Scenes from December: the rest of us

 

Scenes from the rest of December: The Ben

The Ben turned 10 months old this December.  His hobbies include:

playing the piano

eating food by himself

splashing all the water out of the bathtub

sitting with his little feet and bum in the cutest position ever

getting into things that he shouldn't

making new faces for me to laugh at

putting things around his neck, including a scarf that his father got at a gift exchange

skating/crawling around the house with blocks making as much noise as possible.

Can not get over how big he is getting.  He has taken his first independent steps and is laughing up a storm whenever he can.  He's also taken up cage fighting, but that's a post for another day. He's a little bit on the mischievous side and for some reason that delights me to no end.

Scenes From Christmas

Jingle Bells

Stepping into the day

part of breakfast

O Christmas Treadmill, Oh Christmas Treadmill, how lovely are thy... rollers?

How it's done.

 

Merry Christmas from the Sullivans!

Dear...

Dear David,
You are my rock. You are the one I lean on in times of trouble. You whisper words of wisdom and tell me to let it be. Thank you.

Dear Primary Children,
I so loved your sweet voices today as you sung in church.  I love your smiles and your sparkly eyes. Thank you for sharing.

Dear Ben,
It's a good thing you are cute because if not I would get really irritated by the smell of spit up on my dress right now.  As is I will just throw it in the wash... like I did last week... for the same reason.

Dear Snow,
I'm glad you have made an appearance.  I like it when you cover all the brown and ugly this time of year.  Feel free to make yourself better known.

Dear Sunday,
Thank you for coming once again and bringing hope to a troubled world.  To my troubled world.

Dear Mothers and Fathers in Conneticut,
My heart goes out to you right now.  Every time I see a child or snuggle my own I think of you and I choke back a tear.  May God bless you in this time of need and sorrow and questioning.

My love to you all,

Lora

Dear December

Dear December,

You are different than I expected.  When looking forward to your coming I anticipated huge white snowflakes, a double paycheck, Christmas magic and excitement filling the air, and peace and harmony everywhere.

That is not what you have brought.  Instead it's feeling rather like Fall with slightly more rain.  The job has not fallen into place as I had hoped.  Christmas with a child is not what I expected.  Though peace and harmony are in some places, it certainly isn't everywhere.

What happened to your magic?  The magic that comes with Christmas music on every station, lighted homes, stockings hung with care, toys in every store and every other symbol that Chritmas is coming near?  It is almost as if these things aren't enough...? 

Sincerely,

Where Did The Magic Go

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Dear Where Did The Magic Go,

I get that alot.  The wondering and waiting and wishing.  And I can understand why you ask; in the past these things seemed to be where the magic was.  Lighted windows seemed to bring magic with them.  A tree was a magical wonderland of promis and possibility.  But you've grown.  You've become somewhat responsible.  You've become more aware and a bit cynical.  And now the magic that you thought I brought with me just doesn't seem to be there anymore.

I've got a secret for you.  One that I'm pretty sure you already know, but I'll help you out anyway.  All of those outward things, the tree, the lights, the stockings... well, they are empty.  They are just things.  You are the one that gives them meaning.  They do not have magic powers in and of themselves.  They are empty and hollow until you make them into something; until you fill them.

You are the one that fills them with peace and harmony.  You are the one that remembers the joy they brought in the past.  But they were empty even then.  The joy you remember was not in the stockings, it was in the people that were with you.  The feelings of love that come with service and giving.  The feelings that come from remembering the birth of a small child a long time ago in Bethlehem.  The child that grew into a man and became the personification of hope, peace, and love.  The person who gave us all good things.  The person who loved you first.

The magic is not gone.  You just have to remember where you put it.  Not in ornaments or lights, but in your heart.

Sincerely,

December