A Very Merry Burtis Christmas

December 27.  Not exactly my favorite day of the year but I'll take the quiet of the morning to enjoy our last week.

Two of our kids are sleeping and two left yesterday to get back to Indiana in time to help lead snow camp for their church's youth group this weekend. The house is starting to empty again, but our hearts are full.

Let me back up.

Ben got here two weeks ago and last Friday our newlyweds came home for Christmas. Oh happy day! We hadn't touched them since Labor Day - the longest stretch ever for Scott and me to not see our boy and our darling daughter-in-law in person.

Initially they had no plans to travel this way, but after a certain someone felt a certain boldness one certain Sunday skype day and laid out 539 reasons why it was in their best interest (ahem) to be with parents and siblings for Christmas, they agreed and began making plans. What great kids! Hey - don't judge - this mama wasn't ready to have empty seats at the Christmas table this year.

Sunday at church, I was positively giddy. There's nothing quite like the joy of having your whole family in the same row at church. Scott's mom was with us too. Scott and Ally sang a duet together that made us all appreciate their gifts. As we did I wondered what the boys and I could add. They could play basketball....

On the way home I played some favorite selections that our kids grew up on and much to my delight, the boys sang along and quite frankly, nailed it. When we got to Karen Carpenter's Sleigh Ride-It's Christmas Time-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, they sang her gorgeous high to low back to high syrupy runs with gusto. I was so proud. The girls giggled, surprised maybe that they knew all the words. I think a tear or two escaped from my eyes as I thought, "I've never been so happy as I am at this very moment", so very pleased with my parenting.

We have enjoyed many gatherings with extended family. The gifts can be unpredictable. Take Scott's favorite, for example, given by his favorite mother-in-law.  The title - The Chicken Whisperer's Guide to Keeping Chickens. HA!  A sign?  How can it not be?

We ate (and are still eating) "December food" and have enjoyed every saturated fat and sugar filled calorie. Thank God January eating is on the way to save our wardrobes and overall health.

Here's the one thing I wait for all year round....cod fish balls. Before you gag, let me explain. You take a small piece of pizza dough, stretch it out in your hand, fill it with some cod fish, roll it up and deep fry. Don't knock it til you've tried it. I swear, these are all I care to eat on Christmas Eve.

I tried to bring back some family traditions from Christmases past with some success. We brought out this velvet box. A gift given to us many years ago to keep under the tree as a reminder of God's greatest gift to us, His Son Jesus.

We usually give this the most attention around New Years time when Scott, the kids and I each write on a piece of paper what our gift to God will be for the year ahead and place it inside. It could be a spiritual discipline, a goal or a plan to change in some area that we hope will please Him. Drew read back through some and we all laughed at the repetition. For example, "read through the Bible", "pray more", "stop teasing my siblings", and my favorite, not "throwing fits and freaking out so much". You get the idea. We encouraged the kids to be thinking now of what their gift to Jesus will be for 2015.

We discussed that in order to lead a blessed life all we have to do is live according to God's Word and that His commandments and expectations written therein are always for our good because He loves us and wants a close relationship with us more than anything else.

Next I asked the girls (did I mention Brittany's cousin whom we love like one of our own was with us for a few days?) to choose from the Christmas book collection I have accumulated these last 22 years.

They indulged me by letting me read one to them for old times sake

but it really came alive when I asked Drew to read A Churchmouse Christmas.

 The backstory here is that when the kids were younger I would have him read to Ben and Ally sometimes and I would always have to interrupt with "read with expression!". Finally, at almost 23 years old, he nailed it. Way too much fun.We all died laughing as he put the emphasis in the right places of the rhymed lines and laughed at the sillyness. (And he even wore the Christmas socks I left in his room.)

Here's a picture of the Burtis men just about to lose a rousing game of MadGab to us girls. As it should be.

Then off to Connecticut to visit Britt's family they went for a few days. Ben and I made an executive decision that we would not frost the cut out cookies. He said it would be more fun to do all together and time just didn't allow. BIG step for this type-A mama. I even put them all in the freezer to save for next year. Some times you have to let things go. It kind of felt good to tell you the truth.

On Christmas Eve, Ally sang one of my new favorite songs at church. She did a beautiful job. You can see the video on my facebook page. The candlelight singing was a treat as usual. Yes.

Later at home, the cutest thing- that even in their older teen years, they expect Christmas jammies to sleep in. What mother could resist? Not this one. In fact, because she's a girl, someone got two pairs.

Early evening Christmas Day, Drew and Britt came back to us. We waited the whole day to open presents. Some of us were rather anxious to get to it. No names will be mentioned.

Here are some of my favorite gifts. One day a few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a kiosk of silly t-shirts. I swear I made a spectacle of myself for 45 minutes, giggling and laughing out loud in the store at so many as I tried to choose one for each of these characters. I'm pretty sure I nailed it.

Each of my kids surprised me with something they knew I would enjoy and not expect. Made me feel loved.

Drew and Brittany were especially confident that their gift would make me cry.  So much so that they took a video to get my response "on tape". No you can't see it.

The gift - this personalized canvas print.

Why so special? Of course, you know they got married in June. I chose the song medley for the mother/son dance with Drew. The first song was Steven Curtis Chapman's "I Believe in You" and Scott tacked the chorus of Phil Collins' "You'll Be in My Heart" (from the Tarzan movie) on the end. Waaaaaaa!

It's ok, you can cry too. They seemed pleased with my reaction. One of the best.gifts.ever.

This morning, I sit in the same spot as I have this whole month and thank God for many amazing gifts. Husband. Kids. Family. Time together. Friends. Laughter. Church. Thoughtful gifts. Health. Food. Warm home.

But the greatest gift, the one that makes the above all the sweeter - God's gift of Jesus to me, to save me from my sin and give me a new and eternal life in Him.

"Thanks be to God for His Indescribable Gift." 2 Cor. 9:15

Proof once again that when we choose gratitude, the not-so-good's fade into the background. Like the lack of snow for Christmas. Don't tempt me. I'm shaking it off.

We hope you too, had a most memorable and Merry Christmas.