This past Christmas was the quietest and calmest we have had since Bubba was a baby.  There were no relatives with us, no truck with gifts arriving at the house. . . no extras, just us. It was nice.  I was glad when family called and it made me miss them, but it was nice just being us.

We started the day with the Christmas story on the bed. . .Another first. . . no matching pjs. But there was happy drink with breakfast:

whimsical gift tags. . .
surprises from siblings. . . and “just what I wanted”s.By so many standards it was a non-descript Christmas. The afternoon was spent playing with the new LeapPad Ultra, dressing the new American Girl Doll, and readying to use the new telescope. I was happy to sit and watch my family together and listen to my new favorite Christmas song, “Jesus Is Alive” by Josh Wilson (makes me weep every time I read/sing it). Read it here or and listen here.

Wish that I was there
On that silent night
When your tiny heart
started beating for mine

I wish I could have seen
The star in David’s town
When you turned a stable into a Holy ground
I sing along, the angel’s song

Noel, Noel, Jesus is alive
Emanuel, hope is here tonight
So go, and tell, the world that death has died
‘Cause Jesus is alive, yeah Jesus is alive

The God who made us all
With these two little hands
Is bringing us his kingdom
Quiet as a lamb

Oh such Amazing Grace
A divine conspiracy
This Savior in a manger changes everything
That’s why we sing

Noel, Noel, Jesus is alive
Emanuel, hope is here tonight
So go, and tell, the world that death has died
‘Cause Jesus is alive, yeah Jesus is alive

Sin you have no sting
Hell you have no power (Jesus is alive)
Curse you are no more
This is your final hour (Jesus is alive)

Because the son of God
Has not left us alone (Jesus is alive)
He’ll live and die and rise again
And then he’ll bring us home (Jesus is alive)

The old will pass away
And we will become new (Jesus is alive)
This baby boy is making all sad things untrue

Noel, Noel, Jesus is alive (Jesus is alive)
Emanuel, hope is here tonight (Jesus is alive)
So go, and tell, the world that death has died
‘Cause Jesus is alive, yeah Jesus is alive