Happy Christmas Eve

I love Christmas.  I have so many good memories of being little with my family at Christmastime.  It's so different now, but I love trying to make it magical and exciting for our kiddos like it used to be for me.  

This year I was putting up the nativities on the mantel like I've always done, and I found an olivewood nativity that Marianne and I had bought for a parents a few years ago.  It had gotten water damage this year and it was all warped and moldy and I was so sad to put it up.  Our family is so spread apart and everything is different and sometimes it's really hard to get excited about traditions and holidays.  It's hard to not be with all the people I love and having to divide time and days.  Ethie was gone for Christmas and it's not the same without his energy and excitement.  I love being with Mom in her home, and with Dad and Jeanette in their home, but it's always hard to have to leave them and figure out when we can be together.  I'm getting used to it, but I don't think it will ever get easier.

It was so so so nice to have Nate home for Christmas this year and I guess I should just be thankful that we were able to be in Carrollton with my family.  James' family is far away too, so hopefully we'll get next Christmas with them.  My family has always had a big Christmas Eve dinner and then a Christmas program talent show.  We were at Mom's for Christmas Eve and she made a delish dinner, like usual!  It was pretty casual, but we were happy to be together (and Scotty took some great pictures)!

Instead of the usual Christmas Eve program, we decided to watch The Nativity Story together and it was perfect.  James' mom gave it to us for Christmas and it was so beautiful and well-done and a perfect way to visualize what the Savior's birth might have been like.  I was especially moved by Mary and Joseph's love story, since I have always thought of James as my Joseph.  I was thankful that we were together, even if I was missing some people that I love.  I was thankful that Jesus was born and that we have a holiday to remember Him and love and kindness. 

Some happy Christmas Eve pictures...

Christmas dog!

Like her mama!