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Beneath My Heart

Our First Christmas with Sania Louise!

FAITH & FAMILY

30 Dec

Friends, I pray you had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.  I know that Christmas can be so overwhelming, and even sad sometimes when we are missing loved ones, but I pray that there were many moments of Christmas Peace and Joy mixed within the hustle and bustle. 

This Christmas, as you know, was very, very special to us.  Our very first Christmas with our daughter, Sania Louise.  

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It is hard to believe that a year ago, our Christmas was one of our saddest.  Our hearts were broken.  And our little girl sat alone at a crisis center in Latvia on Christmas.  It seemed like a hopeless situation.  And yet God was still at work.  God was still working out His perfect plan for her and for our family.  

She is our Christmas Miracle.

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It was quite an emotional journey, but WORTH EVERY SECOND!

I put a video together of the week before Christmas, and it definitely gives you an idea of the fun we had. :)  However, you may want to turn your volume down because Sania Louise is just like her mama….loud and dramatic!  ha! 

I hope you enjoy it!

 
 

And friends, thank you for your constant love, encouragement, and prayers for our family!  You will never know the difference it has made in our lives and especially our daughter’s life.  We are eternally grateful!!

We are looking forward to seeing all that God will do in our lives in 2017, and we can’t wait to share it all with YOU!!!

xoxo

Traci

57 Comments

« Celebrate Organization Home Tour!
Family Recap of 2016-WHAT A YEAR!! »

Comments

  1. Lucy says

    December 30, 2016 at 6:58 am

    Priceless!!!!

    Reply
    • Patty says

      December 30, 2016 at 12:00 pm

      Thank you for sharing; so happy for you!!

      Reply
  2. Denise says

    December 30, 2016 at 7:24 am

    This melts my heart. What a precious gift God has given to your family. Tears flowing here in NH!

    Reply
  3. Cathy says

    December 30, 2016 at 7:26 am

    This is an amazing video that warms the heart! What a “Christmas Miracle” having Sania Louise as a new addition to your precious family! I had to get a tissue out for this one and I’m thankful for the message of family, love and thankfulness that shines through these special moments captured that morning! Blessings and wishes for a Happy 2017!

    Reply
  4. Sheri says

    December 30, 2016 at 7:37 am

    Wonderful video! I’m new here, is it on your blog how Sania Louise came into your lives? I’d love to read how it started.

    Reply
  5. Ellen says

    December 30, 2016 at 7:46 am

    BEAUTIFUL!! May this be the first of many, many love-filled celebrations for your lovely family! Blessings to all as you enter another year of multiple delights. God has truly shown his love and we all are in awe of the splendor!

    Reply
  6. Paula says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:22 am

    Beautiful! Tears of joy – so touching seeing the overwhelming joy that Sania Louis experienced on her first Christmas with her wonderful forever family!

    Reply
  7. leigh says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:26 am

    This was great, and a what a wonderful gift you have given her….your family and love….and what an incredible gift she has given you….She is a sweet and beautiful young lady! Her English is sounding wonderful too! So proud of her and you!

    Reply
  8. Courtney Cloe says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:27 am

    What an amazing gift. Thank you for sharing your precious family.

    Reply
  9. Lisa T. says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:35 am

    Beautiful!!

    Reply
  10. Kim says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:45 am

    Absolutely precious!!! What an incredible blessing you guys are! I love to see those boys loving on her!

    God is great!!!

    Reply
  11. Michelle says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:53 am

    Very, very touching……..have a wonderful 2017 with you beautiful family. Thx for sharing…….

    Reply
  12. Jennifer says

    December 30, 2016 at 9:00 am

    Beautiful! What a wonderful video.

    Reply
  13. Bonniev says

    December 30, 2016 at 9:03 am

    Such a beautiful Christmas and Sania Louise is so happy. It makes your heart feel good.

    Reply
  14. Susan says

    December 30, 2016 at 9:23 am

    So precious! Thanks for sharing that with us.

    Reply
  15. Pat Fowler says

    December 30, 2016 at 9:28 am

    Beautiful! How lovely to see how much your boys love her and how happy she is.

    Reply
  16. Shari says

    December 30, 2016 at 9:56 am

    What a beautiful Christmas. Thanks for sharing it with all of us

    Reply
  17. Terri says

    December 30, 2016 at 10:12 am

    Oh my goodness !!!! Absolutely priceless…. Precious beyond words !!!! What a beautiful Christmas morning !!!!!

    Reply
  18. Diane says

    December 30, 2016 at 10:13 am

    What a special blessing this morning to see Christmas thru your families’ eyes, especially Sania Louise. Thanks for sharing, continued prayers for you all. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

    Reply
  19. Dianne says

    December 30, 2016 at 10:42 am

    This was such fun to watch. Christmas gets quieter as they get older ( like at my house) so enjoy every loud voice of excitement. God bless you all in 2017!

    Reply
  20. Dawn Rene in ATL says

    December 30, 2016 at 10:45 am

    So sweet, heart warming and precious. You’ve made my day! God Bless and the Happiest of New Years!

    Reply
  21. Susan A says

    December 30, 2016 at 10:59 am

    Traci — What a beautiful Christmas video! I’m smiling with tears. This will be the best, most memorable Christmas EVER for Sania Louise and your family. Absolutely precious! Here’s to more beautiful memories and love in 2017! Happy New Year to your entire family!

    Reply
  22. Melanie says

    December 30, 2016 at 11:07 am

    That was priceless and what Christmas is about. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  23. Charlotte Oliver says

    December 30, 2016 at 11:38 am

    PRECIOUS!!!

    Reply
  24. Guerrina says

    December 30, 2016 at 11:40 am

    Sania Louise = Unspeakable Joy!

    May the New Year bring many more times of joy for the whole Hutcherson Family!

    Reply
  25. Paula says

    December 30, 2016 at 11:46 am

    LOL with tears of joy!!!! Thanks for sharing.. May God’s blessing be upon you & your family in 2017!!!

    Reply
  26. Ann Nell says

    December 30, 2016 at 11:59 am

    Priceless

    Reply
  27. Nicole says

    December 30, 2016 at 12:08 pm

    That was great ! I wish that my daughter was that excited on Christmas morning. Looks like you guys had a great time. Happy New year !

    Reply
  28. Bernadine says

    December 30, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    LOVED IT!! So happy this little girl is now part of your loving family! So much Love

    Reply
  29. Dawn H says

    December 30, 2016 at 12:15 pm

    I love how excited she is about everything she got!
    My youngest daughter used to do that too and would say “this is what I’ve always wanted “!
    So precious and heartwarming!
    Happy New Year!!

    Reply
  30. Beth says

    December 30, 2016 at 12:31 pm

    This was precious! So much fun to see her grateful, enthusiastic heart. xoxo

    Reply
  31. Lisa E says

    December 30, 2016 at 12:48 pm

    Precious! So much fun to watch. Have a blessed, safe and Happy New Year!

    Reply
  32. Karen says

    December 30, 2016 at 1:22 pm

    Loved Seeing A special little girl enjoying her first Christmas in America! Thanks for continuing to share your family. Still in awe of Gods handiwork in this family. Sania looks just like her momma! Amazing!!

    Reply
  33. Michele says

    December 30, 2016 at 1:36 pm

    I laughed and cried at the same time. To see a child soooo happy is heart warming.

    Reply
  34. Ann says

    December 30, 2016 at 2:13 pm

    That brought tears to my eyes. The pure joy and excitemental was so palpable. Thanks for sharing and God Bless Sania and your entire family. Xo

    Reply
  35. NormaJean says

    December 30, 2016 at 4:51 pm

    What an exciting morning! Thank you for sharing it with us. May God wrap your family tightly in His loving arms in the year ahead!

    Reply
  36. Loryl says

    December 30, 2016 at 5:03 pm

    THAT’S what Christmas is all about!
    Happiest of New Years to you all🎉

    Reply
  37. Sara B says

    December 30, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    Tears! And laughs! And SO much JOY! Thank you for sharing such a precious time!!!!! You will always be grateful that you have that on video! What a special Christmas for your family.

    Reply
  38. sandi says

    December 30, 2016 at 5:38 pm

    How wonderful! Reminds me of what our house was like when our children were younger. So much fun. What a beautiful family.

    Reply
  39. Cheryl says

    December 30, 2016 at 5:41 pm

    What special lady you have. A very lucky family to have a beautiful lady. Your son’s are so loving to your daughter. It shows as they share her excitement on Christmas morning. God really blessed your family in 2016.

    Reply
  40. Ginger Hiller says

    December 30, 2016 at 7:06 pm

    Like some of the others, the video is priceless! Happy New Year!

    Reply
  41. Gina morrison says

    December 30, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    I’m laughing and crying at the same time! What a precious family! Merry Christmas and happy 2017 from Greensboro, NC!

    Reply
  42. Barbara says

    December 30, 2016 at 7:59 pm

    Sania Louise opening her gifts was priceless. I had goosebumps and was teary eyed.
    Have a wonderful year!

    Reply
  43. Susan Kinnard says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:07 pm

    Oh Traci! My heart melts watching this. You have a precious family. Wanda would be so proud of you. May the New Year bring you many more blessings.

    Reply
  44. sue Cox says

    December 30, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    Oh wow!! how exciting. Sania Louise certainly knew what to do with those packages. So many memories being made and so much love in one family. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  45. Pam Beck says

    December 30, 2016 at 9:16 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing video of your precious girl and her family on Christmas morning. I remember saying in another comment, that I hoped you would post pictures or video of her for her first Christmas. From watching the Halloween video, I knew she would be so excited over Christmas. I can’t express enough how happy I am for you and your family. I look forward to more “enthusiastic” videos of Sania Louise and the family. Happy New Year and God Bless!

    Reply
  46. Dina Darling says

    December 30, 2016 at 9:40 pm

    Thank you for sharing!
    That was so beautiful to watch.
    She is a lucky girl. Your family is so Wonderful!!
    Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year!

    Reply
  47. Debrashoppeno5 says

    December 31, 2016 at 9:42 am

    The video brought tears to my eyes to witness her joy. It is wonderful to see how happy she is as I remember how devasting it was for all of you last year. You have a lovely family. Happy New Year.

    Reply
  48. Pam says

    December 31, 2016 at 12:30 pm

    Thank you for sharing this joy…the joy of family and of Our Lord working so hard for us! I was filled with smiles & tears. Blessings for a loving 2017! Looking forward to watching it unfold for you all!

    Reply
  49. Carol says

    December 31, 2016 at 2:38 pm

    This made me laugh and cry! There’s nothing like Christmas morning seen through a child’s eyes. You have given SL such an incredibly different life. In blessing her, you have been blessed tenfold. Love this…and you sweet girl.

    Reply
  50. Caryn Murakoshi says

    December 31, 2016 at 10:02 pm

    Now that is what Christmas is all about! What joy to see her excitement and more than that , to know that she is with her forever family celebrating in all that joy. Wishing you all a very blessed New Year.

    Reply
  51. Sharon B says

    January 1, 2017 at 11:27 am

    Merry Christmas & Happy New Year beautiful family❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

    Reply
  52. Rebecca Turner says

    January 1, 2017 at 5:34 pm

    Thank you for a little peek into the fun, love, and joy of your family holiday! It’s so fun to watch the excitement of little ones! And sweet to see how your boys love her, and included her in their own excitement. Sonia Louise is beautiful, and as you mentioned in a recent post, she looks as though she could’ve been BORN into your family. Big smiles! It was God’s wonderful planning and weaving!

    What an emotional turn from last year! My heart cracked a little along with yours when you came home without her last year, but the story wasn’t yet finished. As you say, God was still at work, and brought about a true Christmas miracle! May He continue to bless your family!

    Reply
  53. Claire @ A Little Claireification says

    January 1, 2017 at 9:09 pm

    So precious – I felt like a kid all over again watching SL and her excitement on Christmas morning.
    Happy New Year!! xoxo

    Reply
  54. Marva says

    January 2, 2017 at 4:06 pm

    Oh my goodness, I am balling my eyes out. How precious – tears of joy hear. Somebody please bring me a tissue.

    Reply
  55. Sherry says

    January 3, 2017 at 10:08 am

    Thank you so much for sharing! This brought happy tears! God is so great! Sania is such a precious little girl and your guys are great gentlemen. I loved how they each hugged her and was sharing in her joy. I pray for you and your family to have a blessed and happy new year!

    Reply
  56. Kate Gosling says

    January 4, 2017 at 11:36 pm

    I LOVE this! Our son and daughter were adopted almost 10 years ago from Russia, so this touches my heart. Our 2 are now 12 (later this month) and 13 respectively, and we’re traveling back to Russia with our team from church and Children’s Hopechest this coming May/June. Can’t wait to take them “home”. God bless you! By the way, I found your blog through your sister. :o) Happy New Year from Colorado!

    Reply

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