A blessed day
Dec 25
Maren woke up first this morning. I listened to Brad tell her that we would have to wait for Greta to wake up. I stirred and asked her if Santa came.
“Yes!” she beamed.
I dragged my gympie self out of bed to the bathroom and Maren slithered into my warm spot.
I came back: fresh, ready for Christmas. Maren, still in our bed, reported Daddy was wrapping something he forgot. She and I laid head-to-toe and chatted. After a wonderfully idle, anticipatory conversation with Maren, I suggested she go brush her teeth–cough, cough loudly–in the bathroom next to Greta’s room. These were my favorite moments with her today out of many favorite moments. Such beautiful behavior to be so very patient on Christmas morning, such a lovely spirit of excited anticipation.
Greta was inseparable from her new doll. They went everywhere together, and they are truly just alike because they both partook in Greta’s customary seventeen outfit changes today. She would whirl off to play, but every hour she came back to me, snuggled in, pressed her ear to my arm, smiled into my ribs, perched on my chair, spooned into my legs. She was so tangibly sweet today. She caressed my arm, she slept on me–a rare treat if there ever was one, and she said, unprompted, “I love you Mama.” It was her closeness that I treasured today–though a close second was seeing the magic through her eyes. She’s all in, my G.
My favorite moment with my love was at the end of the night. It doesn’t sound romantic: I needed him to redress my hospital wounds. We have all the first aid paraphernalia on the bathroom counter. I can’t reach, and he’s not quite sure what it is I’m asking him to do. He’s an engineer and, though the bandages and gauze pads are square, my wounds and I are not. I found myself laughing through tears as he measured and stuck (and unstuck) and taped. It’s always in those most unexpected moments that he loves me with a depth that struggle to comprehend. I am so grateful that to see myself through the eyes of my husband is to see the most exquisite version of myself. Oh, I love him so.
Merry Christmas, 2014. Thank you for our many blessings.
Merry Christmas Jen! I am so happy (ecstatic really) that your day was blessed!
Love all of this!! <3
Merry Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas Jen and family. I am so happy you were able to spend the day at home.
Simplicity and magnificence all rolled into one with a lot of love intertwined..a special day indeed. Glad you were able to enjoy it.
What a wonderful Christmas!! You look great!!! So happy you’re home! 🙂
Thrilled the Lord brought you home to celebrate His birth and exquisite simple moments with your family. A Happy New Year is on the horizon…
Happy tears. 🙂 Merry Christmas Jen. So glad you were home.
<3
What a Merry Christmas at HOME. ♥
I am so happy to hear you made it home for Christmas. Best gift of all for your family for you to be home.
You have the gift of being positive in every circumstance! Merry Christmas!
Do you mind telling me your “gift guidelines” for Christmas? I think I read it somewhere once in your blog but can’t find it. It had something to do with how many gifts you give and the “category” for each one. Thanks greatly.
Such a beautiful day. I thought about through Christmas Eve and Day, and it filled me with happiness and renewed focus on my own family each time.
Jen,
Hello, totally guilty as charged. I haven’t checked in on your post to see how you were doing this past week. So, tonight as I got caught up on the last few postings, and I found myself smiling as well as tearing up. Very happy you were home for Christmas. “NED” status means there will not only be this Christmas of sharing of your Christmas miracles, but those in your very distant future.
Much Love,
Tonga