Life... as we know it: Christmas 2013

Joy to the world the Lord has come! Happy Birthday Jesus!

The day has come to a close of my most favorite holiday of all. It is Christmas night and as I sit here wiring this post, reflecting on the day and of the past couple of weeks that lead up to today; I feel a kaleidoscope of emotions. Our pastors sermon on Christmas Eve summed these emotions up more accurately than I could have done myself by explaining these emotions as "the colors of Christmas. I feel so fortunate to have my life overflowing with so many blessings. Good friends, my family, basic necessities and beyond. I feel fortunate to be able to help others during this Christmas season, such as coordinating the adopted families through my work, helping families through our church and shopping for friends and family members. Christmas is the season of giving and I hope this perspective imprints on Suri's heart as she grows. One of the things I struggle with the most not only at the holidays but on a daily basis, is that of our family's children's (Suri and Jackson's) reality of their parents not being together. Not being able to share in life's day to day activities with their mother and their father together. This is something so foreign to me and I am still struggling with the day to day motions of navigating through life as a single parent. Suri and Jackson are still young but I know how impressionable they are. Every thing that happens in their little world somehow leaves an imprint on them. I continue to pray for guidance as to how to be the best I can be at the best job in the world, being Suri's mommy. It is often difficult to dis cipher when enough is enough, when some is too much and when less is more. It is often difficult to navigate through holidays without someone to converse with, discussing ways to do things and alternative ideas. It is sometimes difficult to listen to opinions of how things should be done by others who love my daughter but could never come close to loving her the way I do. Those who only see the final drawing and were not there to watch it evolve from a blank canvas. . . What I can do today, I may not be able to to tomorrow and that is the uncertainty of life. No expectations is the perspective I try to have as tomorrow is not promised to anyone. On the topic of "no guarantees" brings us to the fact that this was our 4th Christmas without my Mom and still to this day, I ask myself what she would say about how Suri is being raised. What suggestions she would have and what words of wisdom she would offer. How would Christmas look if Mom were still alive? She loved Christmas, She loved to give, she loved the Lord and children were her world.
All of these emotions that arise during the holiday season are sometimes difficult to manage and I try not to let them cast a shadow on the joy that Christmas brings. Teaching Suri about the birth of Jesus is a privilege and one that I take great pride in. I feel that sometimes all the focus around Christmas is put on "Santa" and the gifts we "receive" and I couldn't have been more happy this morning to wake up next to Suri and to hear her say " Mommy, is it Christmas today" " is today Jesus's birthday"... at 3 years old her love for the Lord continues to blossom with each new day and even with all of her toys and material things she received. Suri knows she is loved and that God is who gave us Christmas. Don;t get me wrong, Suri and Jackson's Christmas overflowed with gifts under the tree from family, friends and Santa but at the heart of it all was the true meaning of Christmas.

It was a beautiful day and my prayer is that I can continue to teach Suri about the true meaning of Christmas and have grow her excitement for the Lord and in the love that is found in giving to others.

This year, Christmas eve was spent as a family at Ashley and Don's house. Dad made it into town a few days before so it was great for him not to have to travel during the last minute Christmas chaos. We went to church at CCV and came home and munched on our traditional "Mexican" finger foods. Macayo's take out saved the night and we all sat around and conversed as a family. Suri and Jackson played games together and a drive around Ashley's neighborhood led us on a memorable adventure. We came upon a house that was decorated from top to bottom and had SNOW in their front yard! Suri was thrilled to be able to get out of the car and run through snow in Phoenix on Christmas Eve (and in short sleeves!). The owner of the home came out and said he had 3 feet delivered earlier in the day but with the 70 degree weather we have been having, it was melting rather quickly. Suri didn't seem to care and even managed to gather up enough snow/ ice to throw a few snowballs :-). It is now safe to say we were able to play in the snow on Christmas Eve in Phoenix!
Just before bed, Suri and Jackson said goodnight to their Elves (who made their way and found the kids at Aunt Ashley and Uncle Don's house). Doodle and Jingle made for a fun month of December and we can't wait to see them again next year!

Christmas morning was exciting as Suri and Jackson were overwhelmed with Santa's generosity! They must have been on the "nice" list this year as they received every thing they asked for and then some! Suri was happy to see her coyote and her sea shell purse she asked for but the gift that stole the show was her Fur Real Monkey. She had mentioned she wanted it "so badly" every time she would see it on a show, but it was not something that made it onto her wish list for Santa. He must have been listening to her as Christmas Eve she saw it on TV and begged and pleaded with me to tell Santa she would trade her Coyote for the monkey! To her surprise she received BOTH the monkey and the coyote today and has not put it down since! I have to admit, it is a pretty cute monkey!
Jackson was over the top excited to get a bow and arrow and a target he had been wanting. He couldn't wait to take it to the field to practice his target shooting. After a few practice rounds with Grandpa, he started to get the hang of it! We have another hunter in the works!

Abundantly blessed in so many ways is the final emotion of the evening... I am so fortunate in so many ways I can not imagine my life without Suri. She is my one true joy that continues to fill my heart with love and I am so blessed to be her Mommy on Christmas and always... Merry Christmas!