Christmas spirit

Earlier this week I was having trouble with a lack of Christmas spirit. Between getting things settled with MacKenzie, going back to work, and getting out of work for the break things sort of snuck up on us. We had done the obligatory Christmas parties, giving to charity, making cookies, watching movies, listening to Christmas music, decorating and such. We even saw the Star presentation, watched The Nativity Story (not a bad movie at all), and I reflected on what the season really meant. How could I not appreciate the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas is a time to commemorate the birth of a child who changed the world...and I should really understand that this year because of the birth of our little girl who changed our world. I then realized (as we all do at some point) that Christmas is so multi-faceted that it is understandable to be in tune with one side of Christmas and not the other. I was truly feeling the spiritual side of Christmas in reflection of our own child, but I was not into the secular side. This was a disappointment to me because I really enjoy the Christmas season. I like all of the time spent with family and friends because it is one time of year that people truly try to get together and enjoy time together. I like all of the food and smells associated with this time of year. I enjoy finding gifts and little treats for people in my life (this year was way too easy). I like watching movies and drinking hot cocoa and all of those other wonderful traditions that we should do all year round, but instead try to cram into a month or so. My mom had the same lack of spirit as I did, so we have really worked on picking up each other's mood over the past few days. While we might not be the regular Christmas elves that we usually are, we aren't the Grinch and Scrooge that we felt like earlier and look forward to this special time with joy.

Regardless, we are looking forward to MacKenzie's first Christmas and her two month birthday today!

Yes, that is MacKenzie in a stocking...