And I fall asleep...counting my blessings

I was working around the house minding my own business when Hailey says to me, "Mommy, I'm playing Thomas for bubbie!" Hailey learned today how to work the XBox controller. She started yelling, "Kai Kai, I put on Thomas for you!" Of course, Kai starts booking it for the tv room! He climbs up on the couch next to his sister and Hailey gives him a kiss on the cheek. She looks up to see me staring at them smiling. She smiles back and they start to watch the show together. I go back to the dishwasher with a warm heart and find myself getting misty-eyed. I cry very easily but I'm not a "happy" crier; not usually...unless my child has just been born or I am praying on my way to the church to marry my "other lung". Those are about the only times I have been truly overwhelmed with enough raw emotion that I could not hold back the tears. Other times when I "happy cry" I have to coax it a little bit...because I'm dramatic that way. But I digress...

This Christmas season has truly been magical all thanks to my four year old little princess. We installed a new tradition this year that is our very own! The reason this is such a big deal to me is because my mom is the queen of traditions...so much so that she doesn't want to phase out the adults in the traditions. At the rate things are going I will be visiting my mom in the nursing home so me and my brother and our families can decorate the Christmas tree and make Christmas cookies. Needless to say, starting my own traditions has been something I have been looking forward to since I found out I was pregnant with Hailey. How did we come about this new tradition? Well, I'm glad you asked!

Hailey was growing increasingly jealous of all the Christmas parties Craig and I were going to. We were sitting at the dinner table and Hailey asked me when her Christmas party was. I looked at Craig because I didn't know how to say that she didn't have any Christmas parties when Hailey interjected with , "Hey! I have an idea!" This usually is followed by some childlike idea that is no where near feasible. But this time I was happily surprised when my daughter suggested that we have OUR OWN Christmas party!!! I immediately grasped what a great idea my four year old had come up with and ran with it. I asked her what she'd like to do at our party and thus the agenda was written:

Pot Roast for dinner (my idea)
Decorate Christmas Cookies
Open our presents to each other
Watch a Christmas movie

I can honestly say I was looking forward to our "party" just as much as Hailey and was so excited when Craig got home from work! After the eating, decorating and annihilation of presents were over and we were all sitting on the couch watching "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (Hailey for the first time), I looked over at my husband, the boy I met when I was 13 and had a crush on ever since. He must have noticed my stare and looked back at me. I said, "Daddy, life is good..." And I truly meant it.

That's what this Christmas is all about for me. Starting and sharing family traditions, counting my blessings instead of sheep, and most of all making sure my kids understand to be thankful for Jesus instead of asking for more presents. I am one lucky lady and I must say...Life IS Good!