It's time to celebrate!

Merry Christmas and no more school for two weeks!

I don't know if Gracie or I (or Todd) are more excited about not having school. I feel like a kid again. 

December has been a whirlwind. Right after Thanksgiving break, the kids and I packed up and headed west to the Old Pueblo (Tucson) for a week. While there I came to know I could NEVER homeschool my precious children. Gracie, who would be the best at homeschooling, and I never clicked with the practice. In theory, I really like the idea. 

• Get up, have breakfast, get dressed, begin school work (whether it be 7:00 a.m or 10:00 a.m.) and finish up in a few hours. The rest of the day can be play, errands, a trip to the library.... 

Day one was great. Day two was crying, yelling, and moping  from Gracie who wanted to do MORE work. We got through day 5. But let us all put to rest the idea of homeschooling for our family. It will not happen! 

We had Gracie's Birthday Party in Phoenix. I don't know who enjoyed the trip most, Gracie (seeing her little friends), Katie-Anne & Evan (who had they first sleep over with Caleb and Lilly) or Me (I had lunch with friends, dinner with friends, breakfast with friends...). Todd flew in Friday night for the festivities but I think he felt he was simply the driver. Sorry! 

We had a wonderful time seeing friends and catching up. It is amazing how quickly the kids change when you see them just a few times a year. It makes my heart ache thinking about how much I am missing. Yet, when we get back to Ruidoso, it feels like home. I suppose home is where your husband and children are. 

In the last few months I have come to realize that this truly is the best time of my life. With all of its frustrations, sibling quarrels, daily drives into town, I don't think I would trade it for the world. In the morning, I know where each of my children are, usually bed with us snuggling, the best part of the day for me.  During the day they at school or with me. Dinner is eaten as a family. Yes, they have not perfected their dinner manners but that is coming (one day). And at bed time, we tuck them in. Kisses, snuggles and all. I imagine one day in the future, they won't beg for kisses, plead for us to lay with them, and certainly won't come into our bed in the middle of the night because we are the loves of their lives. Each one of them is the love of our lives, yet one day they will (God-willing) move on and have their own love. And it breaks my heart... it won't be me. I won't be the first to see them in morning, get a kiss or a good cry sitting in my lap. I know that is the plan for life so even more so I want to savor each and every moment right now.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Blessings,

Amy et al