Things I Want to Remember About Christmas 2012

I get so stressed out when I have a bunch of photos to upload, feeling the pressure to blog and post, etc. So, for now, a few things I want to remember about this Christmas, in words alone:

-Singing carols at the Christmas Eve service, Eli standing on a chair between Eric and me, each of us with an arm around him, and hearing his little voice sing out so clearly, "O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!" with his face softly lit in the darkened auditorium. Eric and I locked eyes over the top of Eli's head, and the feeling we shared was huge and the same- "Lord, let his heart truly adore you, all of his days." I'll never forget it.

-Eli making one of his famous "crafts" and wrapping it up for me, only to run and get it out of his hiding place in the closet minutes later, exclaiming, "I just can't wait to give it to you!" :)

-Giving Eric a present he would never buy for himself but has wanted forever.

-Standing at the glass door of our back porch watching SNOW fall on the cozy Christmas afternoon.

-Eli's flashlight shining in my eyes at 2:30am on Christmas morning, his little voice whispering, "I saw a present! I think Santa came!" :)

-Eric's incredibly thoughtful gifts to me, speaking right to my heart that I am known and treasured by him. I couldn't be more grateful.

-Reading my absolute favorite passage in the entire Bible (Luke 2) in the quiet, early-morning stillness of Christmas morning, rejoicing alone in the silence of my little house at the thought of the "heavenly host" filling the sky with light and song and praise over our Savior's birth. Our God, who slipped into the world so quietly and humbly as a little baby, will never be silent again.

And now we look forward to a new year and a "clean slate," which I love. Merry Christmas and happy New Year!