Friday, December 30, 2011

12 days of Christmas: #11 (New Year's Eve Celebrations)

Christmas wouldn't be complete without New Year's! An integral part of the holiday season, New Year's Eve celebrations allow us to say good-bye to the old year and welcome in a shiny new one, full of prospects for good resolutions, prosperity, health, love and blessings! So between prepping food, cleaning my house and generally preparing for a small New Year's party in our humble abode, I've been scouring Pinterest for inspiration. Granted, my table won't look anything like these masterpieces illustrated below.... but a girl can always dream can't she? And isn't that what the New Year is all about? What are your dreams for this coming year?





















Source: purlbee.com via Maria on Pinterest










I wish you all happy prepping for the New Year celebration! What will your table look like this year?

Also in this Christmas series:


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Thursday, December 29, 2011

12 days of Christmas: #10 (Christmas in Paris)

Homesick or not, Paris is Paris and every hopelessly romantic lover's dream is Christmas in the city of lights, even better with snow! These photos are part of my Pinterest collection and evoke for me the very essence of a wintry Christmas in Paris! Enjoy!





Source: etsy.com via Maria on Pinterest


Source: google.com via Maria on Pinterest







Source: bing.com via Maria on Pinterest







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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

12 days of Christmas: #9 (My Christmas gifts)

This is what I got for Christmas this year.... But first, a little background.... Just days before Christmas eve, Alex's curiosity got the best of him and he asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I hadn't said anything, hadn't made a Christmas list, hadn't expressed any desires. I told him I already had everything I wanted, but I guess that wasn't so true. There is something I wanted for Christmas. Instead I received other precious gifts.



I got homesick on Christmas and wanted desperately more than anything else in the world, to be comfortable and home in my country with the ones I love most. But that wasn't so possible. They were painful moments, but sometimes growing and stretching is indeed a painful thing. As I sat alone in the parking lot at church on Christmas morning while my family attended sacrament meeting, I contemplated the barren winter trees all around me. So empty and lonely and yet so beautiful with the brilliant sun cutting through the bitter cold. I thought about the Savior and his birth and willed for the brilliancy of this good news to cut through my bitter loneliness. To no avail. It was too soon. I still had more learning and growing to do. A kind friend came to comfort me and gently reminded me that she had just traveled to the United States by herself to visit her country and extended family, and that the entire time she was homesick for her little family that she had left in France. That for her they are what count the most.

I spent most of the day trying to rest and calm the torrent of emotions and tears. My mother-in-law Francine and my sweet sisters-in-law Valérie and Laurence would later embrace me with warm comfort and understanding. And my tears would finally cease. I've done a great deal of reflecting these past few days, trying to get over my homesickness. I've called home many times and have been reminded of precious gifts that are mine. I've had deep conversations with my sister-in-law Valérie who understands my homesickness because she too (for different reasons) now has an international family. She has also gently reminded me of precious gifts that are mine. Being a multi-national family is not an easy road to travel. There will always be one of us in our couple, that feels uprooted and far from the comforts and familiarity of home.

But I am richly blessed. My French family and my American family are both so wonderful that I am in often in awe at their goodness and love!

And them I am reminded of one Christmas when I received the gift I wanted most - a beautiful doll - and the feeling was simply magical. I cherished this doll perhaps because the feelings it awakened in me were the instincts of my divine nature: to be a mother. And this I yearned for all my girlhood days. This year, as I look into my children's eyes, that same magical feeling has been rekindled as I realize that the dreams I had as a little girl have been fulfilled! I am a mother. And that is so wonderful! What I desired most in my life is now mine! Those girlhood magical feelings have been transformed into joy! I am a mother of three beautiful children!


My Heavenly Father thought enough of me to bless me with this wonderful man, who is so good to me and has blessed my life with three beautiful, healthy, wonderful children. And these are my most precious Christmas gifts. My little family. There is nothing I love more than to be with Sam and our children.


They say that home is where the heart is. Sometimes that means my heart is split in two. Ouch! That hurts. But I once read that we should not fear pain because it carves out more room in the heart. More room to be filled with love and joy and all of the good and wonderful things this life has to offer. I still don't know how to better handle my homesickness when it comes. Perhaps just wait until it passes. And to remember that every tearful separation will indeed bring a joyful reunion. And this because of the Savior's gift to us. And that is the greatest Christmas gift of all!

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Of lately...

December has been a busy month between juggling candle orders, full-time jobs, church callings and keeping our own little family in line. And most days, I just plain forget to lug my camera around. Sometimes it just feels so good to live without constantly taking photos, but for those precious moments, I'm grateful for cell phones that have built-in cameras! Here's a few random photos of some of what we've been up to lately...






I'm on vacation until mid-January. yay! My blue-eyed boy Alex left on vacation with one of his best friends, Simon. That was hard for Mama, but I'm okay now. Mostly. No, really, I'm okay now. I have been really, really homesick this Christmas and that has been hard especially because I love Christmas so much. This week I'm just hanging out with my girls, missing my boy, wishing Sam was on vacation too and being a little bored indoors. But we've been busy with Just Dance 3, painting finger nails and making jewelry. No photos. Like I said, sometimes it just feels so good to just be! 

Monday, December 26, 2011

Elena's baptism

Now that the main festivities have ended and I have some vacation time, I'm going to get caught up on my family photo journaling. I've been waiting for the moment to edit these precious photos of my Elenita's baptism and so without further ado....

My little princess looked forward to this day with happy anticipation for more than a year.
It was entirely her choice and we couldn't have been more thrilled!

My sweet sister-in-law Laurence took most of the photos.
This one is traditional: the entire family in front of the painting of Jesus Christ.

This was just moments before she entered the baptismal font.
Happy, excited, just a tad nervous and a bit concerned about the temperature of the water!


Her daddy baptised her while I watched and waited with a warm towel in the bathroom.
The rest of our family and friends watched from in front of the baptismal font.
 




Elena was overwhelmed by how many friends and loved ones came to share this special day with her.

 Here she is all shiny and new!
In a pretty white dress and delicate lace and flowers on her head:
gifts from a kind friend.
I was so proud of my little girl.

Elena's cousins Noémie Caussé, Célia Brozzu and Pauline Caussé played a beautiful interlude 
about Jesus Christ's baptism.

Her older brother Alex shared his feelings about his own baptism just two years ago while a proud Mama stood nearby to offer courage and comfort.

Friends showered her with love and attention.

The day was simply magical. My heart was overflowing with love and I couldn't help but project myself into the future when she would once again be dressed as an angel all in white to make more sacred covenants with her Heavenly Father in one of his holy temples. I  hope and pray that the covenants she made at age 8 will give her the spiritual strength to fulfill this all-important hope and dream that I have for her that will fill her life and mine with indescribable joy and enduring happiness.

 


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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Encore un petit jeu pour gagner une bougie!


Salt City Candles est une marque américaine de bougies parfumées haut de gamme qui arrive tout juste en France.  Elle propose de nombreux parfums, il y en a donc pour tous les goûts. Le petit plus : je craque complètement pour les jolies couleurs des bougies et leur packaging sobre et de bon goût !
http://www.saltcitycandle.com/uploads/~home_promotions_christmas.jpg

     Comment participer ?
Rendez-vous sur le blog de Juliette, cliquez sur l'image ci-dessous.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/133/julietteblog.png

     - Inscrivez vous sur le site (aucune obligation d'achat).
     - Dites moi quel parfum vous tente le plus. (sur le blog de Juliette)
     - Laissez votre adresse mail dans le formulaire pour que je puisse vous contacter si vous gagnez.

     * Vous devez habiter en France.
     Vous pouvez participer jusqu'au mercredi 28 décembre à minuit.

     Bonne chance !


http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/3889/bougiesp.jpg



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