Blessings to you this holiday season and always!

We enjoyed a wonderful season of time with friends and family.  While the kiddos received gifts from loved ones it was AWESOME to see their growth in the area of gratitude.  We'd noticed that this season was bringing a certain level of expectation with them.  Bigger, more, grander, more, when, more, etc....

We started a variety of activities to express gratitude and thankfulness for daily blessings.  It was such a cool thing to experience this with them.  For our eyes to also be more focused on all we have been given.

Christmas morning came, and with wrapped gifts sitting unnoticed under the tree, we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast together.  We spent time with grandparents.  We read, we played.  And no one mentioned wanting to open gifts.  There was a content-ness that came from being thankful for one another and for the gift of family and time.

There is nothing wrong with presents and early morning rushing to see under the tree....  but for us, this year was a great pause and opportunity to refocus.  To grow in thankfulness, to release previously created expectations, to honor traditions of time and service.  To be in awe of the gift of life provided through the birth of the Christ child - who we celebrate this season, and all year.