Christmas

I hope you had a joyous holiday. I know that mine was wonderful, one to remember. If God does not allow me another Christmas, I can die with a smile in my heart over Christmas 2010. We went to church on Christmas Eve at "The Living Room" and they had the Ashante Childrens Choir from Rwanda performing. They were awesome. We then all came to my house for pizza. My traditional Christmas eve present is new pj's and I was a little worried that Jessie would be bummed that the gift he opened wasn't a toy, how wrong I was! He loved opening the present, that was the gift. He hugged the box and said "I love my box" and I had to tell him, "look, there is something in the box." "Really?" he tore open the box. "I got a blanket, I love my blanket!" "No sweetie, its not a blanket, its pajamas." "REALLY! I LOVE MY PAJAMAS! Do YOU have pajamas?" Whereupon he took the time to open everyone's pajamas. It was precious. He then tried on his pajamas and wore them the rest of the night.

After everyone was gone and it was just Peyton and I, we engaged on our tradition, reading The Night Before Christmas and Grinch and then watching the old Grinch cartoon narrated by Boris Karloff. As we read to each other, sitting close on the couch, I could barely keep the tears away. During the movie, my big grownup daughter became my little girl again, curling up under my arm, letting me hold her as we sang along with the Whos. I hope I get to do this for many years to come. It is our tradition and it makes our holiday complete. But if somehow my life comes to an end, I hope she always remembers me holding her singing the Who Christmas song. I know its forever etched in my mind and on my heart.

Christmas morning began at my house about 8am and there was no chaos that would normally be associated with having a three year old in the house, he was so excited about everything. Didn't matter what it was, he was thrilled with it! I was a beautiful lesson in gratitude. We should all be so grateful for the smallest of things. After all the presents were done, I made my traditional biscuits and gravy, and then we enjoyed playing games for the afternoon. Peyton had me buy the family "Pictionary Man" and "Mad Gab" and we had a blast. We laughed until tears were running down our faces. What a perfect day.

Then it was off to mom's for a great dinner of ham and all the fixins. Elena and Jessie had to head out to her parents house for part of the day so it was just the immediate family (Gma, Gpa, me, Mike, Peyton and Houston) and we must have sat at the table for at least an hour after dinner talking and laughing and enjoying each others company. Finally, my energy was waning and I headed home. Peyton stayed and helped clean up and move food from the inside fridge to the one in the garage because the compressor went out in their fridge on Christmas eve. God bless her for staying and helping. What a great gift to give my parents, her help.

It was a beautiful day. It was not about what we got, it was about what we did. It was about our laughter and our giving of ourselves. It was about sharing time with each other and being a family. A family who loves and gives to each other no matter the challenges that have befallen us or the transgressions we have beset against each other. We forgive. We forget the bad and hold on to the good. And we hold on to each others hearts, the most precious gift of all. May this New Year bring us many more moments of laughter and tears of joy. It won't be perfect but as long as we are all together, it will be full of pleasure and delight.