Meeting Ella Kate and her Dedication Day!

Five days after I landed back in Tulsa, we loaded the car and set out on our return trip to Tennessee for Christmas.  It was like sucking in your stomach all the way to the spine to get all the luggage and gifts into the trunk.  But we did it!  5 a.m. ~ Tennessee here we come!

We met Lindsey, Brian, and Harper at a Cracker Barrel in Arkansas for breakfast and then followed each other the rest of the way to Natalie's house.  It rained almost all the way through Arkansas and Tennessee so there wasn't much to see except spray from behind all the cars and truck. Blah.

Ms. Harper loves her books!

But good news!  We got there safe and sound ~ Katie and Seymore arrived 2 days earlier, so she already got some good Ella Kate bonding time in.  So sweet!

Even Seymore got in some sweetness with our baby girl.

But the BEST thing was that Grandpa Diddy got to meet his little grandbaby for the first time.  L.O.V.E.

We just relaxed and enjoyed our family.  Perfect!

And to make Christmas over-the-top wonderful, my mama and Bill came to spend Christmas with us from Indiana!  They got to meet Ella Kate for the first time and become buddies with Ms. Harper again!

Lovin' that Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa time!

Seymore had to leave bright and early on Christmas Eve to make it to Shawnee, Oklahoma to spend Christmas time with his son, Ray.  So he got to open his gifts on Friday night.  

Then WHOA!  The unexpected ~ Poor Harper got the stomach bug Friday night and had to leave early. I felt so badly for her!  Natalie quarantined herself and Ella Kate and I started praying hard that no one else, especially David would come down with it.  Prayers were answered.  Well, Brian's stomach wasn't doing too great, but he attributed that to a lousy coney dog at lunch and deadly hot chicken wings...haha.

Christmas Eve will forever be one of my most favorite Christmas memories EVER.  We all met at Journey Church for their Christmas Eve service.  David and his singing buddy, Leslie Jordan, (All Sons & Daughters) led worship ~ A.MAZ.ING!!!  But the best part was Ella Kate's dedication.  There's a video somewhere, I just haven't laid my hands on it yet...

But here's the BEST part.  She was laying there all quiet and sleepy.  When their pastor said, "Let's pray", Ella Kate immediately stretched out her hand to the sky and just left it there!  Everyone laughed so hard!  He said she was praising God!  PRICELESS!  It meant so much to have our entire family there to see our grandbaby dedicated to the Lord.

Can you see her little hand lifted up?

Here's her Dedication Day photo op:

She has stolen our hearts!

This was the beginning of a fabulous Tennessee Christmas!  Keep reading to find out about our Christmas!

Still Praising God in Tennessee!

Gigi