Christmas in Houston

Dear John,

We have just gotten back from our annual Christmas trip to Houston.  It was one in the morning when we got home.  You slept in the car and were wide awake when we walked in the door, so we let you play.

Your dad and I unpacked the car.  You played with your new fish toys as we unloaded them into your room.  You even brought your new cars over to see the fish.

I put together your new rocket toy.  You played with it and your "robot" helmet.

It is now almost four in the morning and you are finally asleep.

I think it is safe to say that you loved your Christmas presents so far this year!

So who got your these wonderful gifts and what fun things did we do while we were in Houston?

Well, in Houston, though, you got to see the Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens.

You also got to see the Rainforest Pyramid and a little bit of the Aquarium Pyramid (before nap time).

From there, we went to your Grandma's house.

That's where you got your new cars (from Grandma) and your new fish accessories (from Aunt Jennie Sue and Aunt Jennifer) as well as a train book and puzzles from Uncle Dave, Aunt Suzanne, Uncle Nick and Aunt Kay.  For that evening, though, those cars were your favorite.

Your grandma was most impressed because when we left, before we even got out of the neighborhood, you announced from the backseat "My dreen-wahntur! I wost it!"  You had left your Green Lantern car at Grandma's and realized it right away.


The next day, Gram met us for breakfast and then we went to the Lone Star Flight Museum, which you thought was very neat.

Then we went to a playground where you and your sister and your daddy had a slide race.

Daddy won.

Our next stop was The Spot, where you found a quiet place in the corner to play with your other new truck while Aunt Dani, Aunt Kathi and I unwrapped our artwork gifts to and from each other.

Our last family visit was with the Roberts side of the family.

Your dad and Gram cooked a delicious dinner.

Then, after dinner, we all sat around visiting while you and your sister opened and played with your gifts.  This is where you got your awesome rocket ship at the astronaut helmet that turns you into a robot from Nana and Gram and a fun toy piano from Aunt Gerri and Uncle Dale that you played with on the road trip home.

So, yes, you got some handsome gifts and I'm glad that you love them so much, but mostly, you got to reap the joy of giving that those who love you are sowing in you right now.  It made your grandmothers and aunts so happy to see you so happy with your gifts.  It's why I took so many pictures of you playing with your new toys.  So many of your toys, like the fish and the rocket, you didn't get to play with in front of them and I wanted them to know that as soon as you got home, they were out and in your room and you loved them.

The message isn't that you got cool presents for Christmas.

The message is that you are so loved that wonderful gifts were given to you.

The message is that God so loved us that on Christmas, he gave us His Son.

It's a stretch, I know, to go from fish and rockets to the baby in the manger, but I am hoping that the joy of Christmas builds from the one to the other until you have a clear idea in your heart of where that joy comes from and what Christmas should really be about.

And just to make sure that bridge gets built, we came home in time for the Christmas Eve service where I know that Ms. Elizabeth will have a wonderfully clever way of doing just that.

Love,
Mom