Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Christmas 2015


One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. ~Andy Rooney

 

It was an exciting Christmas holiday 2015!  The holidays are always emotional – and as a mother of 2 teenagers emotions run high.  Especially this year - the word bittersweet takes on a whole new meaning.  Having a 17 and 15 year old becomes a reminder that my babies are growing up!  They meticulously open each gift, looking for the garbage bag beside them to discard the paper.  They take a break between each gift to admire it in lieu of putting it down to immediately open the next one.  They stop and pose for each picture to ensure I captured the moment the first time.  The say thank you after each gift because they realize I actually was listening when they were talking about their desires. 
 
I’m not sure how babies become these little adult human beings – kind and appreciative of the hard work put into providing – wanting to savor the morning and the memories being written in their memory banks that will last a lifetime.  There was a time I was clicking photos AND picking up their paper at the same time (my goal was the less mess the better – never enjoying the moment).  Not this year, I just took it all in. 
 
Several things proved different this year also – learning to hide gifts at work – and not forgetting to bring them home; to getting a wish list – which was difficult this year; to sleeping until almost 10:00am – sleep “is so much fun” they say (and teenagers are always tired, unless it is midnight).   It was a blessed Christmas!!  Granted it rained all week AND it was almost 80 degrees – actually, it rained the week before Christmas also – so it was a warm and wet Christmas.  It has been a long time since we have had a warm Christmas in Alabama…usually we only have those in Florida. 

 

Here is a snapshot of Christmas Day
 



 
In the year of 2016 we look forward to not rushing the days by.  We  will cherish time around the table, conversations about our day and birthday's.  We will remember that today is a gift worth opening slowly and one to cherish even when it was crazy.

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