I knew there was something I forgot to post . . .

December 12, 2014

            “Pretty!”  Joelle carefully touched the Christmas bow on one of the shiny packages.  “Pretty!” She touched each package with her right pointer, clasping her juice glass to her body with her left hand.  “Pretty!”

            As Dana read the Christmas story from an illustrated board book, Joelle wriggled out of her arms to touch the presents again.  “Pretty!”  Shawn lay on the floor with Benjamin tussling his hair.  Joseph sat on the couch surveying the scene.  I sat on the floor, half-listening to the familiar and precious story as I watched the wriggly activity of my two grandchildren.

            Once Benjamin received the sock monkey Dana got him, he was perfectly happy.  He wandered about the room and down the hall twirling his newest treasure.  He only became upset when his parents tried to involve him in unwrapping his presents. 

            Unexpectedly, Joelle did not try to unwrap hers but was content to watch Mommy do it.  When the box of plastic food toys was opened, she descended on it, grabbing items to carry around.  And when the kitchen set appeared, she ran right over to it and began taking the hanging utensils down and opening doors.  At the very end of the evening, once Shawn assembled the shopping cart, she busily loaded it with her plastic groceries, baby, and Benjamin’s furry Elmo ball.

            Benjamin did enjoy the spinning gears, but he ignored the Elmo flashlight and only briefly tolerated the fuzzy Elmo ball.  Joelle was enchanted with it all, and really liked the flashlight show on the wall in the darkened room.

            Joseph made appreciative sounds over the new khakis, shirt, and video as well as the earphones.  He laughed and closely examined the jumbo package of hot sauces.  Shawn was delighted with his super hero T-shirts, pruning clippers, and eagle pens.  Dana was totally surprised by the Lord of the Rings DVD set, appreciative of the muffin tin and cookie sheet, and liked the decorative notepads.  Shawn and Dana expressed delight over the card offering each one a free massage at Wellness for Life.  I was happy to see a long-wanted copy of Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling, a Bath and Body Works lotion, and a magnet Christmas picture of Benjamin and Joelle.

            Thus went our early Christmas—after a delicious pot roast and decadent chocolate lava cake.  I thought about how blessed I am to be with my family—and I also wondered why I do not remember well the general mayhem of small children and establishing family traditions.  I rather enjoy not being a manager of the mayhem!

            Joelle’s initial comment—“Pretty!”—sums up our early celebration of Christmas rather well.  It was pretty awesome.