"Santa Comed - He Really Comed!"

Many many years ago, when Mike and I were still fairly new parents, quite overwhelmed at the holidays with our ONE child, James(Ricky), age 3 or 4, exclaimed those title words in such excitement over the fact the big man in red had indeed visited our house overnight.  Since then, every Christmas morning those words come back to me.

This year was no different.  "Santa comed!"  We have no little ones that believe in the magic of Santa, but we still have excitement.  The excitement is much better contained than in the younger years, but nonetheless it's there.  And this year the excitement was on a different time schedule since Mike had to work.  As much as I would have preferred him to be home, I am so grateful that after 2 + LOONGGG years, he has a full time job.  He does love what he does and he makes a difference in the lives of the veterans who deserve so much more than we could possibly give.  I am so proud of him.
The kids opened one gift on Christmas Eve, a family Wii game.  Christmas morning, when everyone got up around 9ish (boy is THAT different from years past when we were DONE by 7 - lol), the kids explored their stockings - customary socks and underwear along with nail polish and foam balls and candy and oranges and nuts, then one group gift - Skylanders for Wii.  To keep them occupied of course a method to my madness.  We them watched a jillion hours of mindless entertaining tween Disney shows until Mike finally got home from work.  You know, there was a reason we didn't have cable before.  Sponge Bob is on some channel 24 hours a day I'm convinced.  Why I don't know.

We went to the Christmas Eve service at church Saturday afternoon.  Our church is really good and interesting and quite cutting edge as far as churches go.  Part of me misses the more traditional, but this style is a good fit for our family.  I don't know too many people there yet.  I am more introverted and it's hard for me to make friends in new situations.  I really could use a friend - praying to make some friends this new new year.  Mike is just the opposite.  You know, I had a thought during the service.  A lot of people don't go to church using the excuse that churches are full of hypocrites.  Which may or may not be true. But isn't it just as hypocritical or maybe even more so, for non-believers to celebrate and embrace Christmas so wholeheartedly - celebrating the birth of Christ.   Food for thought.

We loaded up the kids that evening, pajamas and all, made hot chocolate, and drove to see Christmas lights.

We only got lost a few times, made several wrong turns, found out that yes they charge to drive through the light display. Honestly it didn't occur to me since the ones we went to back in Houston and also in College Station, never charged.  It was a gift from the city.  Silly me - how times have changed.

And yes, sadly, I am one of THOSE moms who match or coordinate their kid's Christmas pajamas.  They don't complain too much.  Either that or they have just resigned their fate and roll with the punches, humoring their dear old mother, while also knowing who butters their bread.

They were more than ready to open gifts by 5 o'clock - which they did in record time.  Mike and I watched and reflected on year's past when chaos reigned and all we could do was crowd control trying to minimize the damage and the lost pieces that inevitably were in the trash with the wrapping paper.  In fact, I think this was the first year we DIDN'T have to go through the trash searching for an important and integral tiny pieces of something.  I know you know what I'm talking about.  Nothing took a hundred hours to disengage from the packaging either.  It makes you wonder just how people shoplift toys. And there were no tears, no arguments, no disappointments.  It was truly a first.  Most Christmases I am so overwhelmed by the time the excitement dies down that I have to take to my bed - lol.

Today my house is still total chaos.  Honestly it couldn't be much messier, but it is a happy place so we'll just go with the flow for a day or two.  I miss having my two adult sons here with us, but it wasn't in the budget to fly them here.  I am sure the calmness had to do with less people in the mix and the fact the kids are getting older.  Their toys are more expensive so that leads to less gifts.  Electronics are smaller so that leads to less mess. It's a work in progress. Life is really a work in progress.

Lucy received the gift of her dreams - a new monkey.  She loves her monkey. If you get a new monkey, how can anything be wrong in the world.

 I hope you all had the holiday you wanted, savoring the gift of His love, and rejoicing in being with those you love.  Merry day after Christmas.