The Movable Gifts

See these?

They have been moved...

a lot.

They were bought,

moved into the house,

up to my sewing room.

A few of them got wrapped and put under the tree.

The rest sat. 

We have had a few issues this year.

Finally on Friday,

my last day of work

before this blessed Christmas break,

I moved them all to my car and took them to work.

And

wrapped

and

wrapped

and

wrapped.....

I guess that is one of the benefits of self employment.

Friday night,

I moved them all home

and artfully arranged them under the

Christmas tree.

and then

I remembered that because of my mil being sick

we were having the traditional

Christmas Eve

Feast of the Seven Fishes

at my house.

Well,

six kids, ages seven and under and all those gifts?

Anyone could tell you that was not going to work.

So

I moved them again.

This time

UPSTAIRS

again!

To our bedroom.

This morning, they came back down....

and are once again

artfully arranged under the tree.

Tonight will be our Christmas celebration.

Things have been a little different this year.

On Christmas Eve,

my mother in law was admitted to the hospital

and is still there.

A long standing

Christmas Eve tradition

was changed...

Plans have been changed,

our

flexibility

has been stretched,

plans made,

plans changed....

We have flexed.

My stress level has been pushed somewhat...

to the limit?

Not yet.

I keep reminding myself

in the big picture of life

some things are just not worth stressing about.

And how could you stress

looking at these little faces?

Both of them gripping their sippy cups,

they have finally discovered one another! 

And this little one...

always the sensitive one.

Christmas Eve morning had me so exasperated

with his brother

that I broke down and yelled,

"You better settle down because I have a direct line to Santa!"

I was not proud...

it just slipped out.

This little one,

deadpanned,

"Grandma, do you have a direct line to Jesus, too?"

It makes one think...

I hope that all of you had a wonderful

Christmas Day!

and

take time in the coming days to REST!