What Kai Learned

This is a manger scene made by Annie's students in Colombia

We've been looking into the Christmas Story this year for school. We've learned a bit about shepherds and sheep, St. Nicholas of Myra and angels among other things. I decided to do this because last year the entire Christmas season went by and I'd only read about 2 of our Christmas story books with the kids. So we've taken advantage of "school time" and read our favorites.

Of course among the favorites is the Bible account of the birth of Jesus. While reading from Luke 1 about John the Baptist's birth and the Angel Gabriel coming to Mary we read about the Virgin Birth. Surprisingly, this was a new concept for Kai. He had thought Joseph was the biological father of Jesus. Thus missing the whole glorious truth of "God becoming man." And he really seemed to get it. He looked totally awestruck. It was a good time for him to learn this fact because we are just finishing up a unit on human reproduction--so he knows all about how babies are conceived and grow in the womb. He was really amazed that God "put" Jesus into Mary and then he grew there--Son of God and Son of Man. It was also a wonderful time to talk about adoption. Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus; Jesus, had a "different" biological father than the rest of his siblings. I felt like it was an extra special Christmas gift from God for my adopted kids.

I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year. Feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the shopping I still have left to do. We saved getting our tree until Annie, with Jonathan who went down for a 2 week visit in Colombia, came home. So we have a busy weekend in store: cut and decorate the tree, Christmas choir/play rehearsal and play for Sarah-Grace and Daniel and of course the ever present shopping! Hopefully I can post some of these events with pictures!