So This Is Christmas

It is 5:02 am Christmas morning. I'm sitting in front of the fire and the twinkling tree with my mastador puppy asleep beside me, and all is calm, all is bright. I like this quiet time before everyone else gets up; it is usually a time when I gather my thoughts for the day and make my to-do list. But not today.

Today there will be no lists. There will be no trips to the grocery store or Target. I'm not going to vacuum or clean a bathroom or even do laundry.

Today I am going to wrap myself in the warmth of my family. I'm going to honor the birth of the savior by watching my tone of voice, by spending quality time with my kids doing things they like...even if I don't. I'm going to take pictures and act silly and eat food I really shouldn't. I'm going to sing and make faces and create new words...like we do here :)   [Sarah created "home skog" during her bday sleepover...it is a cross between "home skillet" and "home dog"...neither one of which is usually in her vocabulary. That's not weird at all]

For today I am not going to worry about my weight. I'm not going to worry that I am a substandard parent. I'm not going to worry that I'm the bitchiest wife on the planet. I'm not going to obsess over whether friends are replacing me with other people that they love more because I am not there. I'm not going to mourn not being where I REALLY want to be.

Today I am going to enjoy all the blessings God has given me, starting with sending His own son to save me. He has blessed me with an enduring love for my spouse that has been tested and has survived. He has blessed me with funny, smart, beautiful children.....and additionally has sent me three of the best friends that anyone could ever have; each of whom represents some different hole in my heart that needs filling.

We are all very blessed; I'm sure each of you could tell me a story about the myriad ways blessings are manifested in your lives. Celebrate that today.