It's the Most Wonderful Time Of the Year

A long time has passed since my last blog and not too much has transpired since that time.  We have survived Thanksgiving just to be caught up in the Christmas season.  It always seems as though Christmas gets earlier and earlier each year.  Most stores had decorations out right after Halloween totally bipassing Thanksgiving.  Sorry Pilgrims and Indians....you have fallen by the wayside.

As I let out a big sigh...I digress.  Things are pretty calm and quiet around here.  I tried putting Amanda into dance class and she wasn't having any of that.  Miss Melanie at Dance Dreams in Acton gave us a month free to try out the class.  The first class Amanda cried for about the first 10 minutes of the class, and I was right there with her.  She didn't want to participate.  However, she accepted the sucker at the end of class and left.  However, when we got in the car all she could talk about was the other little girls tap shoes and how she wanted a pair.  I told her that she would actually have to dance in order to get tap shoes.  Her response:  "I don't wanna dance".  I said, "Okay then we won't go back to dance class".  She said, "But I want to go to dance class, I just don't want to dance."  We went two more times after that and she still didn't dance, but she wanted the tap shoes nonetheless.  I am thinking of enrolling in the adult class and maybe that will coax her into wanting to do it.  More updates to follow on that. 

Thanksgiving was quite different this year.  Amanda spent the day at Justin's and I spent the day at Mike's sister's home in Valley Mills.  It was quite a warm and loving atmosphere and I caught myself reveling in the fact that this was something new.  It was a little scary at first (the thought of newness....not being in Valley Mills), but as the day went on I found it to be right where I wanted to be. 

We got the tree up after having to replace a strand of lights on it.  Most of our shopping is done (mercifully) and we can spend the rest of the season just being with each other.  I read a blog recently by a friend of mine that dealt with the feelings of teaching her girls the true meaning of the season and what she is going to do when the time comes to tell her daughters the truth about Santa.  Luckily I am not anywhere near having to tell Amanda that Santa is really her parents and grandparents putting gifts under the tree...no reindeer...elves....or North Pole.  Loving the Lord with all my heart I struggle with making sure I tell Amanda the reason why we celebrate Christmas.  Being out of church makes this much harder for me.  I feel as though I don't have a right to tell her.  I know that is silly...but I think that way sometimes.  She knows Jesus and God....we say our prayers daily and I tell her Bible stories.  But I want her to know that Jesus is the reason for Christmas and we love Him so.

She wanted to draw the other day and I gave her some paper and a pen.  About 5 minutes later she comes back with this paper with scribbles all over it.  She said, "Mommy, this is my Christmas list to Santa".  I told her I would make sure he got it.  I then asked her if she wanted to go see Santa and tell him what she wanted for Christmas.  She said no.  The past two years her pictures with Santa have turned out to be family pictures with Santa.  She doesn't want to have any part of that old guy with the beard. 

I think that about sums it up for now.  Anticipating Christmas and the New Year.  I pray that each of you have a very Merry Christmas and here's wishing you Health and Happiness for 2011.

Lacey