The Mothership

Will they know... how my heart yearns for them after they have been away for only a night? that while they were sick I held them and still kissed them even though they smelled rancid? who tucked them in and kissed them goodnight while they slept? how much my heart hurts when they are hurting? how often I pray for them to have a heart for the Lord? how often I pray for patience to show them unconditional love? how much I want them to be caring and have a thankful heart? the planning that went into each of the crafts and lessons I toiled over? the arguments that I dropped because I knew it wasn't worth fighting over? the times we made cookies because it left them joyful and me full? how I held them while they were angry or sad? how many nights/days I spent holding them so their precious body didn't have to touch the floor, by choice? how protective I am of them? that I tried to create independence in them? how much control I had to let go of so that they could bec...

The fall and into the holidays I feel like we go not stop speed with trying to get everything festive in before the end of the year.  Plus I love to do all the festive things.  I was planning to do a creative post of 25 days of Christmas...but, that never happened.  So I'm just going to give some highlights with maybe a few comments (funny ones if you're lucky) in between. Luke was super into Christmas this year.  He is so enthusiastic about most things, but the morning he woke up to a house full of Christmas decorations he was especially sweet.  "Mommy mommy mommy!!!  I just LOVE my Christmas. I just love it!  It's a special treat for me!,"he says jumping up and down with his eyes tightly shut and mouth moving faster than his little brain synapses could connect. I have always loved Christmas, probably because my mom tried to do as many festive things as she could.  I'm glad he's just as excited about it as I am.  I mean someone else ...

Before you read this, do you have all your Christmas decor put away? If so, then BRAVO!  If not then kudos to you to being a procrastinator! EVERY year I feel the same way about putting Christmas decorations away...I hate it!  I hate taking down, the lights outside, because it's flippin' freezing!  I hate bringing all the boxes out, only to put them right back away.  I hate what putting them away actually means...Christmas, my favorite time of year, is OVER! I LOVE everything about Christmas: the family time the cookies the traditions the ornaments the cheeriness of some the generosity bestowed to others the family time the cookies (oops...did I mention those twice?) Every year I am faced with this conundrum: to put up or not?  That is the question.  And I always answer...is there any other answer? "YES is being my answer" (if you are a fan of romantic comedies, I actually just quoted one...twenty points for you if you know to which movie I ...

So, it's finally Christmas Eve and it actually feels like it.  For a while there it was so warm in Cincy that it didn't quite put a person in the Christmas spirit.  I've done everything I can to make it festive around here.  We've made all our favorite cookies, visited the Cinergy Train Display (twice), went to the Festival of Lights, decorated the house, saw Santa (and boy was it memorable), drove thru Holiday in Lights at Sharon Woods, and even watched Curious George's Christmas show about 31 times!  I've wrapped all the presents and made ready for breakfast in the morning.  I get so excited with the anticipation for this evening and tomorrow morning.  There is just something very magical about it all. Now that I've finsihed all I "needed" to do, I think back to my childhood.  Honestly, the things I remember getting most excited about are people opening up the gifts that I gave them or just being with my family...if you know me at all you know ...