Christmas Feeling

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I did. I have to admit for the last couple yrs that we've lived in Massachusetts our Christmas' have been a lot different from when we lived in California, which is probably obvious since we don't have any family around. We went from split Christmas' spent: half the day w/ Anthony's family & the other half of the day spent w/ my family, or spending Christmas Eve w/ his family & Christmas w/ my family, to the unknown of what we are doing for Christmas. All of our Christmas' have been very nice just different. First yr. spent @ our friend's house & last yr had Christmas @ our house w/ Anthony's brother, wife & kids, plus my mom & our friends the Calisch's.

All that to say that this Christmas just seemed so much different. I was actually looking forward to staying home, just having my mom come over, watching the kids open their gifts, playing w/ them all day & having my wonderful husband cook us a delicious dinner. But the day ended up feeling like just any other day, except the girls got lots of gifts to open. I don't know if it was the non craziness of Christmas that we usually experience, the non dressing up, lack of tradition, the lack of sleep or what but it just didn't feel like Christmas. I'm usually one that is all hyped up on the holidays & I was this yr, which really bums me out that I wasn't feeling it yesterday.

I will say though, I had a huge reality check. Christmas isn't about all the things I have already listed or the things I want it to be, but it's really just about celebrating the birth of Christ. I'm very grateful that I had my mom here (who now lives in Ma), healthy children that were blessed w/ more gifts than we could give & an amazing husband who we got to love on all day. So w/ this Christmas I take w/ me & I hope to remember next yr to really fix my heart & eyes upon what is the real reason for Christmas.

I kept thinking yesterday, how crazy it would be to be Mary (mother of Jesus). Not only how she became pregnant or why or w/ whom, but even w/ all that she had to travel (not in car, train or plane) nearly due & give birth to her baby (son of God) outside (for there was no place for her to stay) & wrap him in clothes. Every time I would start to think about the amazing birth of Christ I realized I am blessed & it's because of Jesus, & that's what I'm thankful for & need to remember. I will not say I won't try to make tradition or lots of fun for my girls (& baby to come) but I will make sure that they know it's not those things that are important, it's about Christ & Him ALONE.

So w/ that I do want you to know I did enjoy my day w/ my family, please don't take me wrong. I guess I'm more use to the earthy things of Christmas & not the spiritual reason for Christmas.

I pray you all had a great Christmas & will have a happy New Year......God Bless