Found It!

Finally seem to have found my Christmas spirit! I said yesterday that I found it at TaMolly's (my favorite local Mexican food place) and that was partially true -- when it's 29* outside, a heaping plate of fajitas can help you get in the Christmas spirit! But it also helped that most of my obligations for Christmas were OVER at that point and it is now time to ENJOY!!

THIS is my favorite part of Christmas: my shopping -- grocery AND gifts -- is completely done. Concerts, parties, and programs are all finished. This last weekend was a good warm-up to Christmas spirit. Troy's family came in town -- his dad, his brother, brother's wife, and brother's son -- about 6 months younger than Riley. It was a BRIEF Christmas celebration, they didn't stay long, but we had a good time and we are thankful they were able to make the trip out. It was pretty much the only way we could do Christmas (on a weekend) with those guys. Our family was obligated here with another highlight of the weekend -- our church's Community Christmas Celebration. Troy was one of many folks who coordinated and orchestrated a beautiful worship service for Sunday, so we would be unable to leave town for this weekend.

So, I cooked a grand meal for all of us for a "Christmas lunch" for Saturday afternoon before we opened presents. Then Troy had to leave to oversee some of the hoo-ha surrounding the church service while the rest of us played and rested. Later we all went downtown to see "It's a Wonderful Life" at the Paramount. I've seen IAWL at least a million six times, but all of them on TV, which, I now know, cuts out A LOT of that movie. If you can see it full length -- do that. It is so precious. Also, the danger (for me) in watching it on TV is that I'm always just kind of half-watching AND ... cleaning the kitchen, or wrapping gifts, or folding laundry. Whatever. I know the TV version starts with the prayers all going up for George Bailey, but I had forgotten. And there I started crying while the movie was starting. We can never know how much others' prayers for us alter the course of our lives, therefore we can never be truly grateful for it.

Sunday morning, even with extra time to get ready, was still quite hectic around here. Finally made it to the civic center (where the Community Celebration was going to be). Troy was already there on his little walkie-talkie! I interpreted some of the songs. It was a beautiful, meaningful service. As much as I know LOTS of work went into it, I also know all of the 'what-ifs' that didn't happen. God was in every little detail so that no one would walk away thinking of a goof, but thinking of the glorious miracle that came to our planet in the form of a little baby.

I asked Tammy to bring her camera Sunday morning so that we could capture a pic while we were all together and the kids all had on clean clothes. ALMOST all of the pics in this post are hers. It was good to get a decent pic of all of us -- one of us is new in the family! Todd married Amy this summer in San Diego. This is her first Christmas as a Stirman -- and what a wonderful addition she is! I enjoy her immensely, as do the rest of my family.

Then off to TaMolly's we went -- where my Christmas spirit seemed to finally find me!

Which brings me to the only picture here that Tammy didn't take. This is my day:

I have been in front of the fire with my bunnies. I have read -- my Bible, Stephen King, and Reader's Digest (I'm not picky -- just didn't want to get up). The fire has died down a little since I've been in here -- reading blogs and writing one! I had one thing on my 'to do' list today: NOTHING!! I wanted to sit by the fire and read. And I have and it has been GLORIOUS. Ashley and I are supposed to work out. She wants to stay in basketball shape over the break because her coach has promised her she shall die on January 6 when she returns to practice. I am currently listening to "A Very Veggie Christmas" on purpose. Yes, my children are too old for it, but it has become a family tradition and I love it. So, I must return to my nothingness and stoke the fire so that I can prop my bunnies to stay warm. I thought it was supposed to get up to 40* today, but it's going to have to hurry to get over 35*!!

Stay warm, and find a way to do NOTHING in your holiday!