Advent ~ 2020

Waiting is hard.

Waiting for Christmas – for all of the light and joy we know we will experience as we celebrate Jesus’ birth – took on a whole new meaning this year. Our need of God’s saving grace is never clearer than in the midst of hardship and turmoil, is it not?

And so this year – this pandemic-election-social (in)justice-natural disaster-laden 2020 – I found myself especially thankful for Advent. After all of the sad and scary and downright HARD this year, it was such a special season to slow down and anticipate the coming of the Lord, and of His incredible love and goodness.

Goodness that was wrapped in swaddling cloths in the form of a newborn babe. Our Dayspring. Our Hope. Our Savior.

Waiting is hard. But waiting is worth it.

He is worth it.

For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Because of God’s tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.
Luke 1:78-79

Our family’s season of Advent was certainly quieter this year…less rushing about from activity to activity, less trying to jam in as much hoopla as we possibly could. And yet the quieter, simpler pace was sweet. It left us with oodles of time together as a family to talk and think and be creative as we prepared ourselves for Christmas.

As we said together, over and over with hopeful anticipation…

Come, Lord Jesus. We are excited for you!

**********

Christmas Tree Hunt

With hot donuts, of course

And plenty of energy-burning shenanigans

(Like silly selfies…)

(Laps around the lake at the tree farm…)

(And high-jumping high-fives with Daddy.)

We Wrights know how to squeeze the *FUN* out of any activity.

And were sure relieved to have actually found a tree. What an unexpected challenge that turned out to be! 2020…you amaze me (and I don’t mean that as a compliment).

Then back home for…

Decorating!

Bible Study & Crafts

All month long we followed the Jesus Storybook Advent guide, and made crafts and gifts while Mommy read aloud.

Making Cookies for Santa

(With plenty of taste-testing along the way)

Little Sir: “Look! My tree has buttcheeks!”

Little Mister: “This French guy had his head cut off by the guillotine and then he started foaming at the mouth!”

Then…

MORE Cookies with Friends!

Christmas Caroling with Pals

Bonfire-Style!

Hot dogs and hot cocoa included.

And cute puppies too!

Tea Time for the Mamas!

(We may not be great selfie-takers, but we sure know how to put down some goodies.)

Welcoming Nena and Pops!

And there we have it. Advent 2020.

****************

Waiting is hard.

Waiting for hope in the midst of the sad, the broken, the disappointing, and the painful is so very hard.

But waiting for Jesus is worth it.

Because His promises are true and His love is steadfast. The light has overcome the darkness. Hope is on the way.

Come, Lord Jesus. We are excited for you!

Come Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart

Joy to those who long to see thee
Dayspring from on high appear
Come thou promised Rod of Jesse
Of Thy birth we long to hear
O’er the hills the angels singing
News glad tidings of a birth
Go to him your praises bringing
Christ the Lord has come to earth

– Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, first two verses
By Charles Wesley

ARRRRR You Ready For Cousin Camp?!?!

Take a house on the shores of the Chesapeake,

1 (highly) energetic Grandma,

7 (especially) crazy Little People,

2 summer (and cocktail) lovin’ Mamas,

and what do you get?!?

COUSIN CAMP!

Version 2018!

But I’m jumping ahead of myself.

Let me start at the beginning

with The-Cousins-Aren’t-Here-Yet-And-We-Have-Wiggles-To-Woggle

Activity.

Otherwise knows as, a…

PIRATE VOYAGE!

Thanks to Captain Nena!

ARRRRR, Maties!

Some of us were more ferocious looking than others…

We Buccaneers boarded our mighty Man-O-War and were off on a grand adventure!

We even found some LOOT!

Seadogs and Scallywags alike, we all had a swashbucklin’ good time.

Once we became Land Lubbers again,

it was time to shout “AHOY!” to our Cousins!

And head back out to the Big Blue.

For there were battles to wage,

castles to storm,

and doubloons to pilfer!

The waters were often treacherous,

with scurvy dogs who wanted to scuttle our ship

and turn our crew into shark bait.

The sandy shore offered some respite for our Little Pirates.

A time to gather at the scuttled butt, rest our weary bones, and plan for the next attack.

Or just take a nap.

Especially when you’re just a Wee Laddie Pirate.

Or a (tired) Pirate Mama Lass.

Mermaids graced our shores as well.

Mermaids, that is, with a special fondness for all things chocolate and volleyball.

Needing to rest our sea-weary bones a bit, we battened down the hatches and enjoyed some grog with the locals.

(Yay for a visit from Seafarers Uncle Jeff and Aunt Betty!!)

And then raised the union jack again and, led by the Fearless Captain Nena, set sail for another adventure!

Ever see a Pirate hike?

Well, at least some of them did.

Land-bound we may have been, but we were sure there was still enemy forts to storm and booty to be found!

And mosquitoes. Lots and lots of mosquitoes.

They must have been drawn to our delightful (sweaty) Pirate aroma.

Even wobblin’ along on our sea legs, the hike was worth the effort!

That’s right, me hearties.

It’s a grand thing to get to be a PIRATE at Cousin Camp.

Especially when you have such a MERRY CREW to sail with!

Spring Trip North

It was April. Life was busy. And as every parent knows, with school year activities coming to an end, life was getting far busier by the minute. What better time for a…

CRAZY MESSY HOUSE PROJECT!

Yep. Because that’s how we Wrights role.

HARDCORE.
TO THE MAX.
And POSSIBLY LACKING IN COMMON SENSE OR IMPULSE CONTROL.

And with poor Daddy Mike (heretofore known as “The Labor”) consumed with said project dreamed up by Mama Julie (otherwise known as “Management”), what better time for a…

ROADTRIP!

That’s right. We were northern bound….with Annapolis and Philadelphia in our sights.

And a LOT of 95 traffic in between. Grrrrrr.

But we’ll put up with (most) anything for the chance to see these Hooligans.

Even Uncle Willy showed up! That’s a very special treat.

Even if he is a Hairy Mongrel.

We even got the chance to be there to celebrate Nena’s birthday. She’s one lucky gal to have so much ENTHUSIASM for turning another year older!

Baffled by the whole one-candle-silliness, the Littles are strategizing how we can fit ALL of her candles on the cake for next year’s fesitivites.

The Fire Brigade may need to be on speed dial.

Before our Little Crew drove up to Philly, we had a few additional days in Annapolis when MEAN MOMMY made the kids do schoolwork. It was…shall we say…rough. There may have been tears. And some hootin’. And hollerin’. But we persevered and ended each school day with a fun field trip.

So maybe, oh sweet children of mine, life ain’t all that bad…

Ecological hike along the Chesapeake

Maryland Farm Trip

Cheseapeake Bay Foundation Nature Preserve

I sent this photo below to my Honey so he wouldn’t forget me. Or his tasklist. HA!

Ahhhh…it’s good to be a kid.

Then we topped off the trip with a quick jaunt to Philadelphia. There we got to participate in a Nature Study with the Garecht cousins, and go to their Art Show.