Merry Christmas to all...

I hope that everyone is well, happy, safe, warm, and content on this Christmas night. The snow is falling again here and all the neighborhood Christmas lights are glowing in the softly falling flakes. Jack is upstairs in bed after having a very exhausting day of playing, running around, and eating candy. Katie is behind me playing her brand new Donkey Kong game and Mike is kneeling on the couch and using his brand spanking new set of tools to hang some pictures on the wall that we've had around the house forever.

Yesterday, Christmas Eve, was very busy for all of us. We woke up pretty early because Jack woke up and then we waited for Katie. After she woke up, we all get ready and went to Target for a bit of last minute shopping. I needed to get the aforementioned tool kit for Mike and we needed some new shoes and boots for the kids. We also bought a snow tube and a toboggan/sled to use in the snow today. (We didn't get to use them because the snow turned to slushy rain for most of the day today.) Afterwards, we came home and I started making some cookies right away. Then we decided to go and look at some Christmas lights. When that was done, we came home and made some more cookies, did some last minute wrapping, and tracked Santa using NORAD's Santa tracker. Just like in years past, Santa left footprints in the snow when he came onto the deck to come into the house. I think that's one of Katie's favorite parts.

This morning was fun but it wasn't the paper shredding frenzy that I thought it might be.




We originally put all of Stacy's presents under our tree and Jack wouldn't leave them alone so we had to hide them with the rest. This morning, however, after opening a few presents, he lost all interest in opening presents and was content to play with whatever was already opened. On Monday, Katie asked Santa for some binoculars and he remembered. He also remembered to bring Jack a truck. Eventually, we just allowed Katie to open his presents and, of course, he played with her stuff and she played with his.

Later we had our ham dinner but I've learned not to make all the stuff my Mom used to make. I forget that Mom fed a lot more people than I do and so I've pared back our holiday meals to just basics. We had ham, scalloped and mashed potatoes, broccoli and cheese sauce, and stuffing on Mike's request. No one had room for dessert but there's a chocolate cheesecake in the fridge. Jack was too interested in the candy to eat dinner but he did eventually eat...at 9p!

Now we're just sitting here quietly enjoying each other's company and watching as Christmas winds down. We are listening to the normal sounds of the house and glancing at the falling snow now and again. After a full day of opening gifts, playing, cleaning up after all the merry making, and wishing that we could go play in the snow, we know that it isn't what we've gotten or not gotten that's most important. It isn't who got the biggest present and who got everything on their list. But instead, we think about those we love and those we've lost this year. We think about those close to us and we keep them in our hearts. While we can't be with all of our friends, family, and loved ones tonight, we are thinking of all of them and you. We're wishing a very Merry Christmas to every one of you and we're thinking of you and missing you.

And we remember that Christmas is not about gifts. It is about loving and caring. The giving is of ourselves. There are people to whom I will never be able to give anything again and I'm remembering to try to love those who are still here and to make sure that they know that. I'm asking that you turn to someone that you love and hug them right now. Go ahead. I'll wait. Mom, hug Mark. Aunt Ellie, hug Ray. Billie Jo, hug your babies. Gayle, go hug those boys of yours. It's the best Christmas present that you can give and that they can get.

Merry Christmas to every one. Hugs also to you all.