Christmas Eve

I take great delight in dressing our children carefully in whatever shades of red their closets hold and taking their picture on the Sunday morning that is closest to Christmas.  I love sitting with my little family, that God and love created, and singing the carols and relishing in that feeling.

This morning, some of our children and Mike were recovering from varying degrees of a virus.  We actually thought everyone was better and then had some setbacks yesterday, so kept them home this morning yet as a precaution.  I felt a little discouraged this morning, to be honest.  Leaving most of my family behind at home.  Coming back to whines.  Christmas is hard for moms.  That pressure to create the magic feelings of coziness and joy.  My memories of Christmas from childhood are nothing but happiness and I admit that I don't know how to recreate that here without crushing myself from the pressure of it all.  Was my mom tougher than me?  Did it all come more naturally to her?  When my children are grown and they look back on their Christmases from days gone by, I hope they only see the magic.  I pray they can still feel the love.  May the old, chilly house, and flurry and chaos of the moments fade away and only the love and joy shine through.  The Jesse tree.  The gingerbread houses.  The cookies.  The time together.  The Reason we celebrate.

My friends, don't let the moment steal the magic.  I'm saying it as much to you as myself. 

We tried to redeem the day with snow play after church.  No matching red and black outfits.  Just hand-me-down snow pants and boots.

One made it exactly the time it took to take this photo before coming back in, even though she wanted desperately to go out.  Of the others, two came in crying.  Moments.  Just moments passing in time.  May we treasure the ones that are sweet, learn from the ones that bring lessons, and let go of the ones that we don't need to store up. 

God bless you and hold you, dear friends.  He has been so very good to us.