Advent - Reflection on Week Two

Dear Jack,

This was the second week of Advent and I have been trying so hard to enjoy every moment of it with you.

This is your one and only toddler Christmas. Next year, you will be a little two and a half year old boy. You will be able to do so much more and enjoy more, but you won't be the little guy you are this year.

So I want to enjoy it all.

On the sixth day of Advent, we opened a new book Christmas in the Manger and found some crafty stickers inside.

On the seventh day of Advent, we opened more craft supplies, but these were less Jack-friendly.

On the eight day of Advent, we opened The Tale of the Three Trees.

On the ninth day of Advent, we opened the manger and animals that go with the Little People Nativity set -- this was one of your favorites.

On the tenth day of Advent, we opened stickers to go on presents and went out to Ft. Hood the the Nature in Lights display.

On the eleventh day of Advent, we opened the movie Santa Claus is Coming to Town which I enjoy as a fun story despite my aversion to the actual practice of believing in Santa. We also tried to go to Pioneer Farms, found it closed, went to Kaleidoscope Toys instead and then went to Wolf Ranch with the Fords so that their dogs could get pictures with Santa.

On the twelfth day of Advent, we opened the book The Nutcracker and then we to go see the ballet.
I enjoyed getting you all dressed up and watching Act I on the TV... in the foyer... while you expressed your displeasure at my decision to ask you to sit through a performance.

You did enjoy getting home and playing with your new nutcracker toy.

Which was nice, since your overall opinion of the ballet was less than enthusiastic.

Still, even though I was in the position of sitting patiently in the foyer of the Jones Hall while passersby commented on the poor tired baby (they were being generous -- you had a nap) on the floor, I still enjoyed the show. I know this is a stage you are going through and feel like as long as your little temper tantrums neither get you what you want nor rob the rest of us of what we want, we'll all be fine.

And we were.

And you will learn.

In fact, I was reminded of this particular light display from the Nature in Lights.

Last year I took this picture.

It's the difference between these two Christmases, I think. Last year, coming off of the loss of Uncle James, I was looking for peace, for a feeling of well being, of knowing that God has a plan beyond anything we can see. This year, I am very focused on finding the joy. Of enjoying each age and stage with you and your sister, no matter what.

Because we are all blessed to have each other and to the mother who has lost a son, to the couple trying to conceive, to the parents of a developmentally delayed child, to those servicemen and women deployed during the holidays and to so many more, the idea of having the privilege of watching your toddler throw a screaming fit in the foyer outside of the Nutcracker ballet is pure joy.

And I'm not going to forget that.

Love,
Mom