Christmas Card 2009 - The High Tech Way

So, it's been a busy few weeks and this is the best I could come up with for a Christmas Card. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Merry Christmas to Me from Jesse.....

Baby's First Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!

Seeing Santa

We go to the Henry Ford every year to see Santa. We have done this every year on or near this date since Brandon was a baby. I couldn't miss this year so I was pushed around in a wheelchair with Clare at least long enough to have our visit with Santa. Then my mom took me home while Jesse and my dad stayed at the museum with the kids. Today is also my niece, Ellie's, 7th birthday. They were at the museum too and then had a party after at Ellie's house.

God's Love For Us

I was so blessed to be able to give birth at the Alternative Birthing Center connected to Providence Hospital in Southfield. What an amazing group of midwives and nurses we were blessed to meet our few days we were in and out of there. One nurse was telling us that she was the 11th of 12 children and her husband was 9th of 12. That's not something you hear everyday anymore, unfortunately, and her stories were amazing. One thing she shared was how when people would ask her mother how she could possibly love *all* of those children she simply replied "it's like God's love for us. It's infinitely abundant and so far reaching we could never find it's end". What an amazing statement for life, love, and family.

As our family welcomes it's newest member, Clare, I'm not sure who loves her the most. The kids are crazy over her. When I called home to announce her birth the voice of Brandon on the other end said it all. He could hear her crying and I do believe he was crying tears of joy as he listened. Sure, these babies mean more work for all of us. The parents and the kids. They mean more sacrifice, less stuff, less money. We all have to chip in and work as a family to make sure our home runs smoothly. The last 9 months have been very stressful for all of us around here. Early pregnancy takes it's toll on me and requires more of Jesse and the kids. Then I had nearly 8 weeks of bedrest. The last six weeks or so of pregnancy are always pretty stressful. The last few days we've been back and forth to the hospital. And through it all the kids (and their grandparents and the friends we are blessed with) have stepped up to the plate to make things run smoothly. I came home to a perfectly cleaned house today complete with candles burning. I am abundantly blessed with children that have taught me so much about self sacrifice and what real love is. I continue to learn everyday the immense love that our Lord must have for us for we are His children. We continue to wait in eager anticipation for His birth on Friday. And I look forward to spending this Christmas season surrounded by my children, husband, family, and friends remembering all that has been given to me.

God Bless Your Day!

Clare Pia Grace Ekblad Has Arrived!

Clare (after St. Clare of Assisi) Pia (after St. Padre Pio) Grace (only by God's Grace were we given this gift) arrived:

Monday December 21 at 10:13 pm
Weight: 7lbs 14 oz 19.5ish inches long

What Have We Been Up To?

Twas the week before Christmas and in the Ekblad dwelling we're waiting for a baby; when is she coming? She's not telling....In the meantime we're busy getting ready for our Lord; with lots of things to do we're never bored!!


Above : the kids enjoy decorating our upstairs and refer to it as "Club Second Floor". They spend Advent and Christmas playing and dancing up there in the lights. It's really fun! Also, we enjoy hanging our stockings by the fireplace. This year we found treats in Owen's stocking from last year!!

We enjoyed putting our Christmas tree. This year will probably be the last one that all of our ornaments fit on one tree (unless we get a bigger tree!!). We'll probably do two trees next year! Jackson has been teaching himself cursive and colored this beautiful picture of the Nativity for me and wrote my name in cursive for me :)

We got about an inch of snow yesterday and the kids couldn't get enough of it! Oh how I wish we would get a foot of it for them to enjoy!!

Jesse made some impressive "creations" (Sam's words) out of play dough and Jesse, Cecilia, Mary, and I took a stroll around downtown Plymouth to see the Nativity and the Christmas trees (and there was a Starbuck's there so we stopped in ;) ).


As we lit the fourth Advent candle today I remembered to thank God for all that He has blessed me with. Only 5 days until Christmas and the house is all a buzz with eager anticipation. We have so much to be thankful for this year. I hope you and your family are having a blessed Advent and will have a Merry Christmas!

Prepare Ye The Way

One of our favorite traditions of Advent is to decorate candles during Advent. We generally try to do this during the first week of Advent but we're a tad behind this year. The candles are a symbol of "lighting the way" for Jesus as we wait for Him during Advent. Hannah and Owen did baby Clare's candle for her this year. Hopefully these candles are lighting the way for her arrival as well <3

Isn't She Funny!!??

In her last days of being the "baby" of the family Cecilia wants to ensure that we find her completely adorable. Of course she doesn't need to worry about that but we're enjoying her comical demeanor. :)

Happy Feast Day of St. Nicholas!

Today was the Feast of St. Nicholas. The kids enjoyed treats in their shoes this morning, Mass with the family, and a wonderful party put on by our friends at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in Farmington Hills. They got to make crafts, eat treats, visit with friends, see St. Nicholas, and sing at nursing home nearby. What a great day it was for them!! Lots of wonderful gold coins. This morning when Mary found her loot from St. Nicholas she said "it was so nice of him to think of me". She's so cute!!