I’ve been thinking about Christmas 2011 and how it was unlike any other I have ever experienced.  Come to think of it, I feel pretty confident saying it was unlike any my entire family has experienced.  The fact that it is February 2012 and I am just now blogging about Christmas 2011 is a real testimony to the fact it was a different kind of celebration.  The limited number of photos is another piece of evidence.

Honey channels his inner Jobs

Christmas Day was on a Sunday and that added certain logistical opportunities that we had not yet been privileged to maneuver as parents.  I have to say that I LOVED going to worship on Christmas Day and how it really made the celebration focused on our Savior’s birth; the greatest gift ever given.  I think I would vote, if there ever was a worldwide Christian vote, to meet with one’s church family for worship EVERY Christmas.  I guess we could always purpose as a family to go somewhere for a service ourselves.  Hmmm.  It’s worth thinking about.

Our kids slept past 6:00AM for the first time in . . . years . . . and we even had to WAKE UP KB!!!! We all trooped upstairs and climbed up on the bed to read God’s Word.  Honey read from the ESV and then Bubba read from the Early Readers Bible.  (He even asked us the “were you listening” questions at the end.  When KB got an answer wrong, Bubba replied, “That’s almost right, KB.  Anybody want to try and help her?” HA!) After singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing and Joy to the World, we headed downstairs where I put breakfast in the oven and then WALKED OUT THE BACK DOOR AND AROUND THE HOUSE to get into the living room and ready for pictures.  (We cover the door with wrapping paper each year to keep children out of the living room until we are ready for them.)Each child had two or three “Santa” gifts to greet them as they burst into the room and they opened their stockings.  We then ate and got ready for church.

Christmas 2011 was spent in St. Louis without any extended family.  We have family in three different time zones, all are believers who would be worshiping with their church families, and each church had service at a different time of morning.  We had pretty much NO interaction with extended family on Christmas day.  My parents and I Skyped for a few minutes and then my sister tried to patch in, but that made everything freeze up and then I was needed back downstairs, and that was that.  Honey’s parents both had food poisoning, or something, and Jeriald could barely talk to Honey before having to go back and lay down.

marshmallow shooters were a BIG hit!

It was hard to have them miss the squealing and excitement over their generosity.  My mom didn’t get to see Little’s ecstatic response to the LeapPad they gave her and the complete tunnel vision that followed.  Jeriald and Linda didn’t get to see how KB tried to ride her scooter around the house from the minute she saw it – even from present to present before the floor started getting too crowded.  And I was sad that my brother didn’t get to see Bubba open the pop-up Star Wars book that he picked out for Brooke to give Bubs.  Anna would have loved to see KB with her pink guitar and the jam session that followed.

(surgery eyes)

a wannabe American Doll

"A pig just like Fern's"

It’s weird that I haven’t written how much my Honey loves the ottoman he received or about the way God provided a Groupon and well-timed online sale to make the ottoman affordable.   Then there is my waffle maker – JUST like one you would find in a hotel! It makes the greatest Belgian Waffles and was just what I wanted.  It takes just long enough to cook that I can read three pages on my new Kindle for every waffle! Sigh.

We enjoyed each other so much and the slow pace of the day.  The only dip in the proverbial road was when Bubba stepped on an ornament Little had given me for as a gift.  It was one of those glass ornaments that had been “filled” with paint and then swirled around to create a beautiful mix of colors.  Well, Bubba stepped on it, crushed it and covered his foot and the carpet with that mix of colors + red (blood).  Honey took Bubba and cared for him and I took the carpet and cared for it.

And then the day was over.  And then Honey had to leave town and Little had two days of Winter camp.  And Bubba had to have follow up on his eye.  And And And. . . it was unlike any other Christmas I have ever had – good and bad.

Hope yours was just as memorable.  Can you even remember one thing now in February? Leave a comment and tell me something particular to this past Christmas.

This is the email I JUST received:

“All,

Both shows have SOLD OUT!!!
Please praise God with me!
—
MWH
Promise Christian Academy – Administrator”

So, the Tim Hawkins fundraiser this weekend is sold out! Thank you for praying.  Thanks for buying tickets.  Thanks for telling your friends.  Little is so grateful too.

1. One day I would like to have a mantle.

2. We watched “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything” tonight (all but the last 20min.) and it was hilarious. It also afforded multiple opportunities to talk to the kids about times where their choices will define who they become/their character. Bubba asked “what does the music mean he is feeling” and I got to press pause and we chatted a minute. Good times.

3. I am absolutely addicted to White Collar.

4. There are 600 or so tickets left for the Promise/Tim Hawkins concert. We are on our knees praying that they will sell out.

5. I love the way KB puts her hand up to her mouth when she tells me something she thinks is serious or secretive. I don’t ever want to forget that.

6. The only sound in my house right now is the whir and slosh of the dishwasher. I love that sound.

7. This week Bubba announced to me that when he is seventeen he is going to marry Miley Cyrus. I assured him that he is not. Katie Holmes’ mom probably told her the same thing about Tom Cruise when SHE was six. That’s enough thinking about that.

8. My friend left town today and will be gone a month. That’s a long time. I understand why – her husband is traveling with work for seven weeks – I’m still a little selfishly sad. She gets me.

9. I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast today and my hair has carried the smell for 13 hours now. Such a nice day when every time I turned my head it smelled like a Cinnabon in the mall. Yum.

10. My nephew turned 12 yesterday. Deep sigh.

11. I get to see my brother and his family in two weeks. I also get to see my parents AND my sister and her family. We are going to have a pahtay of Cheely proportions.

12. Once I use the word “pahtay” in a blog post, it is time to end the blog post.

13. One more thought – We have been watching bits and pieces of The West Wing for awhile now (an episode every two weeksish) and I have to say, that show is art. Political differences aside, the writing, acting, and timing are absolutely exceptional on that show (we are only in the second season).

14. Thirteen is supposedly an unlucky number.