Christmas-Revised

Christmas celebrations in Tuscaloosa. Sadly I took very few pictures of it all and forgot my camera one place and could not take a picture at the other side of the family's house. Boo!

playing in the snow the day after Christmas

Our snowman. I had to school Lance from the front door on how to put one this big together. His kept falling apart from lack of packing around the connection points.

We all took a turn playing Just Dance on the Wii. M was really sweet trying to play but just doesn't have the coordination yet (which some would say of me at 31!)

M's face whenever she thinks Paxton is getting more attention than she is. But alas, Its the best pic I have of their matching shirts-a first for me. Lance's mom would be so happy to see this! If she were still alive they would have lots of matchy-matchy things by now-and bows in both their hair. Even if Paxton's was held in by toothpaste.

Kelly and JC gave her a unicorn pillow pet-she was pumped. She can pretty much recite the whole commercial. She told me about its "double stitching" and that "your grandchild will fall in love from the first hug." Literally, those were quotes from her, unprompted.

Aunt Kelly and Uncle JC arrived X-mas morning to go down to T-town with us and spent the night too. I always take pictures of Kelly, but forget ones of JC who is almost always sitting right beside her. Sorry Justin!

Papa C came and spent the night on Christmas eve so he could see the girls open presents

M with her loot. I forgot to take one of Paxton with hers. So I can remember later-she got a ball popper thing, a small kitchen, a musical hammer and some clothes.

Papa C got M a new bike! Gotta love the Huffy. Which Papa C, Lance and I said we all had one as well.

Madeline and Paxton had been up late on Christmas Eve due to church and then dinner with friends after so they slept late the next morning. We don't push Santa too much. For me, its just been very confusing all my life about the true meaning of Christmas, and we wanted to be sure that it was about Jesus first. Consumerism is going to grab our children up (and has already in many ways), so we are trying to at an early age put that first. Santa, in my opinion (which means nothing to anyone besides myself) got in the way of that for me. Madeline believes in Santa, but mostly because others talk to her about it and we don't contradict them. Madeline also cant keep a secret, so I dont want her to ruin it for other friends who do Santa. Gift giving is not a love language for either Lance or me. I dont feel love by giving gifts, nor do I feel very loved by receiving gifts. I know this is completely foreign to some of you. I get overwhelmed with having to buy things for lots of people at the same time. It feels like 2 different celebrations. Hey, its the day Jesus came into the world to save us from ourselves, and what presents to you want for yourself? Anyways, I say all this to give you the reasons behind the following story that happened on Christmas Eve. All week she kept saying things like, "you can take me to the mall on Christmas to see Santa." I didn't quite understand why she kept saying this and kept passing it off hoping to not have to have the santa talk just yet. Well it all came to a head on Xmas eve. At the party someone asked what she asked for from Santa, to which she said that she was going to ask tomorrow and the person said it would be too late then. Great, thanks Man. Tell a 3 year old its too late? She got pretty upset and kept telling me she needed to go to the mall to tell Santa what she wanted. I didnt have the heart to go into it all right then, so I said I told him what she wanted. She promptly wanted to know how I told him, and I said I sent a letter (blah! The one thing I didn't want to do, perpetuate Santa). I so wish Christmas wasn't so much about presents. I was thankful to read a blog about a family who doesn't give presents to each other at all. You can read about them here if you are interested in seeing what they do instead. We did this as well this year. On Christmas Eve we sat down with the computer and watched videos from Samaritans Purse. I think she got it a little that Christmas for most of the world is very different. But again, Santa got in the way. She said Santa would bring toys to those kids as well. She picked out a few things she wanted to give to these children and their families. Friends that read this, I am not the most well spoken individuals, and I write this blog for myself as a way to remember our life with small children and what I am being taught by the Lord at this time in my life. I really appreciate y'all wanting to be connected to our life by reading this blog. So please do not read the above and think I think this is how all people should view Santa. Its a jumbled mess of thoughts, much the way I still feel at Christmas time as I try to allow the Lord to work in my own heart.
On Christmas morning, M came in our room at about 7:30 and her first words were "Merry Christmas Mama." Melt my heart. She waited patiently for us to get breakfast ready to then open presents. After a long day in T-town, both girls needed baths when we got home, both of them were having total meltdowns during it. I think that incident might have curved any desire for JC and Kelly to have children any time soon. I went into check on M about 30 minutes later. She was half asleep and said, "Thank you Mommy for all my presents. I love them all. I love my pillow pet. I love you too Mommy." Sweet ending to the day.

Gail's absence was felt pretty hard by us this year. We did all our same activities, but her presence was sorely missed. Even though she spent last Christmas in the hospital, it was different to not go to her house at all. By God's grace, the house sold in October to a sweet family who Lance had gone to high school with. We all drove by it, but it didnt feel like home any longer. That was sad. We are thankful that our separation is not permanent, but because of Jesus, we'll be together again-forever.

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