Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas was crazy this year.....crazy and fun! I think we were all making a special effort (or maybe it was just me), to really go all out. With our looming move to Japan in mind (and knowing that the holiday decorations will be stored away for years), I wanted to pack in some memories. Some ideas were a hit (loved the cookie party! snow meant snowmen, the kids made five including Mommy holding baby Tobias, Christmas party after Christmas party, sugar cookies and goodie plates galore) and some ideas seemed a little funny.

The Christmas Gift for Jesus.


So I read about this idea and loved it immediately. Under your Christmas tree, a specially wrapped gift for Jesus, on his Birthday. Inside, each family member adds a couple of special gifts just for him. Super cute........and a wonderful activity to help the kids focus on what Christmas is really about. So here we go.... at the Durben house we had some creative ideas......... Kate says "Commit to family home evening, scripture reading three times a week (I had to be realistic), and acts of service. Mark says "Take care of my body,he would want me to stay in shape." (seriously Mark) A positive attitude about family home evening...and I'll get back to you. Max says "Be nice to everyone......always!" yep that covers it. And Lillian says "Boy toys...., Jesus would like some boy toys, maybe legos.

It's a start.

Later Christmas day, I was overcome with memories of Christmas past.... it just seems amazing and delightful that seven years ago I had an identical little scamp on my lap. I had to dig through all the pictures to find what I was after. Maybe it shouldn't be such a big deal, but with Max and Tobias being born within weeks in May, they are almost the exact same age for their first Christmas. I just love it.

Max & Kate 2001


Tobias & Kate 2008

It's overwhelming how time has gone by so fast. It's been filled with wonderful friends and memories and I know that the next seven years will have more of the same... but I still linger a little with the sadness of how fast their childhood goes.