Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! This year was a huge turning point for my family. I'm used to hectic Christmas mornings, wondering if I'm going to have to go to church in my pajamas, hurrying home to try and get ready for Christmas dinner. We used to try and keep track of all their toys so they wouldn't lose parts before they got to play with them. I became ambidexterous untwisting all the ties holding Barbie to her packaging while helping with a Lego set.

This year we slept a bit later (my 11 year old still had us up before 7). We opened presents, but since we get ipods and video cameras now it doesn't take long. My children don't need me to connect/set-up their new equipment -- in fact I believe I'm a hindrance. Everything was easily tidied up and organized by 8. By 9:30 we were all ready for church looking at each. Fortunately we had to get there early since my son was serving. We had some heavy flurries which iced some of the streets. Our church wasn't prepared for it so my older son salted the walkways for the ushers. It gave him something to do while we sat for 30 minutes waiting for mass to begin.

I even had time to take a nap and read before the extended family came over for dinner. It just seems like it changed overnight.