Emily Makes Six: December 2010

The celebration of Christmas 2010 has come and gone and I am always surprised at how much work and preparation goes into planning for just a few hours. I have to admit that for many reasons this year just wasn't the treasured celebration that our family usually enjoys. Sure we did most of our traditional things but due to my crazy busy work schedule and the kids hectic school schedules we were left with very little time to make memorable moments. We were all so very tired and worn out as work and school came to an end for a few weeks and spent the first week of our break passing a stomach virus through our family. Not fun at all....in fact as we sat down to our Christmas Eve dinner of beef tenderloin, cheesy mashed potatoes, spinach and apple salad and lemon veggies none of us had much of an appetite. Not even for Paula Deen's incredible chocolate cake. So we picked a bit, stuck the left overs in the fridge and opened our gifts. The kids were delighted with their gifts from GA and FL and I always love to just watch their sweet faces as the joy bursts when they receive their most wanted gifts. After gifts we loaded up in the van and looked at Christmas lights around our neighborhood and then back home where we all settled down for the night.

Christmas morning arrived very early and I enjoyed some quiet moments reading some Christmas books to the kids while we waited for Mike to wake up so that the kids could open their gifts from "Santa". They were so patient and I treasured my time of reading to them as I had not had time during this season to read one book to them. We opened gifts, ate a breakfast of french toast casserole and then the kids commenced to trying out all their new things.

We ate left overs for lunch so for the first time in MANY years I didn't cook on Christmas day. Then we enjoy our good friends The VanKirks for the evening for some delicious desserts and coffee while the kiddos played and shared their Christmas toys.

As I laid my head on the pillow Christmas night, I thought about how each Christmas of our lives takes on a different flavor. Some years I am filled with creativity, wonder and time to make special memories and others (like this year) I am doing good to accomplish little things, worn out, tired and ready for it all to be over. But despite the season of my life, the celebration is always the same.... we remember the birth of our Savior when God stepped down from heaven and became human all for us. It was a simple act of great love that gave me a gift of eternal life with Him. I rejoice and celebrate the glorious birth of my Redeemer!

Me and the kids on Christmas Eve