our advent so far...

a time to journal this advent season - amidst the flurry of wrapping and planning and DO-ing!

reading:
i just finished The Magician's Elephant and The Tiger Rising, both by Kate DiCamillo - both were fantastic! i got them in hopes of reading them to Bryson - i would like to start reading him chapter books, but i think these would be probably better for him when he gets a little older...perhaps 7 would be an appropriate age? there are a lot of themes that i think are important and would get lost to a 4 year old...

we are also reading the true Christmas story in the Gospel of Matthew along with several kids books - trying our hardest not to turn Christmas into gift-fest 2009...

i am currently reading Octavian Nothing...has anyone else read this? i am reading it for a book club...it seems like a heavy read and not sure i can swing it as my bedtime book...

making:
i have not been the best gift maker...i have to admit...i have made some zoodies and some Christmas bunting and our stockings and cookies of course, but that is pretty much it! i had high hopes for myself, but i also think i have done pretty well with not making myself crazy in the process!

listening:
to Christmas music a lot! our favorites are the hymns and carols and also some Amy Grant Christmas album, Bebe and Cece Winans Christmas, Muppets Christmas and Handel's Messiah, also XM has 2 great holiday stations - Holly and Holiday Pops...both have been on you better believe!

loving:
our beautiful tree and mantel and fire. oh what a difference lights are to our dark little family room! the smell of the tree and the fire and the lights lifts my soul! also the lights on our house make me smile every time i see them. true, there are about 10 different strings of multi-color lights and true each of the 4 palm trees are covered with white flashing lights and none of them flash the same, and some might laugh at our house, but Bryson and i agree that our house is our favorite on the block!

giving:
i love giving gifts! i rarely stress about gift giving...although i still have quite a bit to do, it is so much fun to take time to think about expressing love to others with a gift. i am trying to involve bryson in this process and he is hilarious - he is constantly wrapping up stuff to give to Bodie or me...like his scissors or stickers on wrapping paper. he still doesn't quite get the whole idea of giving it AWAY though. today we went to Disneyland and he wanted to get Daddy a pirate gun....hmmm...i said...i dont believe daddy would like a pirate gun..."oh" he says, "well if he doesnt like it then i will play with it" - the kid is smart, but the lesson of giving will still take a while i presume...

advent is about waiting and expectation and although last year i was truly filled each day with expectation (our dearest Bodie was due Christmas day and came to us Christmas Eve) this year is also finding us waiting and expecting - not just the excitement surrounding the day, but we are also moving shortly after Christmas. 2 1/2 weeks after to be precise...and although we don't quite know where yet...and although that should maybe make me quite worried...i have a peace about it and i am trying to find the bright side of being able to scale DOWN...way down...and also give away....a lot...of stuff...a lot of stuff!

and somehow i can't be preoccupied with that when i have this insanely excited 4 year old who is truly amazed by the season - by the lights and the smells and the gifts under the tree and the stories and the fires and the singing and all the loveliness of this season, when people take a little time to make it a little special, which to a 4 year old means so so much...i can't help but catch his fever and find that kid in me also. i am so thankful for that child who helps me find my lost child within and feel the warmness surround me. i hope you too are enjoying this advent season and find the little things that bring you back to when Santa was real and wonderment was abundant!