"Christmas is Here! Christmas is Here!

It all started, I believe, when our firstborn Laura drove into the driveway for her Christmas break after finishing her first semester at Auburn.  I barely let her get out of the car before I was there hugging her and saying "Christmas is here!  Christmas is here!"  Because that was the truth.  Days of shopping and wrapping, filling the fridge and pantry, decorating and baking just made up the prelude.  The actual event began when the last chicken was finally in the nest.

A few years later, she and her brother Matt drove in from Auburn together.  Same scenario with double the hugs and hoopla.  Then came the year when Julie and Matt were in from Auburn, and Laura was in from graduate school at Georgia Tech.  Triple the hugs.  Triple the exclamations of joy.

The complications have increased as they have married and have needed to share the precious few holiday biggies (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, etc.) with their in-laws (who love them dearly, I say with deep gratitude).  But, the sentiments remain the same.  The actual date on the calendar means little.  Steve and I just plan, anticipate, watch out the windows, and wait until the first chicken, then the second chicken, then the third chicken is finally in OUR nest -- knowing that they've all made their own nests as God and nature intended.  :)

This year Laura, David and their two children will arrive at noon on Christmas Day (from Ft. Smith, via David's parents' in Green Hill, AL.).  Julie, Brian and their five children will come by mid-afternoon (from their farm in Somerville after celebrating with Brian's family).  Matt, Katie and their three children will arrive by mid-afternoon on Thursday (from El Dorado, AR via Katie's parents' in Birmingham).  See what a tangled web we weave??

Favorite decorations are in place.

Presents are wrapped and stockings are filled.

Plenty of good food is ready to be shared.

All of it, though, finally comes alive when the people we love so dearly are with us -- wherever and whenever that might be.

Anticipation has been a huge part of Christmas since hundreds of years before Jesus was born in a manger.  The Old Testament is full of prophecies about the coming Messiah.  The Jews believed those prophecies and  waited and waited.  Finally, "in the fullness of time," He came.

As children, we can hardly sleep at night because of the wonder and excitement.  Now, as adults it's much less about what is in the presents and exceedingly more about who is at our table, bustling with us in our kitchen, laughing and playing with cousins, sitting in our laps, and letting us hug them over and over.  Is it possible to hear "I love you, Mom/Grandmomma" too many times?  Absolutely not.  Nor is it possible to say those words excessively.

I tell my children every year:
"Laura, be a good Baggett."
"Matt, be a good Bellows."
"Julie, be a good Rodgers."

Then, it will be my turn to finally start saying, "Christmas is here!  Christmas is here!"

Have a great holiday week, everyone.