In the blink of an eye, another Christmas has gone by. As much as I was not looking forward to the holidays this year, God definitely worked on my heart and I changed my attitude just in time.
As horrific as the Connecticut shooting was, I think it was THAT tragedy that caused me to change my ways. For days, it caused me to reflect on my own life and to see just how blessed I am. I was able to look forward to Christmas with my kids. I was able to go out and buy them gifts. I was able to go to their Christmas parties and programs. I was able to count down to when Santa came and go to church with them and just be with them. So many moms in Connecticut got that stolen away from them way too early.
Real Christmas for us started the Saturday before Christmas when Mom and Butch took us all to eat dinner at Ruth's Chris. It was so fun to get dressed up and go to a VERY nice dinner with the family. It was so delicious and there was lots of great conversation and laughter that made it even more fun. Dennis and I even did a late night trip to Toys R Us after dinner and finished up our shopping! I got just a few stares inside the ghetto Rivergate Toys R Us since we were so dressed up!
Sunday, we headed to Opryland Hotel for our 2nd annual overnight stay with the kids. They were so excited! They kept saying how excited they were to go to the "biggest hotel"! We had a great time. We were so blessed to be able to do it. I thought that it was something we were going to have to give up this year because of our finances, but Dennis worked it out by purchasing a Black Friday special! He knew how much fun we had last year and there's just something special about being at that hotel right at Christmastime.
Monday morning, we got up and went to Deb's for Christmas! It was great! Lots of fun presents and laughter!
We went straight from there to church for the Christmas Eve service. We took the kids into the service with us for the first time and they loved it.
We went to mom's straight from church and opened presents and had the most delicious dinner EVER. Oh my...it was seriously the best meal I have ever had!!!! We had so much fun opening gifts and I love hearing the kids squeal when they get something that they are excited about. We looked up at one point and we saw Sadie coming in through the back door downstairs. When my mom asked where she had been, Sadie said "I thought I heard jingle bells outside". So sweet!
We headed home and put out the reindeer food and set out cookies and milk for Santa.
This is always my favorite time...I love the excitement that the kids feel when they are ready to take their baths and get ready for bed. There is nothing sweeter than watching the magic in their eyes and the wonder of how in the world does Santa really do what he does...and do I really have to be asleep in order for him to come?? And, will he come at all? I. Love. It.
So, after we read the Christmas story and tucked the munchkins into bed, I went to the kitchen to make monkey bread and banana bread, and Dennis headed upstairs to start putting stuff together. I didn't go to bed until after 1:00...Dennis didn't come to bed until 3:00 a.m.!!!! He was also doing BBQ, which is what kept him up so late.
The kids woke up around 7:30 and were UNBELIEVABLY excited!!!!
We had them sit in Sadie's room until we were ready and then we let them come in. These faces were priceless!
They had so much fun opening their presents and seeing what all Santa brought. It was a LOT of fun for all of us! This was the first year EVER that Dennis and I didn't buy each other gifts. I thought I would be sad, but I wasn't at all. I found my joy in my kids excitement that morning, instead of material things. I also remembered a million times through the day WHAT the TRUE meaning of that day was and WHY we even celebrate that day. It was a very happy, content day for me.
I continue to be so thankful that Dennis and I made the decision after Sawyer was born to stay home all day on Christmas Day. It is such a peaceful day. I love letting the kids play all day and hang out together and eat, and not have to worry one bit about even leaving the house. It is such a blessing!!!
I look back on this Christmas and am thankful. I was so afraid at the beginning of December that I was going to look back on Christmas and regret it this year because of the way that I was feeling, but I am thankful that God changed my heart and I was able to enjoy all aspects of it.
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