Saturday, December 27, 2008

Christmas Joy

The last few days have been a mixture of relaxation and whirlwind. I can't believe the huge month-long build-up to Christmas that is over in a day. It feels like there should be a winding down of sorts to hold on to it a little longer. Of course, we are very much looking forward to New Year's Eve with our Crusade friends, but then it will be back to the daily activities around the house. You know, laundry.

We did have some good Christmas highlights over the last few days. My attitude did improve by Christmas Eve night, after my little paella kitchen fit. We had a beautiful Christmas Eve service with music, the Lord's Supper, and candlelight. Paul and Abigail had diligently practiced 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, only to have Abigail turn into a little sensitive ball of emotion when she got up on stage. After realizing our little ray of sunshine was going to run off the stage and cry in my lap instead, Paul called up the kids from the church and they sat and listened to him tell the poem. Maybe next year....

Christmas morning, Abigail did indeed get her PINK sparkly belt from Santa. She decided about three days ago that she had changed her mind once again and wanted the pink one instead of the black one. Luckily, Santa had not yet made the order change over to the black one, so after testing her (ie bombarding her) with a million questions of "Are you SURE you want the PINK one?" and she affirmed, we gladly watched her open that sparkly goodness on Christmas morning. Since then, she has been non-stop walking the house in her sparkly ruby red play high heels, her sparkly pink belt, and pushing her new baby stroller that she also received. We like to call her "Hot Mama."

Christmas night, we went to see "Bedtime Stories" at the movies. It was okay, but not quite what I had expected it to be. Of course, true to form, Abigail cried when it was over because she gets pretty attached to movie excitement. Also, several people in the theater applauded the movie when it was over. Paul and I were looking at each other with raised eyebrows....not applause-worthy to us. However, if you choose to accept the movie review of a 3-year-old, and a theater full of kids and grandparents, then I guess you should go see it.

Yesterday we enjoyed Christmas with my family at my parents' house. My favorite gift I received was from my mom. Unbeknownst to me, she has been printing off all of my blogs since I started them in July. She printed them according to the mood of the blog, ie, princess story about Abigail is in pink ink, sad stories of miscarriage in black or blue. She put them all in a 3-ring binder for me and put pictures of our family on the front. I loved it. I love that she has been doing that all this time without me knowing. I love that I have my own "Blog Book" now. Now I really will have proof to pass on to my kids 30 years from now when blogs are probably obsolete. It was such a thoughtful gift.

Now Paul is watching a local basketball tournament, and will be until Tuesday. Abigail and I are still in our pjs (my new leopard print ones...rawr). She has been playing with all of her new baby doll accessories and watching Enchanted. I am deciding whether to shower before 5:00 tonight. What a weekend. I hope you all had, and maybe still are having, wonderful Christmases.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you liked it...that was how Cheryl started reading your blog. I showed it to her at work and she got "to know" you. True to form, the cover pictures were created about 45 minutes before you arrived...inspiration finally took place. Since we are that crazy hour apart now, your blogs have been a good way for me to know how things are in your days. Love you, Amy June!