Happy first day of Advent everyone! I am so excited about the Advent season finally starting (it feels like I have been waiting forever on December 1st to get here). Two reasons I am excited... Numero 1: This is the first time I have ever celebrated Advent. Numero 2: Since we are not doing treats but activities instead, it is like my husband and I have 25 dates planned for the next 25 days, and I love dates with my husband! To celebrate Advent I prayed for days for God to show me how to make an Advent calendar. My sister in law is so creative! She made these beautiful little boxes out of Christmas cards last year. They were adorable, and after stalking pinterest and google... I came up with this. I adore our little Advent calendar.
Today is the first day!
What do we do on the first day? We go on a fun Christmas trip. In an hour we will be loading up the car and headed to Silver Dollar City to see the lights. Last year, Michael and I went to Hot Springs to see the lights at Garvin Gardens. This year, we are getting to take a whole slew of Beans. All of my nieces and my brother and sister-in-law are coming with us!
The third reason I am really, really, really excited is that each day there is a verse that is going to lead our family through the gospel. Today's first is John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Such powerful verses in such a time of need! I get so frustrated with our world sometimes, but He has overcome the darkness... we will overcome the darkness!
The last thing on our Advent Calendar is this ornament. This is just a little cheap thing I found at Hobby Lobby (GO HOBBY LOBBY), but I adore it already. We will put it on our tree first thing Christmas morning and then read and discuss the Christmas story. A whole month of celebration awaits!
The two stockings and the sign have nothing to do withe Advent, but I just had to share. My wonderful sister-in-law and I worked all day long to make these stockings. They are lined burlap, and we actually MADE them. I mean I went to the store to buy fabric, we got out the sewing machine, and we made them. I like them, but I may be sticking to buying items that need to be sewn in the future. I still have scars.. ;) In addition to these stockings.. I had to share my little sign. I love this little sign. It brings a smile to my face everytime, and it happily greets visitors.
HAPPY ADVENT!
