Back in the land of sand...

Landing back in Bahrain brought Christopher back to work and Christmas prep in full swing.

We had lots, and I do mean LOTS of mail to get when we returned... (in my defense this isn't all mine...lol)

We got Lumee back from the friend who was taking care of her for us

We trimmed up Stella's hair!

We finished decorating the house for Christmas and I wrapped gifts... doing a mix of paper and fabric!

Stella got her ears pierced! We had them done in San Diego by a friend of ours who is a piercer like 3 years ago, but the jewelry he used didn't work and fell out day two and I had to push them back in and then her ears got infected and she refused to let me clean them so the earrings had to come out and her holes closed up. I've asked her and asked her if she wanted them redone and she's always firmly said "no". Something changed her mind though and day one in Paris she started talking about getting her ears pierced (seriously. Paris day 1...she couldn't have had this epiphany two days before when we could have done them in NC). After a week of nonstop ear piercing talk, I relented and we headed to the pharmacy and got her ears done. I would much rather have waited and had them done in the states with a needle and not the gun, but I literally couldn't take anymore begging and talking about it so I relented.

And we went to the USO Christmas show on base!

Every year the USO brings a group of celebrities to deployed military members to spread some Christmas cheer. They range from comedians to singers to actors to motivational speakers to whoever wants to come along. This year their second stop was Bahrain and once I saw that Milo Ventimiglia (Jack from "This is Us") was going to be there, I knew we had to go!

Our Friends, the DeJoy's were there so we camped out on the ground right in front of the stage and had a great view!

Wilmer Valderama (Fez from that '70's Show) was the host for the night and a DJ named DJ J.Dayz was the DJ

Jessiemae Peluso (a comedian and MTV star) did a short stand up routine (that wasn't the most appropriate given the small children sitting at the foot of the stage...)

Shaun White (Olympian and X-games winner) spoke

Milo Ventimiglia (actor) did a scene from "This is Us" with one of the active duty service members-- and it was so cute! It was funny and so good!

Lindsey and I were obviously excited about Milo!

Matt Fraser (CrossFit champion) gave a motivational speech about his life and accomplishments

Kellie Pickler (country music singer and American Idol contestant AND Dancing With the Stars winner!) closed the show out and sang a few songs.

At the end she had everyone come on stage and the crowd come up close and we all sang Christmas songs together... we were SO close up to the stage...at one point I could have reached out and touched Milo Ventimiglia- I refrained, however, and respected his personal space.

After the show they lined up on stage and we all got to go up and take photos and say hi. 

Everyone was so, so nice! Kellie Pickler is the sweetest! She was so kind to Stella and super excited when she found out we were from NC like her. We told her we had loved her on Dancing with the Stars and she was so excited we had watched and cheered her on! Stella didn't realize at the time who she was but once I said DWTS she got it...lol!

Before we were ushered off the stage for the next group to come up, I beelined for Milo Ventimiglia.

No, not for the reasons you might think, although, full disclosure- he looks exactly the same in person as he does on TV... so all that handsomeness is real and not makeup. I walked up to him and told him that Stella was adopted and as an adoptive family we don't see enough good representation on TV and that what they were doing on "This is Us" was incredible and raw and real and we were so very grateful for that. He asked me my name and then shook my hand and told me his. He was incredibly kind and humble and I am so glad I got to thank him. Because representation is important and seeing families onscreen struggle with some of the same things we struggle or will struggle with when it comes to adoption (and miscarriage and infertility) is so helpful in knowing that we aren't alone. And thats a big human thing, isn't it? Knowing we're not in this alone.