If you read my blog very often you can see that I get bogged down with the tediousness of some things, and so focused on it that I lose sight of the more important.
Christmas seems to do that to me.
One reason is because I am so exhausted by the time it gets here. All four of the kids' birthdays are from August to December (Eli's being just 3 days before Christmas), school starts, we have Halloween, Thanskgiving, Fall Break and holiday parties. And I'm not one to just celebrate those things nonchalantly. As my sister says, "Go big or go home!" So I am wiped out when it's time to get up the decorations, do the shopping, etc.
Yesterday I got to spend the whole day Christmas shopping by myself, thanks to my sweet neighbor Shannan. It was heavenly, to put it in a word!
The whole day I was focused on my kids. And I just wanted to give more and more and more! I couldn't hardly contain myself! I want them to have so much because I love them so much! And we're not ones that get a lot during the rest of the year, so I tend to overdo at Christmas (within a budget, of course!)
When I got home it was time to get organized so I locked the bedroom door and laid everything out on the bed. (You don't want anybody's pile to be obviously much bigger than anyone else's, etc.)
As I went through each kids' pile of goodies, I had so much joy! Not because of what they were receiving (although, it's going to be a fun Christmas!), but because of who each one of them is to me.
Kyndal ~ strong and independent and in that transition period of being a young girl and a young lady. She struggles with all of that working inside her. But she still gets so excited about her experiences and opportunities in her future. And she's a hard worker, very responsible, both in work and play. If she can just hang on through these tough years, her future is so bright!
Dawson ~ he is so black and white about things and I love it. There's right and there's wrong, and if he's committing wrong he's not afraid to admit it. He has such a love for others, will always be the first to stand up for and with someone who is rejected by others and his relationship with his much younger brother and sister is amazing!
Eli ~ our little miracle these days. He's Mr. Affectionate and just loves to play! And the progress he has made in school this year is astounding. His quirkiness will take him to high places someday. I can't wait to see where that is!
Brynne ~ is going to be such a good teacher someday, or boss, or mommy or all of the above. She takes charge and is so incredibly smart! She works and works and works all day long learning as much as she can and teaching us even more.
This life work I have taken on is made so worth it by these four kids! They challenge me, make me laugh, help me to see things about myself (some good, some bad), help provide me with fulfillment in my life and make me collapse on the couch in the evening after they all go to bed.
Kyndal, Dawson, Eli and Brynne ~ What a (great group of) Kid(s)!
I am blessed!
