I can hardly wait until Christmas! After today, there are only 1 1/2 class days until Christmas break. My students have been pretty good, for the most part, but they are starting to get excited. Their excitement is contagious! Last year, I didn't put up a tree in the classroom, didn't hang Christmas lights, and honestly, wasn't really in the mood for any of it. This year, my head room parent decorated a Christmas bulletin board, hung Christmas lights and put up a small tree. The kids have begun bringing in gifts for each other (and for me!) to put under (around) the tree. It's looking quite festive!
At home, I've been in the Christmas spirit for awhile now. Our tree and inside decorations have been up for a couple of weeks. The presents are bought and wrapped, the cards have been sent. I think I just want Keira's first Christmas to be special. I can't wait to continue our annual traditions...Grandma and Pop's house with Uncle Tim, Uncle Rob, Aunt Lisa, and Sara on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning at home with Mommy and Daddy, then Christmas afternoon at NaNa and PaPa's house, with Aunt Holly, Uncle Jeff, and Tyler (and hopefully some years with Uncle Dwayne and Aunt Becky...).
I know the holidays can become stressful if we let them, but it's usually a good sort of hectic feeling. Things change as families grow, with new spouses and babies, and that's normal. What I've come to realize is that it's so important just to stop and remember the reason that we celebrate Christmas in the first place. We (as humans) want things to go our way and get disappointed when our plans don't fall smoothly into place. Imagine for a minute how dramatically different our lives (and our world) would be if God had been selfish and decided that he wanted to keep His Son all to himself...Hard to imagine a world without the love of God and the sacrifice He made for us. I'm not saying that we should be perfect. I have a tendency to be selfish and want things to go my way...but it's my goal this Christmas to take time to remember the amazing sacrifice God made for us, and to let go of the things that take away from the joy of the season.
Merry Christmas and May God Bless You!
