31 December 2007

Merry Christmas to all...

and a happy New Year!

This morning I realized that my children are growing up quickly.  They were not up at the crack of dawn and did not come sprinting into the living room to see what was under the tree.  Despite that little difference, they were very enthusiastic about the morning.  They relished every gift as if these were the only ones they had received for Christmas from anyone at all. I'm so glad that they have learned to show gratitude for the blessings that come their way, no matter the form.

Last night, at very much the last minute, I made cookies for Santa Claus.  They were oatmeal with cranberry, chocolate chips, mixed nuts and coconut.  I prefer loaded drop cookies like these to refrigerator cookies simply for the time factor.  I'm guessing that Santa does, too.  We put a large one out on our Santa plate and a mug of soy milk (in case Santa is lactose intolerant). ;O)  Once the children had been asleep for about an hour, John and I set out our gifts and then let Santa do his work. ;O) We slept until 8 o'clock this morning, and by then I couldn't wait any longer.

All the weeks of preparation seem to take so long, but in less than an hour, there's a mass of shredded wrapping paper on the floor.  Of course, today with our departure for Orlando and Disney World, we weren't disappointed with the speedy Christmas gift reveal.  Being able to join my sister and mother et al for some holiday fun will be yet another Christmas blessing.  The continental separation from loved ones is frustrating, so I genuinely look forward to opportunities like these, a mini family reunion without the typical emotional stresses based on house guests, meal preparations and frowning faces after opening a "disappointing" gift.  We're skipping the attitude and going straight for joy and the creation of a few good memories.

...After six hours already on the highway, I'm eager to arrive at the resort.  We have only 30 minutes or so left for our drive.  I've brought some presents for my niece and some token gifts for my sister and mother.  If there's a restaurant open, we may go to dinner, but even if we don't, I'll be content simply to visit for a little while.  Tomorrow will be a big day, and the hardest decision will be determining which of the many Disney parks to go to first.  Traveling on Christmas day is a bit rough because so few gas stations are open, but we did find a Starbucks!  Thank goodness for a little caffeine.

(written 25 December 2007)

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