A Different December
Our Christmas holiday has been a bit nomadic and untraditional. I spent the first half of December in China with my best friend helping to support her in adopting their precious baby from China. Such a special thing to be apart of and beautiful reminder of God adopting us as sons and daughters and His unconditional love for us!! So blessed to get some heart-momma/soul-sister time as well with this gem!
Fortunately, I got the tree up before I left, but we had to forgo a lot of our advent traditions and I feel Ive been playing “catch up” ever since arriving home to kids getting off school and 4 clients I was on-call for over the holidays. Thanking God that no one went into labor ON Christmas…..and for a fake tree which I intend to leave up until mid-January because it isn’t shedding needles and I haven’t gotten my fill of it yet! We savored a few uneventful days as a family between Christmas and New Years before welcoming a stream of houseguests which we’ll have with us for the next 2 weeks.
For someone who comes from a long line of “Tradition” (picture Fiddler on the Roof devotion to the concept here!) Ive had to go back to my post from last year as a reminder to myself. We didnt get the candy cane cookies baked this year and we used a kit gingerbread house instead of creating a customized Whoville gingerbread village. We’ve taken shortcuts and streamlined a lot this year….and Im learning to be “ok” with that.
After the Christmas-Eve tradition of all the children building a tent in one room and camping together, the kids were allowed to come into wake mom & dad up and watch The Grinch in our room early on Christmas morning (because we are lame and this was the only way to stall them and get a cup of coffee and wake up slowly before the Christmas morning craziness) 🙂
C’s sister was visiting from Shanghai and his parents joined us for the day. So grateful to have family around this year when we’re so far from home! Stockings, brunch and a morning in pj’s reading the Christmas story and opening gifts…..and the obligatory Christmas morning picture with puffy morning eyes and no one wanting to smile!!
Tristan begged for a puppy for Christmas!!
We got him a gerbil which we said he could name “puppy” 🙂
Sorry buddy, but this definitely isn’t the year to add a canine to our tribe!! But, this cool kid is pretty easily pacified with anything living and loves his new charges! (his second choice to a dog would’ve been a python…..which will probably happen sometime……
….when he’s grown and out of the house!!)
Tristan and Evie are the proud new owners of “Snowball” and “Oreo” which we sincerely hope are the same gender and that we are not going to be breeding dozens of baby rats!! In the event that we do have a surplus of gerbils, I have a plan. Anyone remember the birthday when we passed out goldfish to guests? Kids loved me….moms, not so much!!
So…..who wants to come to Evie’s January birthday? Ive got a great favor idea!
May the awe and wonder of the season be not lost on the fleeting joys of this world. Because of Him, we celebrate and anticipate!! With love this Christmas from our family to yours!
~ The Smith’s
