In my daughters eyes...

So the beginning of my blogging journey leaves me here, the week before Christmas.  I have always been a big fan of Christmas, but am finding that I am becoming more and more fond every year.  I am inclined to think that it is because I am able to see the holiday through my children's eyes.  The magic-ness that is associated with the holiday seems much more enticing when you forget about all of the scurrying about and tasks that need to be done, and just stop to see things the way they do.  Erinn was only 5 months old for her first Christmas, and I am pretty positive that I was WAY more excited than she was.  I remember thinking that I couldn't wait for her to really be able to embrace the whole idea of Santa and for HER to be excited about it, and not just me.  Well, that day has arrived.  She truly believes, and sometimes I have to stop myself and remember that I am Santa, and that he really does not exist.  Today at her school party, she received a letter from an elf in the North Pole, and the look in her eyes was enough to make me smile.  Regan is also a believer, seemingly sooner than Erinn ever was.  No matter where Santa shows up, the mall, her school, on the green in town, she is taken in by who he is.  It makes me want to just take care of all the mundane tasks as quickly as possible, so that I can just stop and enjoy it from their viewpoint.

Thus far, we have rung in the holiday season with many stage debuts.  Erinn was a reindeer and had a solo with Miss Kate for her holiday dance recital.  Regan was a Santa Baby and a Frosty the Snowman in this same production, and an angel in her school pageant.  Mattelyn has been on stage 10 times as the baby princess in the production of Sleeping Beauty at the Sherman Playhouse and has also made an appearance in the church Christmas pageant as baby Jesus!  They all did such an amazing job, and of course I am the ever-beaming-with-pride Stage Mom.  We have also gone to the tree lighting, cut down our own Christmas tree, sang various carols, and had school holiday parties.  On our to do list this week is a gingerbread house.  This will be a first for us, and I am excited!

Angevine Farm- Regan had to pose with this extra branch.

Tis the Season

St. Francis Xavier Christmas Pageant (this poor little Mary probably had a sore arm from holding my porker)

Holy Infant Pageant - My Angel

Being blessed with my children has definitely been one of the main highlights of my life.  And aside from all the magic-ness that Christmas has to offer, they say it is also a time to reflect.  I know that I am making a more concerted effort, not just at this time of the year, to stop and appreciate all that I have been blessed with. Who knows, perhaps that is a good resolution for the year to come.  But whether it be  a smile on my face from pride at my daughters accomplishments, just looking at them through the day to marvel at how they are growing, or taking the time for just one extra hug, I know that I AM appreciative.  I can't imagine my life without them, and for now, I feel fortunate to get to see things through their eyes.  Now I know exactly how my Mom felt.  My children are everything, my family is everything.

So I leave you with that, and hope that all of you have a most amazing Christmas this year.  One filled with magic and gratitude.  And a hope that you can stop and enjoy even just a moment of it from a different perspective.  Merry Christmas to all of you from the Williams Family!

*I would also like to include that there are times that I want to string these three beauties up by their toes, but I chose to focus on the positive.

Until we meet again...
-A