And so it was Christmas. It wasn't just Christmas day but a whole lot of Christmas going on. Here's a glimpse into our Christmas this year. A rather long glimpse . . .
This is the picture that was on our Christmas card. I took 45 pictures on this day. And this was the only one that was Christmas card worthy. Thank goodness that all I needed was one! 
The season began with our most favorite missions project, shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. This year we had a really fun time shopping for our boxes. We included tools in one of Mason's boxes. We included a sewing kit and fabric squares in one of Hannah Kate's boxes. (And, yes, their faces are painted.)
The children decorated the trees in their rooms. These trees haven't changed in the last four years. The girls' tree is pink and decorated with hot pink and neon green ornaments. Mason's tree is decorated with fishing lures and popping corks.
We have two mangers that the children play with each year. We get these out only during the month of December so they don't get to play with them all year long. I absolutely loved watching Hannah Kate and Ellie play with the plush manger scene. They took pictures and made a video this year.
The kids also got to decorate the tree in the playroom with all of our family ornaments and the ornaments they've been given over the years. It's always such fun to go through my ornament boxes and unpack each one, telling the story behind it. We have to divide the ornaments by child so each one hangs his or her ornaments.
Our Christmas musical at church was my favorite one that we've ever done. It was just really special this year. Mason played the part of Joseph. I was so proud of him getting on stage and reading all of his lines. Hannah Kate was the angel Gabriel and was so excited to have a speaking part, too. Abbie was Mary, and she sang a beautiful solo. I was so proud of her. That's the first time she's ever done that. All of the children did such a fantastic job on their songs. It was just a most delightful morning of worship.
I spent the last two days of school before Christmas break in Hannah Kate's classroom. I subbed one day (no joke) and helped with her Christmas party the following day. We began the day by making gingerbread houses.
The next day we were all supposed to go to Atlanta to meet my friends and their children for an afternoon of fun at Dave and Buster's. My first thought was that Seth could stay with Hannah Kate, and I would still go and take Mason and Ellie. But after our long night, I decided that wasn't a good idea and was planning to just stay and take care of Hannah Kate. Until Seth suggested that's what we do. We hadn't even talked about it at all, I'd never mentioned the idea to him, but he offered to do that for me. He knew how very badly I wanted to go see my friends, and he wanted to make it happen for me. So that's what we did.
And that's how I introduced Mason to Dave and Buster's.
Levi and Ellie hit it off really well. First date, maybe?!
I'd purchased our tickets online and also tried to purchase a parking pass so I wouldn't have that to worry with. But the website kept telling me it was sold out. So I didn't bother with it. I really had no idea where I was going to park and hadn't been there in years so I couldn't even remember what parking was like in that area. Needless to say, I was very excited to see a parking garage two blocks from the theater. I pulled in, and the parking attendant stopped me. He couldn't speak English very well. He was pointing and trying to tell me something. Since he was pointing in the direction of the Fox, I thought he was asking me if I had tickets. So I told him I did. He got a little frustrated, and I knew he was trying to say something else, but I had no idea what it was. I finally told him I just didn't understand. And then finally I got what he was saying. I still had the cargo carrier on top of my Tahoe, and he was asking if I would fit in the garage. I'd honestly totally forgotten that it was still up there. I looked, and the entrance said the clearance was 9 feet. So I told him that I could definitely clear 9 feet and that we go through drive-thrus all the time. He nodded, and I pulled ahead to the next parking attendant. He took my money (didn't say a word), and I entered the garage. When I turned the corner to go down underground, there was a beam hanging down informing me that clearance was 6 feet. I can't clear 6 feet.
I had no idea what to do. I couldn't go left or right, couldn't go backwards. So I did the only thing I knew to do. I pulled forward slowly. I was very aware of when it hit my cargo carrier. It scraped across the top, and I was imagining the worst. When it got to what I figured was the end of the carrier, I sped forward as quickly as I could to just get out from under the thing. And then I stopped and looked. If I kept going, I was going to likely pull the sprinkler system down and maybe flood the parking lot. Right about that time, another guy came running around the corner. I asked him what I needed to do. He said my only option was to take the carrier off the top. So that's what I did.
I climbed on top of my Tahoe, in my heels and little black dress, no less, and unscrewed the thing from my luggage rack. It was smashed just enough that I was then able to let the seats down in my Tahoe and slide it in the back. I'm sure I was such a sight. And, yes, that guy is just standing there watching me. But once I got it down, he did help me put it in the back of my Tahoe. Surely there's a picture on social media somewhere of a gal all dressed up and on top of her Tahoe. That would be yours truly.
So. After all of that excitement, we found a parking space and made our way to the Fox. It was most delightful and everything I wanted it to be for my girl and me (except I didn't get any good pictures!).
The next day was Christmas Eve. Jennifer had invited us over for lunch. Mason and Hannah Kate were so excited to see the Hawkins and Lawrence cousins again. They had the best time playing together. When Jenn, Neice and I were growing up together, I never imagined we'd have TEN children between the three of us.
On Christmas day I also went to the nursing home to spend a little bit of time with MeMama and Grandmother. I spent part of the afternoon visiting with a childhood friend that I haven't seen in nearly 20 years. I had a really special time with her and her family.
But what we all most wanted to do was also spend Christmas with my brother and his family. My kids were so excited about seeing Jones and Judd again, and we were over the moon excited to meet our newest nephew and cousin, Jase. But Jase was recovering from RSV, and since he'd also been a premie and spent several days on a vent in the NICU after his birth, they were not able to spend time with us. It was just not a good idea to expose any of them to the flu germs that might've still been floating around.
We left the day after Christmas and came back home to Louisiana. Seth's family was waiting on us to open gifts. I didn't take not even one picture of any of that.
And so that was Christmas. It was a good Christmas. We have some great memories. But it was also a difficult Christmas. I'm so thankful that Hannah Kate recovered quickly from the flu. I'm also very thankful that none of the rest of us got sick. But stupid flu. Another thing I forgot to mention was that Hannah Kate was given two new pair of earrings for Christmas, one from us and one from my parents. And do you know that BOTH pair BROKE when we took them out of the box?! Oh, I just felt so badly for her. And then there was the super awesome puffer vest I was given, but my initials were accidentally monogrammed incorrectly on it! As I took all of our Christmas decorations down and packed them away in the attic, I couldn't help but think, "I can't wait til next Christmas!"
On Christmas day we also lit 25 candles. And that, Charlie Brown, is what Christmas is all about anyway!
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
upon them a light has shined.
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end,
upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
to order and establish it with judgment and justice
from that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
~Isaiah 9:2,6-7