Today started nicely late, about 8, with me getting up to peek if any little creature was stirring. My twin mouses were still asleep. When Mouse 2 heard me, she came into see Lil Bit first. I loved being able to share her first morning giggles and coos. Lil Bit and Mouse 2 had such a fantastic time this week. I really wish we lived closer.
After a few snuggles and going into to wake, we have the mandatory camera set-up and first sips of coffee before children can be permitted to enter the living room overflowing with gifts. It is easy to see how Christmas loses meaning in such an avalanche of gifts. The squeals of joy and excitement were an ebullience overload.
But my sister is doing what she can to make sure the kids understand why we celebrate Christmas. We were melting peppermint hugs into pretzel rounds and my niece piped up, "The red reminds me of the blood Jesus shed for me and the white is like how we are clean and healthy." I was really taken aback that she came up with that at 4, but apparently she learned it from the story of the candy cane at her church pre-school. Still pretty impressive for her to mention without being asked or prompted.
We went to the neatest church service last night. It was a children's Christmas Eve service. They showed a neat video, sang easy carols, and had a puppet show. It was completely geared toward small children. What a neat idea. They told the Christmas story, had a child friendly message with interactive and candid banter. The pastor held up items that might be necessary for a new baby today. One was what looked like a receiving blanket. He called on a little boy to tell him what the item was. He said, "kind of a bra?" Hilarious.
I just thought it was really wonderful to create a service for young children which allows parents to take their kids to church without feeling guilty if the kids are not perfectly silent. What a great way to share the true meaning of Christmas with the people who most matter, children. They are the ones who need to hear it, feel it, experience God's grace and love so that we make sure they spread His love and gift to the world.
My Lil Bit didn't really understand much of the day, but she did get into tearing paper and eating it. Not sure which was the bigger hit, torn wrapping paper or boxes, but she did enjoy herself. She really enjoyed her new toys. Nana did a great job of picking things that she actually played with after all the craziness died down. Being at my sister's house is the next best thing to being at home for me because my mom and sister follow our family traditions, but it still isn't quite the same as being in my own home. I do tend to be here for Christmas many years. Since the twins were born, I have been here for three of their five Christmases. Chad was here for one when they were 23 months. I was here alone the next year when they were two, and now at four. So I've actually celebrated Christmas here more often than in my own home.
They are fun to watch. They are rambunctious and enthusiastic and very sweet children. My BiL's family treat me like family so it was nice to see them and get to share my new little miracle. She was the hit of the day. Everyone commented about how good she is, although they aren't here to see her so wound up now. It was a nice day despite missing daddy. I don't want to get myself into a bad place right now so I will save that entry for tomorrow. We did get to talk to him briefly today, the best present of all.
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