the joy of the christmas season

christmas is so special this year. we have been having a blast with the kids doing christmas crafts, looking at christmas lights, going shopping at the mall, watching christmas movies, decorating the house, going to see santa, lighting advent candles and putting felt figures on the advent calendar every day... i just love how the kids are so enthralled with the christmas story. we have a little wooden play nativity set with chunky little figures that the kids love playing with. it's so neat to watch how emma sets it all up, not like you would traditionally see a nativity scene with everyone in their proper place all spaced out facing forward where you can see them all, but she puts baby jesus lying in the manger in the center with all the other figures surrounding him in a circle and looking at him. isn't that so cool to see a child's perspective? i was recently reflecting on how chaotic our lives can be at times with the kids all being so small and so many days i just feel like i'm surviving another day and it seems like i've been living my life in survival mode for awhile now. i have the serenity prayer long version printed by my kitchen sink and i was reflecting on it the other day while i was doing dishes and cooper and milo were both crying and greg was working late and things felt overwhelming, and i got to the "living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time" part and it just hit me like a ton of bricks that these are such precious times with the kids being so small, yes hectic and chaotic and overwhelming, but so precious and filled with moments i should not be taking for granted. i felt sad as i thought about how someday all too soon i will no longer have 3 babies in the house and i will long for these times when all i did so often was try to survive. so i thank god for giving me a renewed perspective and am so grateful that i have been able to enjoy many moments with our family recently that i will cherish for a lifetime. we have so much to be thankful for. for profound joy in the midst of chaos and most of all for precious jesus whose birth we celebrate during this season. i thank god for an amazing husband and 3 beautiful children to celebrate with.

Emma's prayer

"Dear Jesus,
Thank you for coffee and orange juice, and thank you for Santa, and thank you for the baby named baby Jesus, and thank you for merry Christmas. Amen."

Thank you God for these precious children who bring so much joy to our lives.