The great thing, I am learning, about celebrating Christmas with children is that the excitement and impatience that I once had as a child has returned, although in a slightly different way.  Remember when you were a small child and counting down the days to Christmas, and finally Christmas Eve would arrive and that night would go on FOREVER?  It would be so hard to go to sleep knowing that Santa could be downstairs at that very moment, putting out your presents.

As I have gotten older, I have lost those feelings.  Christmas has turned into a holiday of stress and spending.  Jason and I both have divorced parents, and my dad lives almost 2 hours away.  We dreaded the driving, the constant eating, and quite honestly were just exhausted when it was all over.

Now, with Charlie and Maddie here, things are looking up for us this Christmas.  Charlie will be 3 in May, so this Christmas he will really know what is going on.  We have cut out spending Christmas Eve in Mt. Airy with my family and will instead make the drive home that night so we can wake up at home.  I think I will be so excited to see Charlie’s face that I will wake him up  on Christmas morning!  I can’t wait.  Maddie is only 10 months old, so she won’t really know what is going on yet, but I am looking forward to dressing her up for church on Christmas day.

The best thing about having children is that they force us to quit being such adults, for at least a little while!