We did Christmas with my sister Jodi's family last weekend. With both of our other siblings' families out of the country, this was our big time to celebrate Christmas with the cousins. The weekend got kicked off with a bang when Joy got a stomach bug in the middle of the night on Friday night/early Saturday morning after having been all over Katie as she welcomed them to Grammy's Friday night. I whisked Joy home to our house before anyone could wake up and be freshly exposed, while Jake stayed with the other girls at Mom's.
Despite the disappointment of not all being together throughout the weekend, we all had a great weekend. Joy felt fine by the time she woke up on Saturday, and I enjoyed a rare day alone with one of my girls. Jake came home Saturday night and swapped with me so I could enjoy my family that night and Sunday morning while he got some of that unique time with our Joy.
The other kids got lots of great playtime around Grammy's house and at the park.
Then on Sunday morning, we did Christmas gifts. It was a mad rush for the stockings from Grammy!
Then the remainder of our time was spent enjoying our gifts and each other!
Joy did not get the shaft. When the girls and I got home Sunday afternoon, we brought Joy's spoils for her, and she had a wonderful time getting in on the action!
Being the weekend after the events in Connecticut, it was definitely a time of perspective gaining as we simply enjoyed our babies. I cannot begin to wrap my mind around what those parents are going through. However, having lost my dad, I do know that it hurts my heart for people to take their dads for granted. In the same sense, if I were those parents, it would drive me beyond crazy to hear anyone complain about any part of parenting or take for granted a moment of the privilege of having a front-row seat to the beautiful life of a spectacular little individual, which every child is. I think for those of us seemingly so distant from that situation, the best way we can show support to those families, beyond prayer, is to live our lives in light of how we would if those parents were our personal friends, with the same consideration of them in the way we speak of and react to our little ones and their daily delights and challenges as we would if those parents were in our closest circle of friends.
1 comment:
Well said, sweet girl...
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