above all the bustle

Brian and I have a favorite holiday tradition of exchanging ornaments every Christmas. I totally thought this was super original until I read this week how Blair and her husband have the SAME TRADITION. Oh well, 0 cool points for originality but still fun.

In years past, the ornaments have sometimes been sentimental, like our first Christmas where Brian gave me an ivory engraved ornament we could change every year. Or a cute ornament, like the stuffed Santa Brian placed on our tree last year to remind us to always be "nice."

But this year, one of our ornaments had special meaning. As we pulled the tree decorations out of the box, Brian rustled through the newspaper wrapped packages looking for one in particular. He slowly unwrapped the paper and walked over to the tree. He found a special place, stepped back and wrapped me into a big hug. It was the "Papa Chair" I gave Brian the first Christmas after we started trying for a baby, probably accompanied by a wink knowing that 2008 would be the year we would hold a little one in our arms. That chair has sat on our tree the last 3 years as a reminder to not give up hope for God's promises.

And this year after unwrapping that ornament it reminded us of our life as a family of three and how amazing that truly is after this long journey. So we have spent this Christmas season going to Christmas carol concerts, shopping at special stores, reading books by the fire and celebrating a baby who was unbelievably even more special than ours.

O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting Light

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight

~"O Little Town of Bethlehem" by Rector Phillips Brooks

Reprinted from my weekly column at Southern Mommas