Yep, It's 2008 already!

Some miscellaneous thoughts and observations from the holidays....

1. Christmas eve is stocking night at our house. The kids have fun debating who should be first, and in what order the stockings should be opened. Most interesting comment, repeated several times throughout the unwrapping of tiny gifts- "Whooooah!" Uttered with awe and wonder. Followed by, "What is it?" Just too funny.....and yet I thought.....they trust the giver enough to know that whatever it is, it's good.

God has perfect and wonderful gifts for us. I hope I say "Whooooah!" with awe and wonder even before I know what they are.

2. We didn't get so busy with the parties and shopping and baking and cooking, that the reason for Christmas was lost. Three of the four grandkids can tell you in a heartbeat what it's all about. And they are quick to notice who has the REAL Christmas stuff in their yards.

3. The munchkins took just as much pleasure in seeing what the other kids got as they did about their own stuff. Hmmmm.....obvious application there.

4. Taking down the tree and the decorations is such a bummer. There's a part of me that hates the clutter, but I really hate that it's over. We have such fun planning what to buy for each person, and it's great watching them open everything. And I know I couldn't live with that level of 'excitement' year round. I'd be burned out in two months. But still, taking down the decorations is a bummer.


5. One more Christmas and I still have all my family. Dad had a pacemaker/defibrillator inserted a couple of weeks before Christmas. All went well. Parents, brothers, sisters, their kids....husband, son, his wife, their kids. Some day there will be a Christmas with an empty place. But not this one. I thank the Lord for that. And pray that I will thank Him just as much when that changes.









Just for fun- here are Christmas pics of each of the munchkins.



























6. So now it's back to the pedestrian things that make up my life. This morning the kitchen got a good cleaning and I was clipping coupons from Sunday's paper thinking, "Now this is one exciting life I've got here. Yep, wouldn't change a thing."