.: christmas.

my favorite part of the holiday season is love. everyone around seems so much happier & kind. even in the grocery store when i hold everyone up at the register b/c i am using a stack of coupons... people dont seem to mind as much.
christmas eve, i have never been happier. stephen & i spent the morning visiting his side of the family & exchanging gifts & hugs. we then came home, cleaned the house together for 3 hours... 3 HOURS!! ( of no complaining from stephen, i think he realized how stressed i get when the dishes arent done and dust is everywhere. ) we put on our christmas pajamas, had soup and watched ELF, then we played a long game of trivial pursuit which by the way... i won! then we had baxter open a gift & giggled in bed trying to sleep (which took forever as always night before christmas).
christmas morning was a early start. 5 am. we opened gifts from eachother & we both loved it. we went to church with my familiy @ 8 am & spent time at the compound. we came home and took a LONG nap. i am so happy.

i admit, when i first found out that christmas was on a sunday this year, i wasnt too happy. i didnt want to go to church right after we got up. i was in a bad mood and was thinking of every excuse not to go.
on christmas eve, stephen's brother gave me a beautiful throw blanket with a picture of baby jesus in a manger surrounded by angels. This year has been hard. christ has been more out of my life than in it. being an example sometimes isn't as easy as it sounds & that simple blanket made me think harder than i have in a long time & made me recognize my weaknesses. i am strong. i can be a better example, than i have in the past. it meant alot to me that he bought that for me & i kept thinking how selfish i was being, by wanting to sleep in. i was getting excited that christmas was on a sunday this year because its a perfect day to celebrate christ birth & aknowledge all he has done for us. i realized this weekend, that i can't have a life with out him. even if it is hard sometimes, i am strong & i can do it. its true.
i had a priceless christmas this year & enjoyed every second of it.