A Christmas Video

Christmas 2013

I had high hopes.

Last year was the Christmas of the flu.  I was determined to achieve health.

Check.

This year, a toddler full of life and questions and vocabulary.  A baby's first season, full of all the magic potential.

But for some reason I was off this month.

Yes, we had some extra things on our plates this year.  But nothing insane.

It was the year of the reality check.

See, I am an imagination, romance, magic, nostalgia, dreamy kind of gal.  And when I plan things for my family, it's often through that lens.  So whether it was trying to sit through one Christmas movie,  making it through one uninterrupted verse of a Christmas song, tantrum free and silently gazing at Christmas lights through the car window, reverently reading through the Christmas scriptures, or the entire family joyfully participating in decking our halls...a certain toddler and baby kept messing up my plans.

Apparently they were not interested in my list of how to achieve Christmas cheer.

And quite frankly it was bumming me out.

For example, our tree.

Last year we had a fun little trip to the local tree farm where Lucy picked out a tree and we cut it down and hauled it home.  I just knew it would be even more special this year....

Either Steven was working late, Lulah was sleeping, Lucy didn't feel good, or I hadn't showered in 5 days.

10 days before Christmas, 'Babe, swing by home depot on your way home and get us a tree.'

A tree.  A tree with 10 ornaments hanging because that's what was achieved in the 2 1/2 year old's attention span, and that's the amount of unbreakables we had to hang.

We didn't take a Christmas Eve picture, we didn't leave cookies for Santa, we never even managed to get a family picture together to send out a card.  A Christmas card for Lulah's first Christmas.

But can I tell you something?

This Christmas??

It exceeded every expectation I had.

I woke up to the sweetest, simplest, most thankful Christmas mornings yet.

I woke with a heart full and light with love and thanks for good and thoughtful friends, thanks for the unconditional love of family, thanks for a man who loves me when I'm unlovable, and thanks for daughters...daughters...I have daughters!

And a Savior.  A Savior born to save me.  A Savior born because of a love that is faithful and all consuming...for me. 

I spent my simple, quiet Christmas morning with a man full of generosity and strength, a toddler so enthralled with the sweetness of the morning she had to be encouraged to actually open her gifts, and a baby who just loves to smile.

So thank you to those who sent us a card.  We received them and we loved them and you are dear to us.

From our family to yours,

a late but still Merry, Christmas wish for love, joy, and peace...