FINALIZED AT LAST!!!

Wow... the day finally arrived! We had our adoption hearing this week, with the Judge finally proclaiming that Noah is our son, forever and ever amen! It was a pretty powerful day... to think that just a year ago, we were oblivious to what the months ahead had in store for us. Now we look back over 2008, and sit in awe of the miraculous changes we weren't even expecting. We feel so very fortunate, however, to have the honor, privilege, and blessing of having Noah in our lives! He fits in perfectly with his big brothers, and to be honest, I feel Noah completes us all. This is truly a summary of a happy family!

Happy New Year, one and all! May 2009 be equally joyful, and filled with countless blessings.

Christmas Day Follies

On Christmas day, since it was the first time we've ever been home in our own house (without traveling to far-away family celebrations), we decided to gather with friends, and have a soup & snack potluck. Here, Noah exercises his responsibility of being the annoying little brother, as he stands in the way of the tv screen, where the teenagers were playing a new Wii that our friends got for Christmas. (way to go Noah... you're learning young, what your correct role is, ha). Being the active crew that everyone is, we knew the kids (young and old) would want to head to a local ice rink for some hockey time. The dad's didn't want the kids to have all the fun, so despite their lack of hockey skates, they headed for the ice right along with them. Matt even was talked into playing.... Matt, play hockey? Can you imagine?)! He ROCKED the ice!

You'll see below, he even ENJOYED it! It was cold out, but not nearly as cold as it has been... so it was the perfect outdoor hockey afternoon! NO WIND (that was the key).

Matt, Ben, and Ed all go after the puck... there was no mercy on the ice that day. The checking and the penalties were rampant, but without a referee to monitor them, we're just glad nobody got hurt. ha.

Us moms stood along the boards, showing Noah from the sidelines what a fun afternoon with the big kids was all about. PLUS, we had to have our cameras at the ready... nobody would believe we got ALL the boys (and Emily) to participate in one big activity. There are so many different interests, that we rarely find something that everyone wants to do together. It was a magical day.

This was one of the hardest shots to capture... making them stop the action long enough to snap the photo... proving that the three Hippen men enjoyed an afternoon together, WILLINGLY. (although the expressions on their faces wouldn't reflect joy, they really were having fun).

Christmas Fun!

This year was the first in a long time, that we didn't travel to family or friends for Christmas Eve. We spent a wonderful few days at home (well, except that the flu was circulating around our house), and Noah was just chomping at the bit to tear apart the brightly colored packages that had been taunting him from under the tree.
It amazed me that Noah was more excited about eating wrapping paper, than he was to play with his shiny new toys. I guess that's a typical draw for a 10 month old. ha.

We couldn't resist the temptation to outfit Noah in his camouflage jammies and hat. He carried around his new "huntin' dog" all over the place, but didn't leave the hat on beyond these few moments for the camera. He's growing up FAR too fast, and certainly is learning to have his own little personality come into play (sometimes it's a stubborn one, for sure).

"What do you want, dada?" Noah says to the camera, even tho I'm the one behind the lens. We cannot get him to say Mama for anything... everyone and everything is Dada. Could be worse I suppose, but one of these days, he's going to learn my name. hahaha. In the mean time, he's just a bundle of joy, and quite the cuddle bug.

Young Prodigy

Our boys enjoy playing piano together... a couple of true virtuosos. Matt spends many hours on the piano, and it's been really neat to see lately, that Noah just joins right in, and sits on the piano bench along with his oldest brother. Great music is heard in the Hippen Household, often.

Tenth Month of FUN!!!

Noah's become a true Viking fan! Go Vikes!!! His jersey is old (a Chris Carter Jersey), but his middle brother wore it faithfully for a couple years, so we figured Noah could sport the colors of the greatest team too! (No, you can't send him Packers clothes, dad).

Just thoughts at Christmas...

Greetings and good cheer one and all ~
Today is a cold day here in the Red River Valley, and I'm snuggled in under a warm blanket on the couch with my coffee and the Today show, waiting for Noah to wake up. I have an unexpected day off (most of this week off, it's been wonderful). As I sit here relaxing, and reading many emails and blogs, I am reminded what an amazing time of year Christmas really is!
One realization I had recently, was that this year is my "do over" year. By that, I mean, it was 18 years ago that my life began to unravel, with the sudden and tragic death of my husband. My son, Matt, was just 10 months old, and he and I walked through a horrific journey of loss, confusion, and loneliness as we celebrated Christmas, just the two of us, in our base housing on Guam Naval Base. I was in a state of shock, awe, and disbelief as I rang in his first Christmas, sorting through my own nightmares and the wonderment of the birth of Christ. It was a surreal mix of joy and tragedy, but God brought me through it all.
Fast forward 18 years... that little baby that I held it all together for, is now a fine young man, in his senior year of high school, successful in his own right. And at the same time, I have a new little 10 month old (flashbacks are endless, I have to say), who is such a rich blessing to our family. The polar ends of the spectrum, my youngest and my oldest, are filling my heart to the rim with joy and love this Holiday season. I get to "do over" that baby's-first-Christmas, as Noah is doing all the same things that Matt did so many years ago, during this festive time. The mirror image of one another is uncanny, as they both also get to enjoy their other brother in the middle, Ben.
How is it that through such tragedy and rough beginnings, a woman can find herself so completely blessed and fulfilled by the loving family which surrounds her? Only by God's grace and mercy can this be my good fortune. Thanks be to God, for restoring me after such pain and horrible tragedy. I am humbled by God's mercy, and praise His name for loving me so deeply. God is good, and this definitely is a Merry CHRISTmas for this child of God. I wish you all a Merry CHRISTmas in the most true sense of the greeting. May you find yourself blessed with a "do-over" blessing as well, in whatever form that may come in. This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Merry CHRISTmas to all, and a Happy New Year (Do-over year) to you too!

Christmas Photo Shoot

Each year, as I try to compile our Christmas letter and photo to send out to our family and friends, I struggle with some of the common decisions: who's in the picture (whole family or just kids?); serious poses or fun-loving; matching outfits or whatever they want to wear; when are the kids all home (or... when is Matt around to join the photo); what to write in the letter; to make cards or just send the letter; do people really want to know what we've been up to for the past year?..... the questions are endless. In a spontaneous moment as we drove home from Thanksgiving travels this weekend, I realized it was going to be "now or never" to get the kids all in a picture at once, so we called in our friend, Kylie, who LOVES photography (and frankly is FABULOUS at it) and just decided to DO IT!
This was one of the fun poses, but there's even better ones, so you'll have to watch your mailbox for your copy of the official 2008 Hippen Christmas Picture (I will most likely break down and blog it anyway, ha).

Here is yet another fun picture of my three sons.... all happy and healthy, nice boys who, at that moment, melted my heart (of course 1/2 hour later they were bickering or yelling at each other, or sassing their parents, or crying for a bottle). But in this glimpse of time, joy filled their hearts, and mine too.

As you all step into the joyful season of Christmas, I wish you endless joy! Please remember that this is a season of hope, love, and blessings. We don't have to let the hurried schedules and the frantic rush to shop and wrap gifts take our focus away from the reason for the season... Christ's Birth! We are eternally blessed with the loving, unending grace of God who sent His son for our sake, saving us from our sins, and blessing us instead with eternal life in heaven.

Halleluiah! Christ is coming! Merry Christmas to you all!