This is late but yesterday was a big day! It was the first day of Winter and my son was ecstatic.  He read this on a calendar weeks ago and has been counting down to Dec. 21 with as much anticipation as he has been awaiting Christmas.  When I said yesterday, “Guess what, Bubs! It’s Dec. 21!!” our son squealed and actually jumped up and down.  RIDICULOUS and ADORABLE.

So the daily photo:

That’s right, folks.  We celebrated the beginning of winter by going to visit “Santa” at the mall.  We had gone on Saturday and, after standing in line 30 min. and moving forward only four steps, we left with promises to return at a better time.  There were tears.  But seriously, I was okay with that because there was another 1.5 hour + wait and we weren’t doing that.  Plus we were in the fancy schmancy mall and there were too many close calls in the short time we were there.  Close calls? I honestly thought my kids were going to trip and break the window into Kate Spade.  There was an orchestra playing (in the path of shoppers, I must tell you) and they were almost minus two Tuba players because of my balancing challenged offspring.

So we tried again last night and succeeded.  What was our “trick”? Honey went to the mall at 4:45PM and stood in line FOR us.  We didn’t even leave the house until 5:15 (and you see I didn’t attempt the matching shirts this time) and 5 minutes down the road received a call from Honey saying that Santa was taking a dinner break until 6:00PM. 

SO we made a detour to the “Other McDonald’s” (my children have names for at least five McDs in town) and had dinner too.  When Honey texted “Can you be here in 10 minutes?” we hoofed it out to the car, sped to Frontenac, threatened to tell Santa all bets were off if the kids didn’t keep their hands ON THEIR TUMMIES as they WALKED through Saks Fifth Avenue, and joined honey at the front of the line.  Moments later the kids were climbing onto St. Nick’s lap (the best Santa EVER, I must add.  Made me want to believe again.) and getting ready for photos. 

Momentarily I thought Santa was going to only do the picture and so I said, “Okay kids, smile at me for the picture and then you can tell Santa what you are hoping for this Christmas.”  Hint. Hint.   The pictures were taken, Santa instructed the kids to tell him only the one thing they wanted most, and the kids started talking.  I started translating. 

Bubba wants a Hot Wheels Crash Track.  (Every time he says this I think of the kid in A Christmas Story)
Little wants a Barbie machine.  (Santa looked at me quizzically and I gave him the “you don’t have to know – I do” look.)
KB wants a Dora.  (How vague is that? AND this is the first time she has mentioned THAT!!)

Anyway, within moments we were walking back through Saks and out to the car. 
Honey was declared a “rockstar” by our youngest.
I had to agree wholeheartedly.
To sum up: it was merry Christmas fun for us and we all had a good night!

How long has it been since I wrote something that was worth something? WAY TOO LONG.  Over the years that I have had this blog I have noticed something: I blog less when heavier things are going on.  When Bubba was diagnosed with Autism I only wrote just enough.  When Little had seizures I only wrote the facts.  When life is heavy it seems my fingers just can’t move about the keyboard with ease.

Life is heavy over here.  Not so heavy that I am depressed, loathing the thought of Christmas, etc.  Heavy in the “God is doing so much in me and I am SO THANKFUL for Christmas” way.  Even simple joys carry weight and I just don’t know how to process that.

I wrote a bit about Little’s part in the Christmas musical.  She sang some and she danced some – the basics.  Here’s a couple things I didn’t tell you:

• Little had a “shadow” during the semester; a freshman in high school who helped her learn the songs, stay in the right place, and learn the movements.  This girl has special needs of her own and as her mother and I sat at the dress rehearsal and watched our two girls walk out together dressed as angels, we both cried.  When I could speak I said, “I am so thankful for Jenni.  She does not have any idea what a big ministry she has had here.”  And then Sandi said, “Looking at that from the other side. . . I am so thankful too.  What a joy to see.”  It was so great.  Such a blessing.  So heavy.
• The dance movements were adorable.  They did this neat little lick their finger and point to the sky thing and they alternated hands.  They also did this cute ditty where they used their right hand to pat their left foot out front and then their left hand to pat their right foot behind.  Little did super.  She was two or more steps behind everyone but she did it.  It’s such a big deal because folks missing their corpus callosum have trouble crossing the mid line.  MANY of the folks with ACC can’t do activities that would require them to cross the mid line.  Little did that little dance like a champ.  Honey and I grinned like loonies.  What a joy to see.  How grateful our hearts are.  Still, it’s heavy.