Every year Christmas seems to go quicker than the year before. As a child you wait, and wait, and wait. The building anticipation advent calendars, baked treats, family visits, and services bring are enough to make the 25 days between December 1st and Christmas day seem to take forever. Everything builds to that one day and it's enough to make December 26th the most hated day ever.
As an adult I have realized the 25 days before Christmas just aren't enough. The advent season is a time of reflection, not rejection. I have found myself rejecting the the hard cold fact that the same amount of time that plagued me as a child is quickly consumed in my adult life.
This Christmas my 1 year old decided to give me a gift that wouldn't be found on any Christmas list, anywhere! I woke up Christmas Eve with a fever (I never get a fever), runny nose, ear and throat pain, and over all aches and pains. Why hello flu-like-virus!
Oh. My. Ugh!
As much as I didn't want it. Don't like it. Could care less if it went away and never came back. I was thanking the Father for allowing it. I was able to take a whiplash-giving halt to my hustle bustle and really soak in the memories. If you know me, I am not a fan of sitting for a while...ever.
Well, we're on day 3. I haven't put on clothes since Sunday, just changed from one pair of pj's to another. I have moved as far as one couch to another. I have eaten only when it was absolutely necessary. I have watched way too much tv and movies. I am not complaining, really. Just giving a quick peek into what my Christmas looked like. As much as I am DONE sitting around, I am thankful that I was able to enjoy it and not be rushed, stressed, etc.
Here's a quick run down of my Christmas events this year! It's going to be a massive photo bomb! I warned you!
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| Fun trivial fact that really only I will ever care about! ::the baby that played baby Jesus is the 5th child of a family I use to sit for way back when they only had 3:: |
Every year the first weekend in December holds a favorite Christmas memory of ours. A local church puts on a free event that allows you to physically walk through the life of Christ. From the busy streets of Bethlehem the night He was born all the way through chatting with Nicodemus after Jesus' ascencion on how He changed his life. We have been attending This event for 8 years and I really can't imagine starting the advent season differently. Not the church, but the Father working through them, really helps kick start this season with the right focus!
They hold the event for 5 nights, Wednesday - Sunday. My family went along with my sister, her hubby, her in laws, and a couple from their church! They were a blast to tour Bethlehem with! 2 nights later I planned a trip through Bethlehem with my church. My sister, Madalee and a friend have become friends with some of the girls from the church and wanted to tag along! Because the whole thing is acted out, even those with low to no English ability were able to follow along! What a blessing!
Every year our family has the tradition of doing the tacky light tour around town. We have a list of our favorite houses, a dozen hot now's, a blanket, or two, and an attitude ready for a good time. On the TOP of our list is a house fairly close to ours. This house (now 2 houses) is decked from driveway to rooftop. Not an inch of grass is left exposed! It is INSANE! We were able to poke around for a little bit the week my sister and her family came in! Here's the Beet and I as Santa and a snowman!
The same weekend as Bethlehem, a town about 30 minutes from where we live does a small town Christmas parade! We have gone for 3 years and LOVE it! Businesses, churches, sports teams, and marching bands from all over the county come together with homemade floats and parade through town. You choose a corner or side street that suits you, set up some lawn chairs and blankets, and settles in for an hour of Merrry Christmases, candy throwing, and good time!
Every year, decorating our house is a family affair. We wait until we can all be together! It's a must! One Saturday early in December we pulled down the attic and got to work Christmasifying our house!
These are a lot of videos. I know. But it's because my proud sister pride just welled up and overflowed into 4 videos! My sister has been a part of an all girls choir for years and this year the Bean was able to join her. They have such amazing talent and every Christmas and Easter their concert is one of my favorite things to go to! O little Town of Bethlehem is done, if you'll notice, with a small group. This is the alumni choir. It was special invitation to all girls 18 years and older that had already been a part of the larger group. They practiced and performed 2 numbers alone and one with the younger girls. Don't they sound amazing?! Here's the kicker, the alumni only practiced three times. Here's the double kicker, this was the FIRST time they had all sung together because of schedules. Say what!? So enjoy, you are welcome!
This event wasn't really a Christmas event. My sister and her hubby had my dad come over to help build a fireplace, yes they are that amazing. So we tagged along to hand out with my sister while the bro-in-law and Dad stayed busy stacking stone! Fun memories. They live way out in the country where stoplights, neon lights, car horns, and 4 lane roads can't touch them! The skies somehow seem bigger, and the air fresher. Thier landlords and neighbors own horses and were kind enough to let Bean and Madalee ride for a bit! Both of them LOVEed it!
My 5 year old, after finishing her cupcake, looked at me and said, "Jesus can have a birthday everyday!"
And finally, Christmas morning. I didn't get any pictures. NONE! These are credited from my mom and uncle respectively. It was a low key morning as a family, followed by time with my mom's family and then my dad and sister headed to my aunts house for the celebration with his side. Being sick kept me from too much interaction! I enjoy the time with my family, intimate and extended. I am so thankful for them and who they are and the roles they individually play.
Whew, I warned you! There is my December in a nut shell! A large'ish nut shell, but a nut shell never the less!
Ok, onto blog plan. The plan right now, there is no plan! ha!
The idea is as follows:
-to get the preschool Christmas unit study up in small bite size peices.
-to post about my homemade Christmas because I am here to tell you...I made close to EVERYthing I gave this year! Yeah baby!
-to get into a rythem for this next year as far as posting goes.
and last but not least....
Finalize plans and finish collaborating with my sister to open and reveal our big surprise! Be on the look out!
Merry Christmas to each of you! Praying you all have a good week as you continue to find the joy this season brings! Remember the reason we celebrate and thank the Father for His incredible and indescribable gift!
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