Merry Christmas!

I hope no one checks this blog on December 25th because you are so busy spending time with your loved ones.

I love Christmas. Everything about it. Mostly - I love what this day celebrates. I'll try not to get all church-y on you... but suffice it to say, the real meaning of this holiday is never lost on me. Tomorrow we'll get to celebrate the birth of our great Savior. And if nothing else - just take a few minutes between the crazy of Christmas day to reflect on it. Give Him some alone time and thank Him. He'll show Himself to you - I promise.

So now... let me lay it out for you!

My Top Ten Favorite Things of Christmas:

10) Hassling Chad for the week before Christmas to let us open our presents to each other early. Okay, fine just one of the little ones. Really? Not even a stocking present?! Sheesh.

9) Getting Christmas cards in the mail. For those friends you don't get to see often, it's just a nice reminder that they care about you and are thinking about you.

8) Hearing a Christmas carol for the first time on the radio! Unfortunately, I think I heard one on Nov. 1st. If they could just wait until the day after Thanksgiving, I'd be a happy woman.

7) Wrapping presents. I loooove wrapping presents.

6) Finding that perfect gift that you know someone will love. There is nothing worse than buying something and saying, "Eh. This will work."

5) Giving back to someone less fortunate. It sounds silly - but honestly, I have no doubt Chad and I had more fun shopping for our Operation Christmas Children and our Angel Child than we did shopping for anyone else.

4) Singing "O Holy Night" or "Silent Night" at the candlelit Christmas eve service. I cry every time.

3) Mom's dinner of homemade ravioli. It is the absolute best.

2) Spending time with my family - laughing, telling stories, and just being together and thankful for what we have.

1) The inevitable moment when you look around the table at all the people you love, and just stop for a minute and feel overwhelmed in gratitude. I wait for that feeling every Christmas.

So I hope you all have a very, very Merry Christmas full of blessings!