This year's highlights include:
- Seeing our nephew who is now a year old (isn't he precious!):
- Opening presents in the car on Friday between Houston and Waco. I gave Jonathan a green argyle sweater vest, a couple of short-sleeve shirts and a cookbook, The Spice Bible. He gave me some delightful perfume (he chose it since he has the more sensitive nose and will smell it way more that I will) and some bubble bath!
- Having 4 Christmas meals and 4 present opening sessions.
- Spending a delightful New Year's Eve with good friends playing sticks (favorite card game) until 12:00 exactly then running upstairs to the roof of the parking garage to stand on tip-toe to barely see fireworks.
- Spending New Year's Day together at home and having friends over that night for yummy roast and good conversation.
- Going to the wedding of a friend from nursing school and seeing friends that I haven't seen in a long time.
In all of that, in all the business and presents and driving and listening to Josh Groban's Christmas album for the 14th time, we are trying our best to remember why we are doing all this travel. We are trying our best to remember that the focus of our Christmas is not presents , not even on seeing all the family that we miss and wish we could spend more time with. We do all the crazy Christmas stuff because of Jesus. He's why we celebrate that holiday. He's why there is a holiday to celebrate. It's so easy to get distracted by all the food, all the perfect table settings, the beautiful Christmas decorations, even seeing family. We so want our kids to know why we "do" Christmas. Don't get me wrong, we plan on having a full live tree and giving gifts. We just want to make sure that before all of that, we live our life in such a way that we can't forget why we celebrate Christmas.
Today I got to have breakfast and spend the morning with a friend from nursing school who now lives out of state. She was in town for the above mentioned wedding. She's always been a question asker that asks the difficult, probing questions. I love it! Today she asked me what the hardest part about being married is. I did have to think a little bit, but finally realized that all answers boil down to two sinners living in a room together and walking through our junk and sin together. It's so difficult to be that open and honest with someone, but so worth it to have even a glimpse of the deep kind of love that God meant marriage to have. And again, without Jesus it's all meaningless.
So tomorrow I have to go back to Chavez and see all my kiddos and do the school nurse thing. I'm going to squeeze the last bits of break out of today and not think about tomorrow!
