On the  second day of Christmas…or is it the first day of Christmas since Christmas actually ends on January 6th, the Day of Epiphany?  Hmmmm…

Yesterday was lovely.  No snow this year, but generous, billowing thoughtfulness drifted down from heaven right up to the house and pushed us in close as a merry and bright winter day settled in around us.  Presents big and small brought oohs and aahs and thank-yous and hugs and kisses.

One especially amazing thing was having three brand new babies here with us, enjoying their very first Christmases.  If our family continues to grow at this rate, we shall be forced to rent a Ski Chalet to house us all!  We are now 22.  Twenty-two!  There are lots of us.

Steph took pics of my little tomatoes…LOVE!

The other day I posted a Kenny Rogers song for my Advent-take-a-deep-breath-and-enjoy-the-season-with-a-song project, and it reminded me how much I love my old Kenny Rogers Christmas music.  Because…

Kids, kids, Christmas is for kids

Look around and you will see kids from one to ninety-three

Laughin’, lovin’ life and bein’ kids

Kids kids, Christmas is for kids

Kids like you and little brother, aunts and uncles, dads and mothers

Grandma, grandpa an’ all the other kids

Our first Christmas

Kenny Rogers released his album, perfectly named “Christmas” in 1981 and the local radio stations in Kokomo, Indiana were playing selections from it.  The one I most remember hearing was the one I used the other day, “Christmas is My Favorite Time of the Year.”  And because that was and is true, I was thrilled when Dave brought the cassette tape home for me a couple of days before Christmas.  I listened and listened to it.

And it was then I discovered his song, “Kids.”  I mean, there I was 22 with a little girl, a handsome husband and another baby on the way.  I was making a home, I was building a family and memories and traditions.  I was trying to figure out how to be a Proverbs 31 wife.  And this song would come on and I would get misty-eyed because I would think of my family of origin and how we all fit…

Daddy runs the ‘lectric train

While all the children wait in vain

To take their turn at playin’ engineer

Grandpa kisses grandma’s cheek

And all the family sneaks a peak

And suddenly their wrinkles disappear

And, *sniff*sniff…I would think about how Christmas was one of the few days of the year I would see my dad just get on the floor and play with toys and not be working so hard.  And I’d recall watching the love between my Grandma and Grandpa Allison, so much affection and so much love shared at Christmas.

Take a look at Betty Joe underneath the mistletoe

Pretending that she doesn’t know it’s there

Then these words…oh my.  I was Betty Jo, and my brothers were teasing me and I could recall it like it was yesterday.  That would SO have been me!  :)

Yes, as a newlywed, I listened to this song and I recalled the Christmases of my childhood and my sweet parents and my grandparents and cousins and aunts and uncles and I so wanted, so-so-so-longed to begin to create the same memories for my family, without even knowing what it would look like.

So the other day, I listened to this song again and wow – now WE are the grandparents in the song.  Uncle Rocky antagonizes the kids with their toys and Guini and Averi might watch for mistletoe and pretend not to see it…

The times and faces have changed.  But the love and joy of Christmas remains.

Here is a song for the 1st day of Christmas.  First.  I’ve decided.

And now it’s when the fun begins

This time of year we all turn into kids

1st Day TRUTH: Jesus’s birth opened eternal doors for our salvation and I just know God was in heaven feeling so pleased with His gift knowing it would change everything for all times.  We receive Him again and again, the greatest Gift we’ll ever know!  Glory to God in the Highest!  What a Merry, Merry Christmas!  :)