Christmas Day has come and gone

I learned a great lesson yesterday. Tell you what it is in a minute.

What a day yesterday! Aidan slept in until 8:30AM (I doubt there will be many more of those in the future) and then had a blast opening his presents. Christine really understands that Aidan's favourite thing is unwrapping, so she got all kinds of neat things at dollar stores and discount shops (notebooks, crayons, readers, sticker packs). Aidan just sat there unwrapping, getting all moony over a notebook with a snowman on it and over every other gift. So cool.

We followed this with 90 minutes of panic getting ready to go to Christine's parents for lunch. Had a nice visit, ate a great meal of ham, mashed taters, veggies and cabbage rolls. Topped it off with angel food cake covered in homemade whipping cream and strawberry sauce. Played three games of Euchre in between lunch and coffee and Christine's brother, Gerhard, and I whupped Christine and her dad 3 straight.

Left there at 3, drove home. Dropped off box of received gifts, loaded up box of gifts to go to my Mom's, where we were going to have dinner with my family. Another faboo meal (turkey, dressing, veggies, mashed taters, rolls, trifle and apple pie for dessert). As always, there were a ridiculous amount of presents. Had a great visit with the family, talked on the phone to my Aunt Nancy and my brother, Mike, and really enjoyed myself.

Got home just after 9, bathed both kids, cleaned up the dishes left from Christmas Eve and built a Lego set for Aidan (we misread the box, said ages 5 and up. I needed an hour to build it.). Aidan finally cashed in at 10:30 PM (that's without a nap, folks) and I at last got Aaron to sleep at 1 AM.

Here's the lesson.

I don't get a million presents anymore (although Christine went out and got my degree all framed for me. It looks AMAZING! And I did order myself a SWEET Home Theatre System), but spending the day seeing the excitement on Aidan's face (he hardly ever stopped smiling) and being with my wonderful wife, my awesome collection of nieces and nephews (who brighten my day everytime I see them) and the people I cherish most in this world was infinitely better than any material gift I could ever hope for.

Next to my salvation, the greatest gift God has given me is the people I love. Spending yesterday with them was a constant reminder to me that this season is a marvelous gift from God and it is a gift that can be enjoyed EVERYDAY.

Funny how I needed 37 years to learn that lesson.

Whoops, Aaron's awake. Gotta go.

Blessings.