Christmas in Moscow

    For Christmas this year, Matt and I and Colton are staying here in Moscow.  Basically, I am due in a little over 3 weeks and that's our main reason for not loading up ALL of our Christmas and ourselves in our not so large car and driving 9 maybe 10 hours through possible snowy, icy roads!  We also have a 2 bedroom apartment with A TON of stuff and need to get things organized a whole lot better in order to add another person to our home!  Of course I have been really excited to be able to be here, with Matt finally at home, and to enjoy our last couple of weeks as a family of 3, even more so, enjoy putting our wonderful sleeping 2 year old in bed at 8 or 830 and actually having evenings to spend together.  I know this is going to change in a few weeks! 
   However, although we are loving the free time we have to spend together, of course we miss family!!  Last year, we were in Germany, and were SO lucky to have Matt's parents, little sister, and my little brother with us for 2 weeks!  I have never been big on having to have my same traditions for Christmas Eve/Christmas Day so last year was perfect.  Growing up, it was always my parents and I and my brothers for Christmas and I didn't know any different, I loved every single Christmas and have some great memories of Christmas!  So, being just the three of us this year is just fine with me, and I know it will be a Christmas I remember!
    All that being said, Christmas still wouldn't be Christmas this year if it weren't for our amazing families.  When we went to visit Pocatello and Utah for Thanksgiving, we mentioned that we most likely would not be coming back for Christmas.  Both families made sure they loaded us up with all of our Christmas presents to bring back home, even though they had to get all of their Christmas shopping in 5 weeks early!  We so so appreciate both of our families.  Not just because of these presents that they sent with us, but because of how much we know that they care about us.  Although we can't be there with them all, they wanted us to enjoy our Christmas, and probably did way more for us than they needed to.   I think I have been feeling especially emotional these last few weeks knowing that I will soon be having a new baby and just being pregnant, but I am so thankful for the amazing parents that I have and for their sacrificies for me and now that I see with Colton.  My mom will be coming up when I have my baby and is willing to stay as long as needed.  My dad lost his job back in the summer and is still trying to find something, yet she is willing to drop everything and leave my dad to come up and help us and meet her new grandaughter.  Everyone keeps asking me if I will have help, and I have to brag, because I think my mom is the best helper anyone could ever ask for!  I know it will still be hard with Matt starting another semester and not being around and having my 2nd baby, but I'm not even worried because I know that my mom will be here to help out!  I'm also grateful for my dad for never stopping her from coming up to help, although it makes his responsibilities a little bit heavier, he has always supported her!  We are also lucky because Matt's parents are so wonderful too, I mentioned to Matt's mom that because we couldn't be there for Christmas, all I really want is a yummy home cooked meal from them, so they asked around to find one of the best restaraunts in town and got us a gift certificate to go eat there on Christmas Day, how thoughtful is that? 
    Anyway, enough of my blabbing, I just wanted to express my gratitude to our amazing families, and how much we appreciate them more than they can imagine and will miss them this Christmas season, but hopefully we will see them all season after this sweet little girl is born :)