Your Family’s Special Christmas Traditions … November 27, 2010

It’s so important to form lasting family traditions that can be passed down.

From the way in which you decorate your home and your Christmas tree, to your favorite Christmas music, to your special foods and treats, and for whom those special gifts are bought or home-made … all of us have special traditions, rituals or celebrations we do each year as families.

For the Pitres, decorating our home, both inside and out, with our favorite lights and very special ornaments are a must for us! We have a secret and scrumptious family Christmas cookie recipe, which my Mom baked for years as we were growing up, and that I took over the first year we were married. I have only missed making them ONE year … the year Kathryn and Lauren were born the week before Christmas 1994! Every year before and since, however, we’ve not missed the tradition of baking and decorating these delicious confections, and I’ve SO ENJOYED entrusting the painting and sprinkling to the KIDS! We have our absolute FAVORITE Christmas music CDs which begin Thanksgiving evening, and continue all the way until January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany (the date celebrated as the Maji arrived in Bethlehem with gifts for the new born King!). We have a traditional Christmas dinner, which usually is patterned after the full Thanksgiving dinner menu, but one special tradition is to prepare Cajun red beans and rice for Christmas Eve. This was the meal my Mom prepared on Christmas Day 1994 while we traveled back and forth between home and two different hospitals to be with our

Remember and create warm Christmas memories.

newborn preemie baby girls in 1994. It was the perfect crock-pot meal that could cook all day while we were gone, and be ready for us late that night when we finally returned home! Since then, we prepare that dish each Christmas Eve in memory of our baby miracles, who will both turn 16 this December 18th!

It is not until after January 6th that we take down and carefully wrap up our Christmas decorations in preparation for the next year, because only after the Feast of the Epiphany is the 12th day of Christmas complete.

What are some of your family Christmas traditions? Post some of your unique, funny, memorable things that you do every year with your family? Be sure to post your traditions, and become automatically entered into a drawing for a free, signed copy of TWINS x3 for yourself or as a gift!

From our family to yours, we pray that you all have a very safe, happy, healthy, blessed and memorable Christmas 2010!

UPDATE: Amy’s (TRUE) Miracle! November 27, 2010

A couple of months ago, Twinning Attitude! posted an appeal for prayer and support for Amy and Shannon Trahan. Amy was in the depths of her battle with Choriocarcinoma, a rare reproductive system form of cancer. I’ve been receiving updates on Amy and her preemie baby girl Anna from her wonderful nurse, Kim. Kim recently expressed how miraculous Amy’s continuing recovery, as well as how baby Anna’s growth and well-being, are going! Amy, now able to do her own blogging, posted the below comment on her blog: Amy’s Miracle, about 3 weeks ago:

The last weeks have been a big adjustment. I got released from the hospital on the 15th a day before my princess Amanda’s 16th birthday. I have been more thankful then ever for all the support I have had from the community. God, our church, family, and friends. All the love has helped me so much in my recovery. I have been admitted to the hospital for the next few days for a big round of Chemo. My numbers are looking good so I should be released soon. I am so excited to see baby Anna. She is doing so good. What a beautiful baby. My legs are getting stronger and I am able to walk without a walker … this has been big for me. I love you all and can’t wait for the day I can share my testimony with everyone. God is great!

Love,  Amy M. Trahan

Amy, we’re SO RELIEVED and HAPPY for you and your family. God truly is GREAT! We look forward to hearing your testimony with everyone!

Please visit: amysmiracle.com for further updates on this amazing lady’s battle and ongoing victory!

A VERY HAPPY AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING TO ALL!! November 25, 2010

 

We’re so very, very blessed, and so on this day we think of the little and the big things to remember and give thanks for!

We pray that everyone has a very safe, happy, memorable, blessed Thanksgiving 2010!

 

Amy’s Miracle September 13, 2010

Amy kisses Anna

Meet Amy, a 33-year-old Jacksonville mom of three beautiful children who I heard about through a mutual friend. In early 2010, Amy and her husband Shannon discovered that they were going to have twins to add to their already 2 children, Amanda and Shannon, Jr. During her sixth month of pregnancy, something went terribly wrong. She was hospitalized because of severe, painful coughing, and the doctors soon discovered that, while pregnant, Amy had developed a very rare form of cancer called Choriocarcinoma. Because her illness became immediately life-threatening, both babies were delivered. Although she lost one of the babies, baby Anna (born at just 2 lbs.) survived and has presently reached approximately 4 lbs. Amy is still very ill and in the hospital being treated for her illness, and until recently was on life support.

Please go to Amy’s blog, read her story, and reach into your heart to help support this amazing family with a donation of any amount.

This family needs our prayers and support for many months to come. Let’s be there for them.

Visit: http://amysmiracle.com

Thank you, and God bless you all!