A weekend with Carter (& Laurin and Casey)

The day after Christmas, Laurin, Casey, and little Carter came down to spend the weekend with us. Scott moved out a couple of weeks ago (which is actually pretty sad...we miss them!) so Jeff and I spent the morning transforming the guest room into a baby compatible room. We set up the pack-and-play and brought down the recliner. I ran out and bought a few baby items to always have on hand just in case (e.g., diapers, wipes, baby soap, lotions, etc.). We did everything we could to make it comfortable for the new parents and our grandson. That is so weird to say! We are grandparents. We were so excited when they finally showed up. Jonas wanted to hold Carter immediately. He was smitten. He was so enthralled with his little nephew. I'm not sure Laurin and Casey knew what they were getting into. I know they wanted to share little Carter with all of us, but I don't think they realized that meant very little time to themselves. They were so gracious though. I was actually really happy to have them with us. It would be more difficult for us to go up there and take care of them, but while they were here, I was able to make meals for them and simply try to do anything I could to make them comfortable as they adjusted to their new roles. It was nice to be here for when Laurin needed a moment to cry or when Carter was upset about being put in his carseat and I was able to get him to calm down. It was amazing how instantly my heart opened up a space for him. I am not ignorant to the fact that I don't share blood with Laurin and, by default, Carter, but I do share my heart...and hopefully, that's enough. It is impossible to explain how the heart can grow, but it does. There is always more room for people to love...and Carter has our hearts! (Prepare for picture overload!)

Merry Christmas 2020!

Jeff and I tried to keep Jonas awake with the assumption that he would sleep in, but it didn't work. At 4:30 a.m., I had a very excited little boy at my bedside. Luckily, Santa is smart enough to leave little goodies in a small stocking in his room so we were able to go into his room without disturbing anyone else and play a few games. Santa left him a deck of cards and a Bey Blade. After a round of war, I convinced him to snuggle in bed and thankfully fell asleep for another hour before the excitement took over again. Still, I stalled him until 6:45 when Dallin started to text us to get up so he could call too! Between both of my sons, I got very little sleep...but it didn't matter. This is a morning I'm willing to sacrifice sleep. It was so much fun having Dallin on the phone with us while we opened gifts! Can I just say how much I love being able to video chat with him so frequently? He was able to hang out with us in the morning then call back in the afternoon. Good thing he did too because he finally let us in on his little joke. He sent us a package with a Jack Daniel's bottle in it with what appeared to naturally be filled with whiskey. Of course, we didn't open it, but once he encouraged us to do so we realized it was just motor oil. Silly boy! Jacob and Amber had stayed the night and spent the morning with us too. Between Danny, Jonas, Amber, and Jacob we had a living room full of torn pieces of wrapping paper! Jonas was super excited to get his BB gun! Danny got some ski stuff. The family received a Nintendo Switch. And so much more. Amber got me a cute mug with a color drawing of Laurin, Amber, and I, and a little gift certificate for a girls night out. Laurin got me a Fab Fit Fun box. She was right when she said that I am too practical to get something like that for myself, but I'm already looking forward to the next box. Dad got vests and underwear. Haha! He pretty much gets himself whatever he wants so we have limited gift options. 

After opening gifts, we had our traditional waffle breakfast before spending the day playing! That is something I love about the day. It's spent together as a family. There is no agenda. There are usually no work emergencies. There are no chores (other than making our traditional breakfast and dinner). It is simply a fun day together. Jacob and Amber left mid-afternoon and the rest of the evening was just the four of us: Jeff, Danny, Jonas, and I. As much as I loved the flurry of the enthusiasm of the day, I relished the calm evening. I couldn't believe it was done. All the planning and anticipation was over. The year is quickly coming to a close. 

Christmas Eve!

Finally! The days Jonas has been anticipating all month are FINALLY HERE! It is so much fun to watch his joy and excitement. He truly helps to bring magic to this season. I love that he believes...not only in Santa but also in Christ. I love that we can intermix the whimsical traditions with the religious ones, but tonight is always my favorite. I think I love Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day. Christmas Day seems to come and go in a flurry of wrapping paper, but Christmas Eve allows me time to reflect on the true meaning of the season. 

After notifying the boys of their "uncle"status (see previous post), Jonas and I found Jingle (our elf) in the kitchen with Santa's favorite cookie recipe. We quickly made the cookies in preparation for that evening, before Jonas ran downstairs to help Danny create their Christmas Eve fort.

The rest of the day, we kept busy with puzzles, games, and fun while we waited for our evening to start.

Finally, the evening arrived. We started the night by lining our property with 144 luminaries. It seems a little ridiculous to brave the cold (and it was cold that night even without the snow) to continue this tradition, but I love it! This is definitely a more "southwest" tradition with warmer weather, but its symbolism is worth braving the cold. I love the thought of lighting the way for the Savior to enter our home. I hope I can always create a welcoming environment for Him. I know I definitely fall short at times. I know there are moments when my voice is louder or more frustrated than it needs to be. I know there are choices made by all that perhaps we wouldn't make if He were standing here, but we try to be better...and I think He sees that.

After setting out the luminaries, we gathered inside for our Bethlehem dinner and devotional. Obviously, the food we prepare isn't exactly what would have been eaten during Christ's time, especially not all at once, but we try to set out only foods that can be found in the Bible. It's actually one of my favorite meals of the year (maybe even more than Thanksgiving!). This year I even made an olive oil cake (that will definitely be a part of future Bethlehem dinners). I love that we get to gather at one table in candlelight. I feel like it starts to set the mood for the following devotional.

After dinner, we moved to the living room to share stories and thoughts about Christ. Again, this is my favorite moment of our Christmas celebrations. This is a moment when we get to truly focus on the real meaning of Christmas. We read Luke 2. We contemplate all the characters in the story. We make them come to life as we contemplate their thoughts and feelings. We consider the symbols of his birth that we can find in the symbols of Christmas. We simply pause.

Once the pause ended, we laughed, played, and stayed up as long as we could to wait for Santa, but I kept trying to find moments to pause. I would walk outside in the frigid night to see the luminaries. I would pause again as I remembered Him. This is the night He was born. He is the peace we seek. He is the hope we yearn for. He is the reason for the season.