Is it shallow to say that my favorite thing about this Christmas was that I got to sleep until 8:40 am? This is a record. Since Jacob was a baby in Christmas of 2001, I do not think I have slept that late on Christmas, and usually, I've gone to bed around 2:30 am and been awakened at 6:30 am. This is not meant to be a complaint (although I guess technically it is), since I know that I am very fortunate to have such magical, beautiful Christmases. But I'll tell you--I was overjoyed to awake this morning and not h.u.r.t. Wahoo!
Another great joy was Annie and her new roller-skates. First, I cannot help but be reminded by Annie's hope for skates of my Granny Ruth, who many decades ago, asked Santa to bring her skates, and also to help the poor children (recorded as a letter to Santa published in her local paper, and sweet because she herself was a very poor child of the Depression). Annie rolled all across our floors for literally 13 hours and it was a very, very adorable sight.
After holding out for 7 months on a coffee maker (we've used a French press all this time), I got Ron a real coffee maker. It even makes foam. I have been in a "wait and see" stage for all this time, and finally determined what my favorite kind is (Lavazza), assumed/hoped Ron would love it too, and took the plunge. Boy, is it nice!
Sebastian was UNUSUALLY pleasant today--not the typical "child who has little sleep and too much sugar and so even though he has a manic high in the morning, he crashes and burns and we force him to take a nap." No, he was steady and happy all day. He got all these toys that required that someone help him set them up. But no one was really dying to do that. We did help him with the Play-Doh barber shop, with the guy and gal who's hair grows when you turn the crank, and then you cut and style it (I had it when I was a girl living in Dallas in 1977). But other than that, I was cooking TONS of food, putting on a birthday party for Leigh in the afternoon. I made Florentine steaks (like t-bone), a roasted chicken, braised radicchio, sautéed endive with sweet balsamic sauce, roasted yellow cauliflower with parmesan, and mashed potatoes. Ron topped it off with Socher torte, white chocolate croissants, and lots of treats. Plus Prosecco and Brunello red wine.
Instead of fussing, Sebastian played the thing he could--police--ALL DAY LONG. It was really adorable. I love that kid. He's going to be all grown up very soon. I cherished him saying prayers tonight, and thanking God for the presents Santa had brought him. Be still my heart.
Leigh had a great 13th birthday. She got the phone she hoped for, and really seemed as happy as could be. She is so beautiful, smart, and all around incredible.
We are not dwelling on the fact that that this is Jacob's last Christmas living with us. Next year, he will presumably have spent a semester at college (UD! Whahoo!), and just have come back to spend a few weeks with us. I've decided not be be upset about that (although it's hard not to see time marching right across your life, wrecking havoc). He has always found a Santa hat on Christmas and worn it all day--we finally noted the trend after 18 years. It's just his thing.
It turns out, my thing, or things, are 1) Christmas Mass--such an incredible, supernatural mystery made accessible, joyful and real. I am astonished at the humility of God. Why? How? Really? From start to finish, the life of Christ reaches out to the humble, meek, outcast, forlorn, brokenhearted, rejected, sinner. Since I relate to all of these in some way or other, my takeaway is that I am unmistakably included in his plan to share abundant, divine love. How I sit and marvel. I have no words. Just gratitude. And delight.
My other thing is my family (these are incredible human beings--just amazing). I love Christmas for these two reasons!
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