To be honest with you guys I took a couple of years off from doing Christmas cards. Jose & I used to do Christmas cards every year but I just lost the motivation to do it. I was going through a really difficult time and it just made me sad to think about doing a Christmas card when I’d gone through another season of not having our baby. Looking back now I wish I had never taken a break from this tradition.
I really wish I kept up this tradition of making Christmas cards each year because it would have been a great keepsake of memories to show to Cope in the future of the times we were waiting for him. I want to encourage you if you are going through a tough season to continue traditions … Even, when it feels hard those traditions, are a great way to keep your spirits up & bring joy into tough seasons!
I was really motivated this year when I saw people share their Minted Christmas cards. And decided to hop on to play with the different design options! One thing I really loved about Minted was that they had SO many premade designs and templates to chose from! I started searching through there site and picked out my favorite designs. These were my top three favorites for our Christmas card, which one do you like best option 1, 2, 3, or 4? Check out even more Christmas cards from Minted [HERE].
Stay tuned for the big reveal, I’m so excited to share with you which ones I decided once they arrive! Let me know in the comments which Christmas card you think we picked. I hope that if you were feeling unmotivated or weren’t wanting to create a Christmas card this year that this helped inspire & encourage you to continue those traditions even in hard seasons. Thank you so much for your support through all seasons of our journey. Xx Liz Marie
4! Reminds me of a rainbow! ❤️❤️❤️ Cope is such a blessing!
? number 1! It’s so cute.
I think #1 looks most like you but I think you picked #3
You can’t go wrong with any of them and they will be even sweeter with your family picture on them! In my own life I experienced terrible tragedy in July 2001. Our family was out for Sunday brunch when a suicidal-woman drove her car into the restaurant and we were the first table to take the hit and impact of her vehicle and the crumbling wall. My blond-haired, blue-eyed 4-yr old daughter, Teagan, was killed & my 2-yr old son, 6-month old daughter and husband all air-lifted with critical injuries and I was in a wheelchair with muscle and tissue damage for several weeks. Another mom was killed too, and 3 others were seriously injured that sunny day (in northern Michigan).
As you can imagine, Christmas and even daily life was horribly painful with all our injuries and grief that year! Still, we fought hard to find joy in our sorrow and pain and darkness and I cried and prayed a lot!
Our faith and God’s unexplainable peace filled our wounded hearts many times and I look back on the Christmas card photo we took and sent that year and am sometimes still amazed all these years later that we had smiles at all. It reminds me of how God IS with us in all times— beautiful, good or walking the valley of darkness in hard seasons.
I know you would have been blown away and filled with utter joy and happiness if God had shown you a glimpse of your life now a year ago in your dark season. But for some reason He allows pain and struggles and we simply have to choose to trust Him or not. It seems it would be easy to put all our hope in Him— but it is so hard when we are in the pain of it all!
I’m so glad that God is faithful even when we cry and doubt His ways and timing. He has healed and blessed our family many times since that horrific tragedy (we have been blessed with 4 more babies born in the years since!) and He has shown great mercy and goodness to you too! More than the lights and gifts and decor and food that is so special during the holiday season, I believe, are the ways we can see God at work in our lives and share those stories which bring Hope to others.
I’m in another hard season and appreciate every reminder that God cares so much and we can trust Him always! I live in Holland, MI right now and keep thinking it would be so great to share a coffee and stories sometime. You shine His light and I hope your struggles and openness help others find true Peace and joy by seeking His mercy and grace too! He is for us— even when the world tries to undo us at times. May you be blessed and be a blessing because of His love in you and spilling from you always. I wish your family a warm and magical Christmas as you celebrate the amazing gifts He has given you especially this year. Pure Joy. xoxo
Number one reminds of your lives right now….beautiful family in the middle of so much activity and then number four had the simplicity I think you like, so I guess I’m not very good at making a decision! Look forward to seeing what you chose!
Would you do a post about your new living room rug and couches soon? I’ve been looking for some nice slipcovered furniture and it seems hard to find a lot of choices that look as nice as yours.
Thanks 🙂
I love #4 ♥️
#4 !! for your rainbow baby ?!! My grand daughter is a rainbow baby❤️ God just gives them a a little extra sparkle to their personality’s ? We were so blessed!!
I like number 1, but I think you chose 3. Something about seeing that new family member’s name up there big and bold. I remember that with our first child. Merry Christmas!
3 although contemporary which I am not!! 1 would be my next choice but saying Merry Christmas instead.
I like #2 – so cute!
Like others have said….I think option 4 because it does look like a rainbow!! ? blessing after the storm ☺️
I was just reading one of your old posts ‘Christmas after miscarriage’ …..wow what a journey God has had you both on!! Very encouraging that if we wait on HIS timing He gives us more than we ever hoped for!! Thank you for always being honest and testifying of God’s goodness ?
First..I would never send a family “picture” card to anyone..lol..I hate my pic being taken and why would I ever think that anyone would want to see us? I used to send regular Xmas cards to people, but, rarely would we receive any ourselves, or I could tell people just waited to see if anyone would send them a card and then they would reciprocate. After a while, I just stopped and may only send one to my immediate family or a special friend. I don’t know how much it costs to send a card in the US, but in Canada, we are well over the dollar mark, plus tax. So, I may not send any at all this year. The world has changed. People are so self absorbed and most think that their problems are bigger and better and more special than the next person. Sad, but true. It’s a “me me” world.
My guess is 4 but you can’t go wrong with any of them! ❤️
I like number 1 for your family. So happy you have a sweet baby to put in the picture for this Christmas and your dogs as well. Our Lord is so good to us . Have fun sending them out
Joy, your comment really resonated with me as I have a four year old also blonde hair blue eyes so I pictured losing her. Your strength to so much move on nonetheless have Christmas cards astounds me. I’m just in awe. I don’t believe I’d have it in me to have Christmas cards ever again. I’m not one to ever read the comments so first thing this morning reading this completely has me have a new look on my gratitude. Being so thankful for our blessings. How are the two that were air lifted? How about your husband? Congratulations on the four since! So beautiful and strong of you to continue on wanting another child and even continuing on traditions much less.
Liz- I feel the first one is more you or possibly the third however it seems to not be as unique (in the best way!!) as you are!! … and like someone said I think you will choose to have it read merry Christmas as this year in particular you have his blessings upon you with cope 🙂
It would seem to me that what you say is all the more reason for sending a card. I continue to send cards, I usually do them over the course of a week in the evenings, writing a note to a lot of family that we don’t get to see very often. Very seldom do I send pictures, it’s not about me, its a greeting for the person I’m sending it to. Christmas is about sharing the good news of Jesus, not the family vacation, or the new house, or the million things we focus on nowadays. Find a card that sends this message and show that you’re not one of the self-absorbed!
I think you chose #3. Merry Christmas.
#1!
Jody, I am sure your story has brought many to see they have much to be grateful for and to encourage those who are going through hard times. Thank you so much for sharing.
#1 reminds me of all the adventures you had this year, but I think you will chose #3.
Merry Christmas!
Margo..I am far from self absorbed. The complete opposite, in fact. I get tired of everything being so “one sided” with family and friends. After of a few years of hubby and I doing the visiting, the inviting, the card sending, etc , with not one person reciprocating, one tends not to care so much about those people anymore. Family or not. (These people are either a few years younger, the same age or just a couple of years older than us.) I have totally given up on them and am happier for it. Bitter? You bet! Not so long ago, I would send a pile of Christmas cards out, and after a while, when you only receive 2-3 in return..that was the end of it for me. I am in my 60’s and life is speeding by so fast, that being constantly hurt is not worth it to me . I also would never send a picture , or a newsletter about my life to anyone!
If I give something, whether it’s a card, my time etc I never expect anything in return. It’s about giving and blessing others whether they appreciate it or not. My joy comes from being able to give freely with no expectations ?