We stayed local this year and spent Christmas with the Leitz/Rallos families. We hosted Christmas afternoon and everyone stayed in the Harbor for multiple days. It felt relaxed, fun, and like we got quality time with everyone.
We intentionally keep Christmas Eve pretty low-key and enjoyed a family day with church in the afternoon. Steve and Paula came over for dinner, and the kids were ready to go to bed early for the first time ever. They went to sleep around eight, and Owen woke up around eleven p.m., just as Ty and I were finishing up and getting ready for bed ourselves. Santa had delivered wrapped presents, but it was clear from their shape exactly what they were. He excitedly exclaimed, "Santa came!" To which Ty and I replied, "No, he didn't—go back to bed." I walked upstairs with him and we lay down in his bed. Owen asked, "Did you get Wessy a keyboard and Hazel a trampoline?" to which I admitted, "No, we did not." Owen replied, "Then Santa came!" I couldn't deny that and told him I was in the other room editing photos and didn't hear a single thing. He must have snuck in while I was still awake!
Three hours of tossing and turning proceeded. I was getting super frustrated because I wanted Owen to have a good night's sleep for the big day ahead. At a low point around two or three a.m., I told him he was going to be so tired the next day he'd ruin Christmas. He finally settled down, but neither of us slept much. On Christmas Day he was actually really good. At bedtime Ty told him he was proud of him for listening so well, and Owen replied, "See, I didn't ruin Christmas like you said." Ty mentally noted it was Mom who said that but didn't throw me under the bus.
As parents, sometimes we need just as much grace as our kids, and I'm thankful that Christmas promises it. Good tidings of great joy indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment