Christmas

We arrived. We have had Christmas. It was wonderful and exhausting and wonderful.

Highlights:

--Christmas Eve service (at 6:30pm)...Lily calling out during the candlelit Silent Night, "Put it out. I want to go home."

-- Waking up Grandma and Grandpa at 6:30am Christmas morning. Andrew was nicely and quietly wishing them a Merry Christmas. Lily went to her Grandma's side of the bed and said, "He ate the cookies. He drank the milk. He left us presents. Now GET UP!"

-- Lily opening her first present from Santa. Instant tears and break-down. "He didn't get me the princess castle. I don't want this!" Until I hugged her and gently suggested that we give it to a child that didn't get very many presents this year. Suddenly it was, "It's okay that I didn't get the castle. This will be fun."

-- Waking Michael up so he could have the joy of seeing all the presents under the tree. Andrew and Lily were dragging him here there and everywhere, shoving presents in his face and forcing his reaction. He was WAY overwhelmed. Whining and lying on top of boxes in tired defeat. But he rallied after breakfast.

--Andrew getting a live tree. Seriously. Santa is an amazing fellow. Andrew couldn't have been happier. Weirdo.

--Children fighting over the same toys. Children using the most annoying noisy toys ever made. Me kicking myself because I was the one who bought the stupid annoying toys. My MIL and FIL high-fiving each other that they were not to blame.

-- Food. Lots and lots of food. I think Lily at 2 things THE ENTIRE DAY that weren't candy. That's it. Only 2 things in the 13 hours she was awake.

And we're off tomorrow to celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary and party-down with the other side of the family.

Merry Christmas!