A Beautiful White Christmas

Well another Christmas has passed at the Green Gables and it was anything but green. We had a little snow for a couple of weeks now, but on Thursday the snow started dropping from the heavens blanketing our world in white -- a definite winter's wonderland. The kids were giddie with excitement and if it wasn't so nippy would be out playing in this wonderland daily.

The snow adds such a "Christmasy" feeling to everything and I think the child in all of us here began to emerge as we bundled ourselves up to brave the chilly night and headed off to enjoy the Christmas eve service at church. As luck would have it I have still been fighting the nauseau daily so I was moving very slowly on the 24th and so we arrived a few minutes late meaning parking and then finding a seat were a chore. We managed to procure a few seats in the back and we had the kids dressed Christmasy. We sang carols and worshipped and although I still felt sick it was a wonderful time. Rose's puppy followed her about which made the experience amusing as well. Frances danced and clapped and I think we all enjoyed ourselves.

We then once again braved the cold and ventured home where each child was permitted to open one present, inside were Christmas jammies, a one-time use camera so they could capture the festivities and a Christmas santa hat. Gil read "Twas the Night |Before Christmas", and we then put them in bed. Then the Christmas magic and the real fun began, lighting a fire, roasting marshmallows, seeking out all the remaining gifts that needed wrapping, watching "White Christmas", stuffing stockings, making sure all toys had batteries, and assembling the slide -- we had much fun. Christmas always means so much more when you have children to spoil and surprise, to see the look of delight and joy in their faces, the peels of excitement and the laughter, so spoil and surprise them we did. Then off to bed for the remaining few hours we had left to sleep, which were only about two or three.

Elizabeth was up first but not until eight which was surprisingly late for them, but much appreciated by us older folks who had been up so late. We proceeded to wake Rose up and the merriment began. The kids loved their stockings and the slide, we kept them from the presents until breakfast was eaten and then the presents opening began. Frances loved her zoo and train, Elizabeth has not stopped playing with her Little People House and Jessica has been cuddling and playing with her Luv Cub ever since. I was thrilled with my stocking, and Gil loved the slippers that the girls gave him. We also surprised Rose with her own over-flowing stocking which we loved doing.

Then lunch we dressed each girl in her extra-cute Christmas outfit and off to the Blythe Family Christmas Party hosted by Gil's sister Sylv. Everyone arrived before we did of course, and after we arrived we sat down to chat with everyone, Elizabeth and Jessica took off to visit with their cousins while Frances stayed close to me. She's still so young and the others are so much older that she really had no other playmate to covort with but lots of Aunts and of course Grand-ma to ooo and awww over her. The present opening took awhile as it always does and then the rest of the preparations for the feast took over. The feast itself was wonderful and I managed to stuff myself to the brim, I was so delighted not to be ill that I took full advantage of all the food that was there and ate as much as I humanly could. Then after more visiting we piled in the van and headed home.

Christmas is always made special by crowds and noisy children and visiting with people you don't get to see too often. I loved every second of it. I have two wonderful memories that mean the most to me, a hug by someone I didn't expect a hug from, and a conversation with Elizabeth that I had.

The hug came from my assistant pastor, I don't know him well but his hug was one of those hugs that came from the heart from a kindred spirit and until that moment I had only thought perhaps we were kindred spirits and that sealed the deal for me. The conversation with Elizabeth speaks for itself and it was as follows;

"Mommy?"

"Yes Elizabeth."

"I love you."

"I love you too Elizabeth."

"Mommy?"

"Yes Elizabeth."

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Elizabeth."

I almost wept because it came out of nowhere during a busy time where chaos was surrounding us and all of a sudden she spoke those words that will be treasured in my heart forever. Thank-you Elizabeth for giving me a very special Christmas present.