Merry Christmas 2011

This Christmas has been nothing but wonderful.  There are many reasons. I hope I will always remember these for future Christmases.

1. Preparation. I thought I was going to be at a week-long training mid-December in Detroit for work, so I hurried around Thanksgiving to get everything decorated and gifts purchased in advance so I wouldn't have a stressful last-minute Christmas.  I ended up getting alternate training arrangements and didn't have to go.  The whole month of December I just got to enjoy Christmas instead of prepare for it.
2. Claire's Christmas Fun List. Mentioned in my previous post.
3. Christmas music.  Church choir songs.  Singing with the Young Women for our Church party. Singing with Blake and the McGhees in a quartet for a special musical number at Church.  Claire sang with the Church Primary for the party and Sundays.  Calling grandparents via Skype to have Claire sing for them.  Christmas Eve carol singing during my Mom's traditional family program.  Singing along to one of the most entertaining pianists/hosts at the Bakers' Christmas open house. Christmas caroling to old neighbors with my siblings. Christmas songs on the radio driving around town.  Christmas music playing through our home daily.
4. FAMILY.  Blake's parents came to visit us the week before Christmas.  It was so fun and natural to have them here.  We're glad we got to see them this holiday season even after they moved away.  And my brother Sam is coming  home from his mission on New Year's day so my other siblings came out to surprise him and came in time to spend Christmas with us.  It is so NICE just to be around each other.  We just get each other like no one else can.  My kids love having auntie & uncles around, too.  Anson met my brother Mark and brother-in-law Gentry for the first time.  While Anson is having fierce separation anxiety with others, he has completely embraced these guys, reinforced the bond with my sister, and even snuggles up to my brother's new girlfriend.  WE LOVE FAMILY!
5. Perspective.  Christmas day we visited a large family who has literally lived in an RV for several years.  We went home more humble.  The morning after Christmas Blake got a call saying that one of our Church members died the night before.  The man was a father of several young children.  While we have so enjoyed this holiday for so many reasons, we gratefully recognize many, many everyday blessings in our lives and are not taking them for granted.

So proud of her Christmas cookies.

We dressed up for the Christmas party as angels using sheets and tablecloths.

Anson loved the Christmas music in the program at the party - especially directing the music from the back.

I brought the kids to my office to meet Santa.  He told Claire exactly which shelf in which room at the North Pole is was keeping her present for her.  Anson cried the whole time.

Holidays always make you sentimental for family.  We are SO LUCKY this year to have my side of the family HERE this year!

Christmas Eve magic while Blake & I watched "It's a Wonderful Life".

I felt Christmas this year.   Decorations, gifts, cookies and parties are just a accompaniment to what's really important.  This year I felt FAITH.  I felt FAMILY.  I felt PEACE.  I'm so thankful for this time of year that we get to focus on those things (if we don't let ourselves get caught up in the commercial distractions).  At least for me and my house, we get to talk about the birth of Jesus Christ, why we celebrate his birth so enthusiastically, why he came to earth, why he is our Savior, why we love Him.  I hope you each got to ask yourself "why?" this year and felt Christmas yourself, too.  It's wonderful.