This Christmas season has been different than the last few for several reasons. For one, I am not spending it at work (silent cheer...okay, loud cheer!!). For another, I am spending it, here, in Mission. For a third, Tyler thankfully wasn't able to scrounge up any brussel sprouts to put in my stocking this time (yes, a very strange holiday tradition that I'm assuming will last for many more years, although I seem to forget about it every year). But, most differently, we have a little Hudson to spend it with.
I am excited to have a little boy at Christmastime, because Christmas growing up in our house was always so much fun. Even though all four of us kids have our birthdays within just days of Christmas, my mom never let on if she was stressed to the max with all of the things she needed to do that come with two birthday parties and Christmas day all within less than two weeks of eachother.
This year we did not go crazy with Christmas stuff for eachother or the boy, because, hey, he's only six months old. At Ty's family's Christmas gathering, we tried to get Hudson to open some of his presents, but he was scared of the sound that the paper made when it was ripping, so let's just say that any present that came his way after that was not welcomed by him until it was well out of it's wrapping. Next year I'm sure that will be the sweetest sound in the world to him, but for now - not so much. Even in future years, I want to make sure that he gets the reasons why we celebrate this time of year, and not just be present-obsessed - which brings me to another reason why this year is different:
I find that after having a baby, I am much more plugged in to the story of Mary and Joseph and their desperate situation the night their son, Jesus Christ, was born. I look at Hudson and think that Mary and Joseph looked at Jesus just like I look at my son. I'm sure they giggled when he blew bubbles or sucked on his foot. I'm certain they look on, amazed, when he rolled over for the first time, or crawled, or took his first steps. I know in my heart that they memorized every last bit of his face, and tiny ears, and little birthmarks. Mary probably had some of the same questions that I do, the same concerns that mothers from the beginning of time ask themselves as their babies grow. I love that that's how Jesus came into this world - a slobbery, tiny, utterly dependent, but beautiful little bundle.
And it brings me joy.
Merry Christmas Eve!
Merry Christmas Tyler, Stef and Hudson! Stef I found myself thinking the same things this year about the Christmas Story and actually taking more time to reflect on the humbleness of Jesus' birth.... It really is amazing the whole thing!
ReplyDeleteLove Chris, Danielle and Hunter