You want them wonderfully brown and sweet, but not burned.

I gave it at least a half hour. But, really, you don't have to babysit them. Just give 'em a stir every now and again. Now add the sugar and cook for a few more minutes. Add the flour and cook for one minute, then add the stock (broth) and bring to a boil, stirring.

Simmer 20 minutes, then add cream to desired consistency. (I used 1/2 cup.) At this point, if you like a thick, rich soup, you can add a little flour/water paste or a bit of corn starch mixed in water. I added 1 teaspoon of corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water to mine.

Cut toasted bread into 1" squares and place in the bottom of separate oven-proof ramekins or bowls. Pour soup into ramekins and top with Swiss cheese.

Bake at 350 until soup bubbles and cheese is melted. Serve up that hot, bubbly goodness! (Use care if serving this around small children- or accident-prone people- those ramekins are HOT.)

(According to Dad, this soup can be frozen in ramekins. Place on baking sheet and bake at 300 straight from the freezer. I wouldn't know anything about this since the idea of not EATING IT ALL never even occurred to me.)

What, you're not a soup person?

Get thee away from me right now!

I kid.

Here are my two favorite salads to enjoy with a holiday meal:

Winter Fruit Salad

Baby Greens, Pear, Blue Cheese, and Candied Pecan Salad

Please link up YOUR favorite soup and salad recipes... I'd love to check them out! And join Amy tomorrow as she serves up the main course.

Cheers! It's Time For Drinks And Apps!

Today kicks off the 3rd Annual Bloggy Progressive Dinner.

Kate's serving up our very first course of drinks and appetizers over at Cooking During Stolen Moments. Head over there and check it out... she always has something delicious up her sleeve.

What kinds of things do we enjoy around the Parenting Miracles household? Hmmm... well let's look back, shall we?

For festive drinks this time of year, we're enjoying:

Hot Cocoa for the Littles

Pumpkin Pie Smoothies

Cranberry Sparklers

And for appetizers? I like things simple. And, invariably, involving cheese and carbs. (Mmm...):

Lasagna Roll-Ups

10 Kinds Of Cheese Bread

Mini Pigs in Blankets

How about you? Be sure to stop by and link up your favorite drink and appetizer recipes over at Kate's. And come back tomorrow! I'll be serving up the Soup and Salad course.

Making Room For a Little One

It was Christmas Eve, 2005. It was evening and a heavy wet snow was falling.

In the wee hours of that morning, I had given birth to our second child. A girl. One pound, five ounces. Less than a foot long. Against all odds, she lived...

In my own hospital room, recovering from a massive, messy, emergency c-section, I sat with my husband, opening Christmas gifts that had been mailed to us from my out-of-town family.

Maternity jeans.

A cute velour maternity top from Old Navy.

I should have had four more months of pregnancy ahead of me...

I cried. A lot.

And then, I unwrapped a gift for my not-yet-eleven-month old son. A book.

I turned the pages and gazed upon the most beautiful illustrations I had ever seen. So soft. Soft lovely. It was like they were illuminated from within.

I read the words...

There's always room for a little one.

I sobbed.

And as I reached the last page, I choked out the words,

"That cold winter's night, beneath the star's light, a little one came for the world."

To this day, Room for a Little One is my very favorite story to read at Christmastime. It is simple. It is beautiful. It gets right to the core of it without overwhelming tender young hearts and minds. And it is true...

There's always room for a little one.

Linked to TILT

*If you purchase this book through the link above, I will be happy because the book is so very special. But I will receive nothing. Why? Because I am hopeless at figuring out affiliate links. :) But I'm okay with that.