Seeing those boys running around Target, comparing prices, trying desperately to get the most bang for their buck while at the same time trying to find a gift that the recipient would love, well, as the ad says, "Priceless." I loved seeing the pride on their faces as they showed me some of their gifts. Especially loved Miles showing me the shiny red and silver ornament for his mom with a big "E" on it. This after carefully explaining that he was torn since he could get a set of 3 pairs of earrings for $4.99, but he didn't think his mom would like those as much. Good call, Miles. She'll treasure that ornament on your tree till the day she dies.
My son picked out some more practical gifts--like 3 packages of Diet Cokes for his big sister for $11. Man, that one blew his budget, for sure, but they sure do look festive under the tree with big red bows. For his other sister: candy and a kind of lip balm she loves. He was stunned the lip balm cost $4.99 for such a small package. But she'll love it. Candy for his brothers--just what we all need at Christmas... but by then he was about out of cash.
One of my favorite moments of the trip: when Edward was loading up his bags into his shopping cart and looked up at all his buddies, and smiling broadly said, "I feel like a mom."
I also love that the boys decided to have a "Christmas candy exchange" for each other. No self-interest involved in that at all, I'm sure. They each were assigned a different boy and picked out a particular type of candy that this fellow liked. Again, I'm sure with absolutely no prodding. Edward: "First I picked out jelly beans for Bo, because someone told me he liked them, but then I had to return it since I found out that wasn't right. So now I got him a kind he likes." (I can't remember what it was--there was such a surfeit of candy being bandied about, I lost track.)
Apparently, the boys decided rather than wait for Christmas to give each other their sweet treats, they would go ahead and exchange gifts as soon as we got home, so "we'd have something to eat while we wrapped presents." Excellent idea. I think I might go get a Milky Way right now.
They had a wrapping extravaganza in our living room... candy consumed, much laughter and discussion, and wads and wads of wrapping paper and tape thrown around to cover these presents of love. What a joy to see our son's under our tree. So for all this, thank You Lord Jesus. Help us not to miss these moments.
I do have to add my least favorite part of the day: searching futilely for 2 and a half HOURS for the beautiful hand knit scarves for my nieces and daughters that I had purchased and hidden well over a month ago. They were GONE, VANISHED, and I truly thought I was going to lose my mind. I can feel the frustration and frenzy rise again even now. Why, I kept asking myself, would anyone with the memory of gnat, hide presents all over the place? Why do I do this every year--hide presents, only to find them a year and a half after Christmas? Unbelievable.
But here's my 2nd most favorite part of the day: when my husband, after looking for less than 10 minutes found them hidden in the bathtub (one we never use, by the way. We do take baths and showers, in case you were worried.). What a great idea I apparently had to put them there. Too bad I couldn't remember. Good grief.
So there you have it--the best and the worst. Nothing profound, but just a day of gifts from the Father. A day of living for Him and with Him and rejoicing that because of Christmas, we will never ever be without Him--Emmanuel. "God with us." In the good and the bad and everything in-between.
To God, our Emmanuel, forever with us and for us, be all the glory.
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