Christmas time!

In my mind it is now officially my FAVORITE time of year! I was eagerly waiting for Halloween to pass so that I could pop in a Christmas CD and not feel too weird.

Some of you may think that it is still too early. "What about Thanksgiving?" you may ask...

I say that Thanksgiving is all a part of the Christmas season! Its all the same too me. Its about celebrating with family and friends. Its about decorating and enjoying the magic of it all. Its about extended holiday shopping hours. Christmas trees and garland up at every store. Words like "Wish, Wonder, and Magic" dangling from the ceiling at Target :-)

I love it all!

Please don't think that I forget the true meaning of Christmas in it all though. I remember my precious Savior! Its the Christmas songs that I have already started listening too that bring me back to Him so frequently. The one I heard today (and then played over and over...and over again) is Faith Hill's "A Baby Changes Everything" which talks about how Mary's life was changed when she discovered she was pregnant and then how when she delivered her sweet perfect baby, the whole world changed. I cry every time I hear the powerful "Hallelujahs" after she sings about the "choirs of angels" singing at Jesus's birth. Oh the chills it gives me! Praise Him!!

Every Christmas is special and magical, but this year is even more so because for the first time in 3 years, MY HUSBAND WILL BE HOME!

Three years ago B was in AIT (Army school) in Maryland and missed Thanksgiving but was able to fly home just a couple days before Christmas. We were so lucky that he was able to be with us on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but he missed the entire "season" of celebrating with me and our 20 month-old daughter.

Two years ago, he deployed early in November when our newborn baby was just 15 days old. I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in Atlanta with our families.

Last year, he deployed again in November and missed Thanksgiving and Christmas. The kids were a little bigger so we decorated a small tree at our home in North Carolina but once again spent Thanksgiving and Christmas at home in Atlanta with our families.

But, THIS year B will be home with us for Thanksgiving (here at our house) and then for Christmas (in Atlanta). We have lots of plans for the season. My parents are coming up this way for Thanksgiving. We will be heading to Johnson City, TN to visit our good friends in early December and then we'll be spending two weeks in Atlanta for Christmas. I can't wait for B to go to Stone Mountain Park with us and see the wonder and amazment in the faces of our children as they see the seemingly millions of lights and decorations. I have taken C with me and my sisters for the past couple years, but this will be the first year B will be able to join us. I can't wait!

I can't help but be overjoyed that our whole family will be together this Christmas season, but I also can't help but to think of those families who have a deployed Mommy or Daddy. Some of my facebook friends' husbands are deployed and I know that they'll be facing Christmas alone with their kids. It makes me feel sad for the thousands of men and women serving around the world and their families back here and abroad that are without them. Thus is the life of a military family! Please keep them in your prayers as you celebrate with those that you love!

I'm off to stop my daughter from going through our ENTIRE roll of masking tape as she makes "crafts" all around the house. I just stopped her from stringing up tape across a doorway...

Merry Christmas and Happy Thanksgiving!!!