![\"Christmas](\"http:\/\/www.michellebeachy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Dec-13_0469.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBut then, it was\u00a0Christmas. We celebrated our own little family Christmas on the twenty-fourth. \u00a0I adore those times with just us having fun.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n
No one rushing off to work, no school assignments, \u00a0no working on projects, just a day of downtime and special foods and love and gifts and games and stories.<\/p>\n
I love the warm coziness of it and the sweetness of actually just enjoying being together.<\/p>\n
The boys could hardly wait to get and<\/em> give their gifts. \u00a0After investing so much of themselves into making things, they were nearly hopping with excitement for us to open them. \u00a0And, being normal boys, they were even more excited about opening their own gifts. \u00a0Some years it feels like I’ve found the right gift for them only to not have them really enjoy it until two or three years later. \u00a0This year, for some reason, it was so much easier to decide what to get and, almost unbelievably, I found both items reduced nearly 50% when I went shopping! \u00a0It felt like such a God-gift and I wondered if God doesn’t enjoy giving us gifts for Christmas as much as we enjoy giving to others. \u00a0It was an incredible thought … that perhaps He celebrates Jesus’ birthday the same way we do and made me much more intentional about looking for gifts in the coming days. \u00a0I found so many beginning with that last shopping day before Christmas: the discounted presents for the boys, one copy of the exact bird book on my sister in law’s wish list in a teeny, teeny bookstore, parking spaces close to the door at almost every stop. \u00a0It was incredible.<\/p>\n Adam has wanted a woodburner ever since he used a friend’s at a cabin before we moved here. \u00a0Now that we’re here and wood carving and wood burning happen all around him, he’s been even more interested. \u00a0He borrowed one to do a craft for David and came up with the design and content all on his own. \u00a0The board he chose was enormous and I gently tried to suggest he let David cut it down to a manageable size. \u00a0Thankfully, he did or we might need wall reinforcements in David’s office. \u00a0He told me he was doing a drawing with a trout and which Bible verse he wanted the day after David entertained a somewhat difficult work-related call at home in the evening and I listened to his patient responses as he got blasted with false accusation. \u00a0I nearly got goosebumps as Adam began reciting, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee….” I mean, what could be a more fitting promise for his office. \u00a0“You know, Adam, I think God’s Spirit gave you that verse just for daddy,” I began.<\/p>\n “Really?” Adam asked. \u00a0I thought the water part kind of went with trout fishing anyway.”<\/p>\n So much for over-spiritualizing. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Aside from David cutting the board to length and my giving him a third hand with keeping the stencils straight as he traced the lines of the letters with a pencil, he did his project all on his own. \u00a0Drawing, wood burning, poly, and wrapping. \u00a0I was proud of him, especially because he was so focused and diligent with his project. \u00a0I suggested spacing it out because it got really tedious. \u00a0Instead, he doggedly pushed on, taking ten minute breaks when it was too much and he started getting sloppy. \u00a0But the best moment was seeing the accomplished look on his face when David exclaimed over it as he opened it. \u00a0I want to give like that in life. \u00a0To know that I have given my best. Unashamedly offering from the talents God has given me. \u00a0Recently I’ve caught myself trash-talking about things I’m trying to do that I don’t feel capable of in front of the boys and I suddenly heard it through their ears. \u00a0I never want them to think that their best is not good enough or that it needs to compare with someone much more talented or trained than they are. \u00a0Then why do I let myself think that way? I hate that comparison trap. so. much. \u00a0I want to live life like Adam and Liam do. \u00a0Minus the bickering. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n And how I loved the look on his face when he opened his gift and discovered his very own wood burner!<\/p>\n I didn’t have to worry about David needing to guess about his soap carvings. \u00a0Liam giddily stood right beside him, almost unable to keep his own hands off the wrapping paper as he described each one (including it’s unique problems) as David pulled them out. \u00a0The first one was so broken he mistook it for another, but he was no less pleased with the gift he had given. \u00a0I want that kind of joy in giving in life. \u00a0Uninhibited. \u00a0Transparent. \u00a0Giving because it is so much fun to give!<\/p>\n Liam is actually harder to shop for than Adam. \u00a0I’m never sure if it’s because he just enjoys all of life instead of being super passionate about one thing for a six month period or if it’s partially because when you’re a second-born, you already inherit the goodness of a full toybox. \u00a0This year it was easier. \u00a0He’s looked at walkie talkies in the store and wished for them and for once, it was something Adam didn’t already have. \u00a0Plus, I was secretly pleased at the idea of having an easier way to talk to them when they’re deep in the woods with their friends at camp!<\/p>\n Don’t you just love that “OH” moment when they open a gift and are thrilled to bits!<\/p>\n Liam is a words person and his cards are always almost as much of a gift to him as the gift itself. \u00a0I’d barely started reading, “Dear Liam, We are so glad you are in our family …” when he let out a tiny giggle of pleasure and just threw his arms around my neck. \u00a0Melt my heart!<\/p>\n Their gifts to me were equally precious.<\/p>\n Adam cut out and stained little wooden coasters since we never have anywhere to put our drinks when we’re hanging out in the living room and Liam proudly made a coat rack for the basement entrance with a bit of help from David. \u00a0I think these boys caught their dad’s woodworking abilities and I love it!<\/p>\n But the best gift of all was downtime together. \u00a0It’s such a rare gift these days and I kept catching myself thinking, “I need to get up and …” only to realize there was nothing to fill in the blank. \u00a0David showed Adam Google Earth satellite and he had fun tracing routes he’s familiar with and finding our house.<\/p>\n Late in the afternoon we packed our bags and headed for Virginia to celebrate Christmas with David’s family. \u00a0And what a celebration it was!<\/p>\n It was a day of catching up on what’s going on in each other’s lives, delicious food, a fun gift exchange, and a birthday party for Chloe in the evening. \u00a0One of the sweetest parts of the day was right after lunch when David’s dad suggested each family share something. \u00a0If ever there was proof of how much our kids have grown in the last few years, this was it. \u00a0A few years ago, our days together were chock full of nap time co-ordination, bathing babies in the evening, re-orienting toddlers, and hoping that maybe we’d get thirty minutes of adult time somewhere in the middle of naps. \u00a0Now, not only do the children play together with far fewer power struggles, they feed themselves, don’t need naps, can stay awake on the ride home, AND can manage to sit through dinner AND give us a mini performance when there are gifts waiting in the living room. \u00a0I mean, next thing you know, they’ll be the ones doing the dishes! \u00a0Chloe even sang a solo.<\/p>\n Family is a gift from God and one we way too often forget to count. \u00a0I kept thinking of that so often this season, especially because death touched the families of two friends of ours. \u00a0These happy, celebrating times are a gift to be treasured.<\/p>\n The next day brought another gift. \u00a0God has given us amazing renters for our house. \u00a0Almost every time someone hears we have renters they say, “Oh my, how is that going?” \u00a0Apparently renters have a bad rap. \u00a0And every time we get to say, “Fabulous! We could not ask for better people.” \u00a0But June will be here before we know it and we didn’t know if they wanted to stay longer or if we’d need to put the house back on the market. \u00a0During a rough weekend in November, David and I both clearly felt God telling us He wasn’t finished with us here; but we knew that could be overridden if we couldn’t do something with the house. \u00a0We loved spending time with Paul and Jeanne and when they said they’d like to stay on, I felt God quietly say, “See, I’m writing this all out perfectly. \u00a0You wouldn’t need to even think about it.”<\/p>\n Friday held more gifts …..<\/p>\n a breakfast date with two of my besties<\/p>\n and a stop at the hospital to see a brand new niece! \u00a0Isn’t she a doll?<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n