Christmas With the Harringtons

Here it is December 26th, a windy/rainy day here that kept us all inside and in pajamas all day and I sit thinking about the many blessings we have received this past year.  The best gift we received this year was to officially become a family.  On December 11th we all went to the courthouse in Pitt County and had a small, private ceremony in which the Clerk of Court made the adoption of the boys official!  We were surrounded by Rob's immediate family, Morgan Pearce, Caty Gray Urquhart, our pastor Diane Christianson, and our two social workers Jennifer Stroud and Nikki Mears.  It was a very touching ceremony because the Clerk had adopted a child 26 years ago and she got choked up as she talked to us about the joys and responsibility of adoption.  Had I known how special it would be I would've probably thought to video it.  She also allowed the boys to seal and stamp their papers.  

We celebrate with a few small gifts - books about adoption, official Harrington sweatshirts for the boys, and a special plate Rob's mom had made for us.  Then we were off to a celebratory dinner at McDonald's (don't think the boys noticed that it wasn't the special dinner we would have liked to have had) before rushing off to Alex's school Christmas program.  

At the program he made us so proud!  I think this boy has a future on the stage.  

We also enjoyed a party this season thrown by Century Link for foster kids, the Bethel Christmas parade, and dinner at church with Santa.  Although we would've liked to do some other fun Christmas things there just didn't seem to be time to fit it all in.  Again, the boys didn't seem to mind or notice and enjoyed every moment of the things we did do.  

 

After all of those fun things we finished up school and headed off to Maryland to visit my family before  Christmas.  Mom hosted several fun things at her new house with Curt - tea with the Aunts which my roomate, Carolyn, came to also so that we could catch up as well, our family dinner and gift exchange on Friday evening, baking cookies with Aunt Susan and Grammy at Susan's house Saturday morning, Cousins gift exchange Saturday evening - with munchies and fantastic soup by Levi and Hope, and then a quick breakfast Sunday morning after church before we headed back to NC so we wouldn't miss Santa!  (Sorry, no pictures from this trip since I packed everyone else's stuff and then forgot my camera!)

We made it back to NC in time for Christmas Eve so we could make sure that Santa could find us.  And find us he did!  Plenty of new toys and lots of fun for mommy and daddy watching our faces light up with excitement.  But, the best gifts our these three, special boys that have come to steal our hearts and the hearts of everyone that meets them.  We are so thankful for them and all of the love and support of our families and community in welcoming them.  

Sitting back...feeling blessed!