The very first best gift happened Christmas Eve. After the saga of part 2 we walked into my mom's house and this was the scene...
Normal. It was in fact Christmas Eve. Letters to Santa were written, cookies were left, hot chocolate was had, books were read, food was sprinkled in the snow for the reindeer. All the traditions of our Christmas Eve, sometimes normal is the best gift!
Christmas morning arrived like those before, pajama clad little children checking out the special gifts left by Santa in their beds and in front of the tree. Laughter and quite squeals, lots of pictures being taken by the newest person to receive a camera, this year it was Lily...so I took a little picture taking hiatus!
Traditions. These too can be the best gifts. Knowing how the morning would go, that some things never change. Breakfast in the dining room with the good dishes. The same breakfast that has been served on Christmas morning since I can remember, and probably since my mom can remember.
Moving on to the wrapped gifts...
Finn might have said this was his favorite gift. He did jump up and down and yell "leapster! Own leapster, I got own leapster!"
Dax might have said his favorite gift was this water squirting, fluff eating friend who scared the jolly right out of his little brother, not to mention the dogs!
Speaking of the dogs, they might have mentioned this fluff filled friend as their favorite gift...
Even common gifts can be the best presents in our family when we compete for the creative wrapping award. Dosh has always been a genius in this area. Sometimes when I have a rather mundane gift, I hand it off to him to wrap and voila you have an intriguing gift. These beauties won hands down this year. One was for Mike, one for Ryan, from Dosh...any guesses?
As the hoopla was starting to fade and the kids were starting to open more and more things, playing with new toys, the last gift was handed to my mom. I think I must have been answering someone's question or maybe opening something for someone at the time, because although I was watching, I wasn't totally aware of what it was. I saw it was a frame and then heard Dax's little voice ask "why is my Nana crying??"
Ryan reached over and hit a button on the cd player and this began to play...
Honestly it was like last year's surprise proposal all over again! I couldn't get up fast enough to hug Carly...there was even a bit of disbelief. Tears filled the room.
Ryan and Carly have struggled. They have longed for a baby for a long while. Carly, like me, knew from the time she was a little girl that she wanted nothing as much as she wanted to be a mom. We have prayed for them for a long long time. I remember being a bit nervous to tell her of my pregnancy with Finn, because I didn't want to hurt her. She and Ryan have been such a huge part of my children's lives and I am so incredibly grateful that God's timing is impeccable and even in the waiting there is grace. Standing in a little local shop the week before Christmas I felt compelled to buy another little gift for Carly. Something about it brought tears to my eyes when I thought of her and Ryan. It was a simple little plaque that said For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11.
Last Christmas I read this and I ached for Carly. I knew one day, one day the timing would be perfect and she would understand. I saw this sweet kindergarten teacher's spirit shaking as she dealt day after day with children from families who didn't know what longing for a child was like. I watched as her heart broke watching pregnant mothers and strollers fill ever corner of the Indianapolis Children's Museum last year on our mini vacation. I heard it in her voice as she talked about the county fair and the wagon loads of children whose parents might not have even noticed if one had gone missing. I ached for her because I had been there. But I knew. I knew that God's timing was impeccable, even if I didn't know it when I was there and there was no way for me to tell her with words, they just seemed so trite.
Christmas morning, Ryan and Carly saved the best gift for last. It was beautiful. It was not theirs alone. It is God's. And it is all of ours. He continues to bless our family through even the roughest times. The beauty that comes is incredible and it is so filled with grace.
Since Ryan and Carly's big news every time I hear this song my eyes well up with tears and I know it's meant for them. Thank you for sharing your joy with all of us.
