Christmas Morning

A couple of pictures from Christmas morning. Jack was anxiously awaiting present and stocking opening. He was the first of the kids to awake. Then Derek and sleepyhead Sophie was the last. It just about killed Jack to wait for his sister to wake up. I heard him tell Derek when he was going to try and wake her up, "Shake her real hard." I didn't let them shake her real hard, by the way. Rob got her awake, and the race was on. I woke up at 5am to get ready for church before the kids woke up, we opened presents from about 6-6:45 am. Rob likes to open one at a time, so we can all see what each other's gifts are. I am a little more prone to just a free for all fest, but I know that it is nice to spread out the present time, because it does go so fast. Rob is much more level headed than I am when it comes to opening presents. By 7:10 Jack was dressed and ready to go to church, the other kids were still in their pajama's. He likes to be prompt, hates to be late. So all morning he kept on checking if it was time to leave for church yet?
It was a sweet morning, first opening gifts, then church to celebrate Jesus with the rest of our family, some related by blood, some by marriage, the rest by Jesus. I thoroughly enjoyed Christmas at church. I remember when I was in high school one of my good friends who was Catholic always went to Christmas Eve service, and I think they went to church on Christmas day also. It seems like a great way to remember what the spirit of Christmas is all about.
I watched the Christmas Eve service on television late Saturday night, and I think when the kids are older we might make that a tradition. But it is a little hard on those 8:00pm bedtimes when the Christmas Eve services start 2-3 hours after the kids are normally asleep.
It was a blessed day.
Here we are on December 26, Rob has taken the kids to the movies and then we are headed to celebrate my cousin's daughters birthday out at the lake. I am looking forward to the new year and all it has to bring.
Love, Tammy