Because I Needed Something To Do...

Amidst the hussle and bussle of the holiday season, we received a wonderful delivery!

So, today our home is filled with Christmas presents in various stages of wrapping, the generously provided decorations that have made our home festive all month, and two large boxes full of things from Caracas.  Such bounty!

No one could wait to dive into the boxes last night, and so toys are now strewn all about the apartment and clothes are piled on all of the beds.  Its an extra Christmas - only one week early!

This season of our lives is so strange, and we have all adjusted to having only a few things.  I have begun to love living simply.  We don't need many decorations or entertaining dishes.  The girls really only need a few toys.  And we have a library right across the street - we need zero books.  We replaced the few things we need, and have enjoyed living simply.

This next week will be filled with bounty!

I must admit, even though I have enjoyed the quiet and simplicity of living only with what we need, it was so warm to open boxes yesterday with well loved toys and old Christmas tree ornaments.  And watching the girls' excitement when they greeted old teddy friends and opened favorite books was, of course, priceless.

And so, today I unpack boxes and clean up the toys covering every surface... as well as wrap Christmas presents, ice the sugar cookies for the teachers and pack for the journey I'll take tomorrow to a dear friends' wedding.  Dave is left with the rest of the weekend preparations for the pageant and the holiday feasts.  I know he is up to the job.  And his kids have no excuse for boredom in this full house!

The Christmas that Bible Study Made

I've been quiet for the past few weeks, because life simply fell into the normal.  The girls settled quickly into school, fall sports finished and winter sports began and life regained a standard routine again - and with remarkable speed!

But the Christmas season has reminded us that we're not living in our home.  After a lovely Thanksgiving with friends, it felt rather sad to look upon the Christmas season and see such a stark landscape.  We essentially live in a hotel, and everything in the apartment is brand new.  We value each of these things for what they are, but Christmas is more about tradition and warmth and we were looking at an apartment that felt sterile and cold.

I asked the ladies in Bible Study to pray for an abundance of blessings for our family this Christmas season, and not only did they pray but they also organized.  These women loaned us a creche, cookie cutters and Christmas tree lights;  someone sent us to chop down a Christmas tree on a gift certificate.  Another woman brought her kids over to help our kids make homemade ornaments.  Our home feels warm and cozy, full of brightness and light - each item with a real person behind it.

They did literally deliver little bits of Christmas to us.  But they also prayed, and we have been provided a lovely Advent.  Lilly will perform in the nativity pageant on Christmas Eve, making the whole afternoon feel festive for our family.  And after the pageant, another family from church will follow us home for a turkey feast and lots of Christmas cookies and movies until all of the children need to go to sleep.  Our family will wake up Christmas to Santa's deliveries - of which there are many this year, with so many things honestly needing to be replaced.  We will feast later in the day and enjoy a cozy Christmas Day in a very festive, cozy and warm home.

Happy Advent and Merry Christmas to all - it certainly is in our home!