christmas morn 09

We had a great Christmas this year. Santa came on Christmas Eve morning since Daddy worked Christmas Day. Did you know how flexible Santa is? You can make him come whatever day you want! It's fantastic. No, to be honest we tried to make Christmas fun but not so much about tons of presents and tons of Santa. We've decided in our family that we'll do three gifts for the kiddies [just like Jesus got on the night he was born, via the three wise men] and then we said we'd do one gift from Santa and this year Santa filled his stocking with a harmonica. Oh ya!

Here is our Christmas Tree. I was so busy with my 3 part-part-time jobs the last few weeks before Christmas that when you put them all together it really felt like a part-time job so my Christmas decorating never really got finished how I liked...nevertheless it was still pretty.

My garland. Excuse the messy house. It was Christmas [eve] morning...houses are supposed to be messy.
The mantle. I decided this year I was going to make my own artwork with words/scriptures from the nativity scene but I never finished. If you look in front of that giant present on the mantle you can see one of the three I was in the process of making. I only finished one and just yesterday packed all the unfinished artwork up for next years inspiration...that's if my children [yes, plural] allow me time for it :)In order to get Colt to come sit next to us and watch US open HIS presents [yes, he wanted nothing to do with unwrapping] we had to break out the ole' handy dandy sweeper [or 'vacuum' for you southerners].Colt got a baseball mitt and ball from Daddy. Gotta start them young you know? I'm pretty sure we've got a Pedoria or an Ellsbury in the making...just gotta teach him the ball isn't an apple first.Hug it out on 3, Dad!
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I love you, man!Then Colt hugged Copper.Then Dad put together the Monster Tent.Then I sat on the couch and watched. Excuse this grossness.Ya! He loves his dog.We all fit! This monster tent has been my favorite gift Colt has ever gotten, because you know how you play in a tent???? You just lay there under a bunch of blankets...most relaxing game I've ever played.On Christmas Day Colt and I went to my parents early in the morning. In the car before we pulled out of the drive way I reached back for Colt's hand to pray with him before we started out our day. I thanked God for the life we live because of the birth and death of Jesus Christ. It was a beautiful prayer but all the while he was hitting my arm with his new stuffed Giraffe 'General Georgie' because he didn't want to hold my hand, so the beauty in the moment was slightly tainted yet still there. I often remind myself that Jesus was once a crazy 1-year-old too so I'm sure he smiles on those moments.

I woke up Christmas morning by myself but spent it with my Lord. I think for the first time this year the true magnitude of the birth of Christ really hit me. I was over taken with gratitude for the cost of my salvation and that it came through a little baby. A baby was born to die for me.

That's a lot of love.