Christmas Eve

We are in Alabama enjoying time with family.  We have been with my family since Christmas night, and we are headed to see Scott's family tomorrow.  I want to go ahead and post a bit about Christmas Eve and Christmas morning before too much time passes.  Things are a bit harrowing here because John is, once again, sick.  He has a giant of a cold.  His little cheeks and nose and eyes are so runny and chapped, and he has a terrible sounding cough.  I feel like it is one thing after another with that kid, but I am thankful that it is nothing serious, just inconvenient, and I know uncomfortable for him.  Plus, it makes him extra clingy to me and extra fussy, so things are a bit more trying than usual.

Anyway...back to the subject of the post...Christmas.  

This was Ada's first year to really "get" Christmas, so we opted to stay at our house for Christmas Eve and morning.  I confess that I felt a bit sad at times because it was the first Christmas ever that I wasn't at home with my family, but I definitely think it was the best decision, and we will continue to spend Christmas morning at home in the years ahead (I think, obviously we will make that decision from year to year based on the current circumstances).  We also wanted to be at our home Church for the Christmas Eve service.  

After the Christmas Eve service (which was great, but my kids weren't super cooperative.  At one point our entire family was out in the lobby with two crying kids, and I wasn't feeling super Christmasy or reverent), we let Ada and John open one gift--John was super excited about that;)--which was pajamas.  I think Ada was thinking, "really, pajamas, where are the toys?"  Then, we put John to bed, had some yummy appetizers for dinner, and did our second to last Advent reading before putting Ada to bed with anticipation of all that was to come the following morning.  

Then, Scott and I had to stay up late getting the gifts ready and packing bags.  Scott made fun of me because I used the word magical so many times that night.  I just think that Christmas needs to be magical.  Right?  I actually never believed in Santa as a child, a consequence of being only 18 months younger than my older sister and hearing the truth from her at a very young age, but Santa or not, Christmas was magical, and I want that for my children.  Christmas is remembering God coming to earth in the flesh that he might grow up and save us from our sins!!!  It should feel magical and overwhelming and exciting and "goosebumpy," shouldn't it?  Can you imagine it, even a bit?  I get excited about a little Christmas cash under the tree (thanks, mom and dad!!), so can you imagine what it felt like to look at God in the flesh as a baby?  It's unreal and yet, so very real.  So very true.

So, that was Christmas Eve for us.  Church and packing and wrapping and making sure that things were magical enough for the big reveal the next morning.

I'll be back later with Christmas Day pictures, but here are a few images from that night.

Okay, never mind.  I can't figure out how to get the pictures onto this blog post, so just see the ones above for a glimpse of our night.