Christmas Things

This post is actually quite overdue. I took several of these pictures a week or more ago. Thomas found his way back beneath our tree for another year of driving in circles over and over again, bless his heart! Note that Curious George is taking a nap under the tree!!! Things like that make me love my life! I had no idea he was under there when I took the picture! Just like the rest of my house, there are stray toys here and there! Take for instance, the time I found a toy polar bear in my freezer!! Oh, life is never boring and always smile-inspiring around here!!!





And, here are our new stockings. I finally bought the boys "real" stockings this year. In years past I just used a hodge podge of stockings given to us over the years. Now they have their own stockings with their names on them, and I am getting Erik and I stockings to match theirs!!!

Last Thursday was a blur!! I went from Joshua's school Christmas party (Where I have to laugh because Jesus' dad was there, and he is the man that takes carry-out orders at our local Mexican restraunt. So, as I was leaving, I wished Jesus' dad a Merry Christmas, but quickly added, "I'm sure I'll see you before Christmas! I have to have my cheese dip!!" To which he said without hesitation in his Spanish accent, "And, your quesadillas, yes?" I laughed all the way to the car because he knew my order!! Now that is funny!) to the house to change and bathe and feed dinner and then I ran out the door again to take JCT to his preschool Christmas program. Then, I ran home put the boys to bed, said a few words to Miss Megan, our faithful sitter, and then headed back out to our church's Deacon/Staff Christmas Party! And, I was beginning to feel a little sick, so I was a bit worn out by the time I got home!

Here are a couple pics from the special evening! I hate Erik had to miss seeing JCT sing!

JCT is on the far left in green, middle row! And, Afton is 6 kids over! The pretty lady standing next to him is his teacher Mrs. Nina. We love, love, lover her!

Okay, now this next picture took my breath. Not because it is a fabulous picture or because JCT or I look great or anything. Rather, it is because I look old. I'm not just a little girl pretending to be a wife and mom ~ playing house. No, I am really 34 years old. I am really aging. I have wrinkles!!!! I don't look like a college girl anymore! I look like a thirty something year old woman!! I feel like a kid, but I look like a mom! And, the thought just blows my mind. . . Check out my crows feet. . .








You can't see it very well with the picture this size, but trust me they are there ~ lots of them ~ smile lines, huh? But, my reaction when I saw them was not one of disgust.

I actually smiled.

Growing old is part of life, and I am not immune to it. I am aging, yes, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing! All the years ~ the courtship, engagement, wedding, pregnancies, the children, the lessons, the long nights, the worries, the busyness, all that is my life ~ that is what I see when I look in the mirror and see those silly lines! They say I've been there, I've lived life, I've experienced life to the fullest, and that is a huge, huge blessing!

I have the same feeling when I catch a glimpse of one of the grey hairs in Erik's head or his beard, and I think to myself, "Wow! We are really doing it! We are really growing old together!" I guess the best way to sum it up and move on is to say that when I see those little signs of aging it makes me feel blessed to have lived, loved, been loved, and walked through life hand in hand with my sweet Savior every step of the way. Could anyone ask for anything more?

I digress, now here is a pic of me and my big boys. . .






And, my sweet girl, Afton, (well, technically she isn't mine, but I love her like she is!) wanted to be in a picture with us. . .






After the program, Santa came and talked to each child. I'll end with a sweet picture of JCT and Santa. . .

Merry Christmas!