Bulgaria has a Santa-type character who Naomi and Simon knew, but they couldn't really give us any details about how they celebrated Christmas. I asked if Santa brought gifts and Simon said he got a cat who later died and Naomi said she got a chicken. Based on what we know about their foster homes and lifestyle, it's possible.
The holidays were different for Miles and Ella this year, too. They had to share our family traditions with two new siblings and that had to be hard. We tried to be understanding and respectful of how difficult it would be for them and they handled it very well. We did our usual things - cookie decorating, live nativity, Christmas light tour, church on Christmas Eve, Christmas music playing in the house - and Naomi and Simon did well with the increased activity and change in routine.
Both younger children heard about American Santa at school. They were a little bit concerned about a big stranger breaking into the house overnight, but we assured them that they were safe. Also, in our family, Santa only fills the stockings by the fireplace downstairs so he has no need to come upstairs where we are sleeping.
Travel
Most years we travel to Pennsylvania right after Christmas to spend time with my family. I have two younger brothers with five children between them, so getting everyone together is lots of fun. (At least I think it's fun, but I'm not the one with 15 extra people at my house for a few days!)
My parents have a great house for kids and Miles and Ella have always enjoyed time there. This year was even better - my parents finished part of their basement so the kids had even more room to play, and we pulled out roll-aways and cots at night so they could all sleep down there. Cousin heaven. It was especially nice since there wasn't any snow for the kids to go sledding. There was a floor hockey / dodge ball area, model train, air hockey, scooters, toys, and a disco ball. For the most part, we only saw them if they got hungry and they all got along very well.
Naomi and Simon didn't sleep downstairs. They weren't totally comfortable with the idea and the first night they wouldn't be quiet, so we brought them upstairs. But the other seven cousins slept down there - sneaking candy and iPads and telling fart jokes and causing a parent to go down every 10 minutes to say, "be quiet and go to sleep or else!" The stuff cousin memories are made of!
Progress
It's difficult to see how far the kids have come sometimes. I've been told to look back a few months to appreciate how much progress has been made, but it's hard when you're in the trenches of parenting. I guess it's kind of like how you don't think your child has grown much, but someone who hasn't seen them for a few months talks about how tall they look or how much they've changed.
A few people in PA commented about how Naomi and Simon just fit right in and started playing and how amazing that was. They had spent some time with my mom and dad but had not met anyone else in the family, so I guess it is pretty great that they felt comfortable enough to jump right in with the cousins and find their way around a new house.
They have come a long way, but it's hard work and I can be easily discouraged or annoyed by some of their behaviors. You can pray that I'll find supernatural patience and grace for them in 2015!
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