Christmas in January

As families grow up, they tend to increase in number and spread out geographically; and such has been the case with my family.  This makes it a little challenging to all get together for holidays and other special occasions, but we do the best we can--and miss those who aren't with us when we gather!

This year, because of various schedules, it worked best for my extended family to meet up for our family Christmas on January 2.  Who says Christmas only belongs in December anyway?  :)

My brother and his family coming from Pennsylvania had told me that they were aiming to arrive around noon.  That morning, I looked in the living room and saw this.

Shav was decked out in a Star Wars cloak, his light saber by his side, watching for their arrival.  It was 10:30.  :)

When I told him that he had at least an hour and a half to wait until they got here, he eventually wandered off and found something else to do.  But long before our favorite Pennsylvanians pulled in our driveway, he and Tobin and David were all on high alert, ready to run to the car and give our guests a warm welcome.  :)

This year, the stars of the show were the littlest folks to come.  My niece Sheena had given birth to twin girls two days after Thanksgiving, and this was the first time she had brought them to our house.  Of course, there were lots of arms that were willing and eager to hold those sweet girls!  :)

My sister Donna with her granddaughters (and yes, I know my sister doesn't look old enough to be a grandma)...  :)

I held Aaliyah and marveled at how tiny and light she was.  Benjamin isn't that big, but he sure feels different in my arms than she did!

Tammy kept Benjamin company.

Donna with Aaliyah...

Moriah adores her uncle David and barely left his side all day.

We opted out of the traditional Christmas meal and had a Mexican feast instead...

...and I was grateful that Jeff made time in his schedule (it was a work day for him) to come home to fry the tortillas for the taco shells and then eat with us before returning to the barber shop to finish his day there.

Sheena with one of her girls...  :)

We had given our kids the game Blink for Christmas, and they taught Elizabeth and Isaac how to play.  It's a GREAT game because it's simple to learn, very quick to play, and doesn't require reading so even the very young can play, too.

My mother was here with us, and it was especially meaningful to all of us to see her with Amya in her arms.

We all wanted a picture of that.  :)

And then Aaliyah was placed in her arms, too...

...and though she won't remember it, the rest of us will cherish the memory of the time she got to hold her beautiful great-granddaughters.  She was so happy.  :)

Our David has a special connection with his Uncle David, of course...

...and I was reminded of that, not just when I saw the two Davids together, but also when Moriah wanted Uncle David to read a book to her.  She chose one of her current favorites, No, David, by David Shannon; and as my brother David opened it, I glanced over and saw the notes he and his wife had written inside the front cover when they gave it to my son David when he was just a few months old.  :)

The proud parents with their twins...

When we visited Sheena in December, Moriah had gotten to hold Aaliyah; and at this belated Christmas celebration, she got to hold Amya.

It was like holding a real live baby doll.  :)

Of course I had to take some pictures of the three babies together.  Benjamin's two-month advantage was obvious because next to his tiny, delicate little cousins, he looked HUGE.

I mean, just look at the size of his head compared with theirs!  ;-)

He did a pretty good job of letting them lean on him.  :)

See what I mean about Moriah and Uncle David?

Stuck like glue.  :)

Besides Blink, the boys also taught Elizabeth to play I Doubt It, a card game in which lying is rewarded and the most deceitful person has the best chance of winning.  What kind of morals are we teaching our children anyway??  ;-)

And then it was time to disperse, each little family going off in a different direction, not knowing exactly when we would see each other again.  But what remained in my heart was a fountain of gratitude that on this day, in this space, we had been together.