Merry Christmas

Christmas is always a special time of year-- reflecting on and celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, enjoying fellowship with friends, spending extended time with family, observing old traditions and starting new ones... I treasure many moments and memories of this time of year...

It is interesting to look back at Christmas one year ago... I found out I was pregnant on December 21st, 2006. I remember vividly certain times last Christmas season wanting so badly to have a child, all the while being pregnant and not yet knowing it. I laugh at the irony of playing Mary in the Walk-Thru Nativity at Briarwood, in the scene where the angel Gabriel tells Mary that she will conceive and bear a son. I remember trying to keep the exciting news a secret until it was "safe" to tell and my sister, Julie, finding a picture of my positive pregnancy test on my digital camera, thus prompting the telling of my family on Christmas day and Clay's family the day after Christmas. I remember praying that the Lord would give us a son. It was so much fun looking back and remembering those things this Christmas...

Clay and I had so much fun celebrating Clayton's first Christmas this year-- picking out our Christmas tree as a family, letting him sit on Santa's lap and getting his picture made with Santa, taking him to look at Christmas lights (even though he was dead asleep in the carseat), taking him to the Walk-Thru Nativity, going to Zoolight Safari, to the Christmas Eve Candelight service, filling his stocking, looking to see what Santa brought on Christmas morning... It is so much fun having a kid at Christmas-- even one who does not understand anything about Christmas yet.

Here are some pictures of some of the memories we made this Christmas:

The family at Zoolight Safari

Curiously looking at the animals and lights at Zoolight Safari

Such a little man in his button-up Polo

Christmas morning

Clayton is excited about his first Pez he found in his stocking. The Conner tradition lives on...

I absolutely love this profile picture. Clayton is staring down one of the toys on his new exersaucer.

Clayton smiling at GG; look at that dimple!

Santa!

Clayton and his friend Matthew Pattillo sat on Santa's lap for the very first time today! Clayton was very brave; he did not cry, and Matthew slept through the experience. I think he might have told Santa that he wants an exersaucer and a doorway Jumper for Christmas. As with most things Clayton has experienced for the first time, I think mommy enjoyed it more than he did!

Grace

In the middle of my almost sleepless night, the Lord brought to my mind the miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand. Jesus met the physical need of hunger in the lives of those 5000 plus people. He took little and made it much; He took a small provision and made it an abundance. It was not only enough to meet their needs, but more than enough. I believe that He can do the same with and for me, regarding my physical need for sleep. He can take what little sleep I get and make it not only enough, but more than enough.

Thanksgiving

I have not had a chance to post pictures from Thanksgiving yet because our camera battery died and we thought we had lost the battery charger; we found the charger...

Among many other things, Clay and I are so thankful for the gift of Clayton in our lives this Thanksgiving. There are no words sufficient to express the thankfulness and love in our hearts.

Mommy loves him...

Aunt Julie and Clayton

Cousins Chris and Carter adore "baby Clayton" and can't wait until he can play with them. I have no doubt Clayton will adore them one day soon as well.

Chris and Carter made microphones out of Tinker Toys and sang Happy Birthday to Clayton because it was his 13 week birthday. They also sang the Auburn fight song-- War Eagle!

I went shopping with Julie on "Black Friday" and found this adorable hat to keep Clayton's very bald head warm during the winter. He looks a little unsure about it...

Chris and Carter each wore one of these wigs to the Auburn v. Alabama game. We didn't want Clayton to feel left out so we tried it on him. Poor guy, mommy and daddy laughing at him and he doesn't even understand why!