Christmas Eve thoughts

Many of you may not know this but I just love Christmas. Even as a child it was one of my favorite holidays. I mean 2 week vacation, which meant holiday camp at our school. The best part my aunt, Tante Dany, my mom’s sister, and her two boy’s Greg and George. Mind you they were quite a few years older than my sister and I, but they treated us like their sisters. I mean never did I not feel included. We had our typical  activities: 

✅bowling, 

✅watching movies late 

✅basketball tournaments (me or my sister) 

✅riding bikes

✅midnight mass

✅Christmas mass, where my sister and I sang

✅the boys eating the last bit of everything in site

✅yelling over the 🛁

It was the best of times!

I don’t ever truly recall being fixated on the ‘stuff’. Although I distinctly recall getting under clothing as part of my Christmas gifts, of which I was so embarrassed! I also wondered why my mom and tante Dang stayed up pretty late the night before (wrapping presents). Boy were they slick, we started going to midnight mass, and they would take their time coming to the car. Go figure they were putting all the presents under the tree, to make it seem like Santa came. Overall my parents were pretty good hiders of gifts, because despite our home being smaller back then they found hiding places.

Now that I’m an adult and have kids it’s so much enjoyment on my part to share old traditions, but create new ones. 

✅personalizes stockings

✅family ornaments

✅1st Christmas ornaments

✅making Christmas decor

✅hanging lights

The most important thing is letting them know that Christmas is not about Santa and presents. I mean we are celebrating Jesus birthday. It’s us parents that do all this foolishness to make our kids happy. So I am hoping that they will appreciate the things they have and be willing to give rather than receive. 

Now this Christmas will be very different for obvious reasons. I am hoping that they will not remember me being away physically, but that I love them so much. That if I had it my way we would all just camp out in the hospital. 

What are you wanting to teach your kids?

Father in heaven I think you for allowing me the wisdom to push to stay. Though I desire to be home with  all my children and husband, I know you know what’s right for Emerson. May we rejoice in small victories. As your birthday approaches may we celebrate I’m glorifying your name, no matter where we are! Amen