Christmas Eve Night

After my brother and his family left, we all got ready for the Christmas Eve service at church. It was cold, we were all tired, the kids wanted to play with there new toys, and so we almost didn't go. It would have been easier to just stay home. But it was so much lovelier at chruch. I'm so glad w pulled ourselves together and went.

Candlelight services get me every time. They hit me right in that sweet, sentimental, overly emotional spot. The spot that makes every moment of whats going on seems so beautiful and so important. The one that makes you think "breath this moment in, remember it forever." Sappy, I know. Its that darn spot. I did soak it up though. The warmth of my husbands hand holding mine, his deep voice singing the hymns of Christmas. My mom singing silent night in the candle light, her eyes closed with her taking in the moment as well and her voice singing with mine. Watching a very pregnant woman rubbing her belly as she sang in the candle light, most likely imagining Christmases to come with her sweet babe. The family with what looked to be two college kids and a mother that was gleaming to be their with her "babies." The magic of a church full of people singing a capella with their candles lighting the whole sanctuary in soft candle light that danced off their faces. I'm telling 'ya I soaked it all in. That spot gets me every time.

So do these too sweeties that stayed in the nursery. One day they will be old enough to sit through the service with us, and my heart will beam.

When we got home we sat down to a nice dinner. I had planned to set the table and make it beautiful but it was much later that we usually eat, and we just through it all on the table and enjoyed. And that was still beautiful. And my pork loin? Fabulous, if I do say so.

Next we did a Christmas Eve must. We baked Cookies for Santa. Let me tell ya'll, I love to bake. I love to make beautiful cookies. Baking with kids? A little hard for me. The cookies never come out "beautifully" but they are made with love and passion, and that makes them beautiful. We tried to roll the dough out and cut it into cute shapes, but we ending up with rolled balls. Beautiful rolled balls. And Santa loved them.

London fell straight to sleep after the cookies. In fact, she didn't even make it to bed. She fell asleep in my moms lap. But Dylan got to see his video message from Santa. This is the second year that he's "received" a message and he loves it! I love watching his face!

We tucked the kids in and watched a bit of a Christmas Carol with my mom, who spent the night with us. About 20 minutes into the movie, London through up, bless her little heart. I had to change her out of her Christmas Pjs. This really isn't a big deal, but I had planned their pjs to match (as I do every year) and I was pretty sad that she wouldn't have them on Christmas morning. The important thing is that she only got sick one more time during the night and then slept well until the morning.