Christmas this year

Christmas is different this year.
Here's a few reasons why:

*Sometimes people can be sticks in the mud about holidays plans and schedules. We decided to be the easy folks. And even when we don't really get our way, it may just turn out to be the best christmas yet. :) (the Father's plans are better than our anyway, right?)

*We don't have tree up. There are no lights on the house. And I'm not freaking out because of it. It's a simple Christmas and I love what Jesus is doing in our lives, instead of loving what my house looks like.

*We're not doing Santa. We've decided that we wanted to be intentional about what we start with Jax. And we truly wouldn't even have christmas without Jesus so why would we share that Santa?

*Christmas as an adult is interesting because I feel like, every year as an adult (if we choose to) we draw closer to a better understanding of what it might have been like and what it meant to be Mary or Joseph or a shepard on that night that Christ entered this world. And how all the silly things that the "world" tells we need to have christmas, don't mean a thing. This year I am truly in awe of the idea that if we truly believed what we say that we believe...our lives would and would HAVE to be different.

*Tomorrow is our 6 Year Anniversary. We'll be in Hot Springs. I think we get to go on a date, late-late after Meredith Cheezapalooza. Christmas lights tour, Hot Cocoa and A gingerbread house at the Arlington. Yummm!

*I am enjoying doing alot of christmas baking. Which is new for me. Not the baking part but the enjoyment part. When I managed the bakery, I dreaded the holidays because it was long days on my feet, mean/grumpy people and waaay too many christmas pop songs on the radio. But being away from the consumer side of baking, it allows me to enjoy it. I've made several batches of christmas sugar cookies (like really cute wreaths and candy canes) and have been experimenting with gluten free baked treats. Last night as I was finishing up Jax's teachers gifts, I paused and looked around my messy kitchen. I was in the middle of two paintings, a batch of cookies, a birthday cake but my house smelled amazing and I was happy.
And that is christmas to me, this year. Yes, its busy. Yes, i take on too many projects. Yes, I'm all vision and no logistics sometimes. But it's taking time to realize that I love Jesus more than ever, I love my family more than ever and I am happy. Even with the craziness. I am oh so happy.


Even though Christmas is officially next week. Because of all the festivities of this weekend. Today feels like Christmas Eve. And that makes me smile. Love you guys,
Merry Christmas!