Coming Up for Air

(Dear Readers,
Once again I've been outsmarted by the formatting. Please don't let it effect the quality of my post.
Much Love and Frustration,
Carole)

I remember as a kid every Christmas I'd go through the exact same series of feelings - counting down the days in anticipation until Christmas Eve night and finally the awe on Christmas morning as I walked out to see what Santa brought (Yes, I totally believed in Santa for a really, really long time. My mother had to sit me down people. . . when I was 10 years old (TEN!). I wonder what it's like to have to break the news that Santa was "real, just not who you think he is" to your preteen daughter.). And then it seemed like it took about 1 nanosecond to unwrap the obscene amount of gifts sitting under the tree until we were amongst a living room of wrapping paper and empty boxes.

I remember on Christmas night always feeling disappointed that it was over. Don't get me wrong, I was totally LUH-VING all of the gifts, but I was so sad that it was all over. I mean I'd been counting down to this for like a month. And now all I could do was sit (and play with my oodles of toys).

Now as an adult, things seem so different but at the same time eerily similar. Christmas was a whirlwind for James and I. We celebrated with his parents last Thursday night before they left for Odessa to spend the holiday with James' sister. Then we celebrated with my family on Christmas Eve night (just the sisters - including Kate's kids and hubby - and my mom and dad). And finally with all of my extended family on Christmas day. In case you're more of a visual person, here's some pics of the gift giving extravaganza!

Thursday night with the Brooks' - Hunter wasn't feeling too well and was totally overwhelmed by his first experience with opening a truck load of gifts.

Here's the Campbell Christmas celebration. Hunter LOVED this hula hoop - unfortunately it was for Zack.

He got plenty of his own toys, though, including this Tonka push, walk, ride truck thingy that Nana brought him.

And now, the best part of the gift exchanging process . . .Christmas morning stockings!

Santa filled Hunter's stocking with a book, rainstick, stuffed animal, pacifiers. . .

and of course a Dallas Cowboys football - he knows whose house this is!

Exhausted yet? Last night, after all of the excitement was over (silent cheering from the old mommy), James and I were laying in bed, which in case you haven't notice is where I do my most serious thinking, and I thought about how much has changed since I was a kid. I have a husband and kid of my own now, which you'd think would be enough of a change - besides the growing up factor. But I feel like a completely different person, even than when I was in high school or college. I didn't become a believer until college (this is an entirely different, long blog post though), but even after this I still spent many Christmases only briefly thinking about Jesus and what I was really celebrating here. And then last night I just lay there thinking, "I've gone this entire day without even acknowledging God or his gift. No praying, not even a smile or thought of it." How crazy is this.

Hunter was sick the night before and as I sat in his room rocking him for an hour or so, I thought of how much I loved him and how God has shown me so much of how He loves me and his own Son through the gift of Hunter. But then on Christmas day it doesn't even enter my mind until I'm about to fall asleep. So I just needed to step back from the presents and food and Christmas cards and decorations and say Happy Birthday Jesus. I am in awe of you.