(Our Family on Christmas Morning)
Christmas for us is a bit of a nonstop marathon of houses and family events. This year's schedule: Christmas Eve lunch at Buzz and Billie's house, Christmas Eve dinner with all the Kronwald extended family at Mom & Dad's, Christmas morning stockings at home, breakfast with my siblings at Mom & Dad's, quick Christmas lunch at Gram's with the Nothum side, a trip to Camp Verde for the Boyd family celebration and a final trip back to Gram's the day after because we didn't have enough time to exchange gifts with her on Christmas Day. Whew!
We used to say, "we are NEVER doing this much in two days again". I don't really feel that way anymore. I love how much my boys enjoy being with all of the different groups of family. We have an amazing family and there is not one stop that I would want to miss or want the boys to miss. Of course it is never without some casualties . . . this year's mishaps were the banged up Acura/the mailbox that took the blow and a banged up Grayson - he fell and was left with a very bloody mouth and nose. He woke up pretty upset about 2 am and I did not know what to do for him - crying and keeping everyone else up was not an option. I considered driving him around in the car, but the 15 degree temperatures were a deterrent. I pulled him into bed iwth me and pulled a huge blanket up over him and he was asleep on my should in about 3 seconds. He pretty much slept on my until about 5:45 am. As a one time event - I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy my snuggle!
This was the first year that I can remember my boys 'anticipating' Christmas morning so much and were SO excited when they came in our room in the morning. When I tucked Davis into bed on Christmas night (on a couch in Camp Verde) he said, "Mom, this is like the MOST fabulous day of my whole life!". I chuckled at my dramatic kid, but seriously, to him, at that moment, he could not think of a better day - that is a success in my book! Our family hopes that you too enjoyed a very Merry Christmas!! (Below you can choose to endure a flood of pictures from all these events that I really want for photobook purposes:)
Random Christmas funnies:
Parker: (when opening one of our nativity advent calendar doors - he pulled out a donkey) "Oh, look, Eeyore was in the Christmas story!"
Parker: (reading a Christmas story book - page of the 3 Wise men and they were giving Jesus gifts that were a metallic paper in the book) "Oooh, yeah, the wise men brought some Kryptonite". (laughed hard about that one)
Davis: (handing Mark a WRAPPED gift) "Here Dad, can I help you open your new shaving kit?" - way to keep it a surprise buddy!
Davis: (in Camp Verde after Erin let him play with some of her old Star Wars toys) "Mom, I didn't really have anything to play with in Camp Verde until . . . Dum , Dum, Da Dum, Dum Da Dum, Dum Da Dum." (singing the Darth Vader song - maybe you had to be there - SO FUNNY)
Driving home on Christmas Eve, we were talking about the fruits of the Spirit and how when the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, you can see Him coming out of your actions and attitudes. (This whole conversation stemmed from some things my Dad said to everyone Christmas Eve before we read the Christmas story - very cool to me.) In the car, Davis said, "When will I be ready?" (Me: For what?) "To have God the Holy Spirit living inside of me?" I prayed with him right then that God would give him a genuine desire for a relationship with Him and that in His timing would give Davis a heart that is committed to Him. To be clear, Davis didn't make any commitments out loud or anything but I was so encouraged to see God possibly growing in him that desire. I know that a true desire for Him can only come from Him - there is nothing more I would ever want for my kids. This was such a sweet conversation to have on Christmas Eve and a sweet reminder of the greatest gift worth celebrating - my God who loves me and was born to live and die for me. We continue to pray that God would grow desires for Himself in all three boys.
My parents got Cardinals game tickets for all of us for Christmas this year. We went today and had so much fun. I love football and enjoy any kind of a stadium football game (and while it wasn't Mile High Stadium :) the company was even better). We laughed so hard throughout the whole day. Random funnies: My sister's "overly enthusiastic fan" routine, Matt and Melissa ducking away and making me think I lost them in the crowd when I stopped to check the score of a different game - haha guys, Marky's sunglasses, Matt trying to convince me to army style crawl under a pylon, and so many more. I would have some memories of Mark and Troy but they were . . . . oh yeah, up in the private lounge - toughing it out!! Very fun! I love my brothers and sister. Thank you mom and dad for a really great day! (and thank you Buzz and Billie for keeping the kids)
