Visions of Sugarplums, and Bikes and Luggage and...

Christmas Day has come and gone.  And it was a very good day.  A day we will all remember for quite a long time.  It started out kinda slow.  Especially for Aaron.  He tried to stay up and catch Santa, but the ol' man was just too tricky for him.  Even so, Aaron didn't go to sleep until 3:30 a.m.  Needless to say, he wasn't much for waking up to unwrap his presents when everyone else did.

Those visions of sugarplums
just won't let go.

It was a day full of games and laughter, and of course, lots of sugar and chocolate.  Christmas day is the one day where good-for-you food is definitely available and easy to get, but there are very few restrictions on what and when things are consumed.  Here are some shots from our wonderful day together.

Santa Really Came Through This Year.

The bikes here have been out of commission for quite some time.  Michael, Andrew, Joseph & Matthew are anxiously waiting for the snow to go away so they can try them out!   (Let me tell you, Santa and a couple of elves really had a time trying to wrap these things!)

Jonathan has been wanting a new
suit.  He looks GOOOOOD!
We'll have to get some pics before
he goes out this weekend.

 Think a couple of kids are planning to leave the nest soon?

Our resident artist is going to be set!

Someone worked extra hard to make some 

beaver fur throw pillows.  

The fur is really silky and I've never felt 

softer leather than the undersides.  

One of our kids commented that Mom & Dad
are being dragged into the 21st Century whether we like it or not.
I'm thinking we like it just fine!

Once he finally woke up, Aaron really got into the spirit of things.  Like a lot of toddlers, he had a blast with the paper.  But the looks on his face were so funny!  

"Wait, I worked hard to get that off.  What do you mean, you're taking it away from me.  Oh, hold on, I'll just grab another piece!"

I am so grateful that we had this day together.  Last night, I was remembering Thanksgiving morning, 2010.  I didn't realize how precarious Aaron was at the time (he was LifeFlighted from our home less than 24 hours later), but I did know that something wasn't good.  I remember standing over him and crying, and telling William that I just wanted to have one Christmas with him.  We've now had three, and I feel so inadequate to express my gratitude for these blessings.

So many struggle with family issues, with loss of one sort or another (because loss comes in many, many forms).  Our family isn't perfect, far from it.  But it's ours, and it's a good one.  As I watched my children yesterday, I remembered so many children who are spending Christmas in heaven, whose families decorated their graves with lights and trees and toys, instead of watching them play with them here.  They weigh heavy on my heart and I pray that they felt heaven watching over them, especially yesterday.

We had planned to leave today to spend the next week with my family in Arizona.  Because of various crazy schedules, we haven't all been down at the same time there for several years now.  But over the weekend, several in the home have come down with the coughs and sniffles.  Probably not a good idea to confine Aaron in a car with that for 14+ hours.

And then he decided to get in on the game, too.  So we're spending a quiet week at home.  And we'll be praying we get to STAY at home.  But I have to say, even when he's sick, Aaron is still happy and playful.  So for now, most of the time he's just fine, and when he has a rough patch, we work through it the best we can.  But Santa really came through for him, too.  Because if you remember, what Aaron wanted for Christmas was to be at home.  And he was.

Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance - each beautiful, unique and too soon gone.  

~Deborah Whipp