Where did the time go? What did I do with it? Can I please get it back?
As I sit here in my quiet living room, with the boxes of Christmas decor I have begun to put up and my empty tree....I feel the Christmas blues beginning to sink in. Why does this day come and go so quick? I always know it's coming and have months to prepare, but when it is finally here I feel like I didn't have the slightest minute to catch my breath....It makes me so sad to see my most favorite time of the year end.
December started off great, we hosted the Cousin Christmas Ornament Exchange at our house, participated in various church events, school events, work events, and family and friends events. We looked at lights together with close friends, had dinners, lunches, and much more....My blog could go on and on if I shared everything we did and how it was special, but as I reflect on this Christmas season, I must share that my most favorite has been the last 3 days of it all.
Christmas Eve is always the night we go to my Mama's big family Christmas with my Papa, my aunts, and all of my cousins. We all draw names on Thanksgiving and that determines who we give a gift to on Christmas Eve. It's always fun to see what that person picked for you. Everyone tries to give meaningful gifts and we don't open all at the same time. We seriously do ONE present at a time and we all look at each one to see what the other has gotten. After the present is opened and show, we all say "Good Present, Good Present". Some presents get more applause and approval, if the audience agrees it was an exceptional present. (haha, we aren't mean about it, I promise)
Now, I would be lying if I said that everyone likes to do that. I'm not sure how it started, but it's become a thing we do, and if you don't hear a "Good Present" after your gift that you gave, it is the first word out of your mouth, "um, I don't get a 'good present'?" Look, we are a weird family...It's our thing. It is what it is and I love it. Does it make Christmas Eve last till almost 11pm, yes it does...but it's fun.
On this Christmas Eve, we had several fun and exciting things happen. Our cousin, Beth, started a tradition of a Christmas Video, we send in pictures to her and she creates a video of our family from the end of the last Christmas Eve up until a few weeks before. We get to see the key moments of each little family's year all wrapped up in a video. It's amazing and it has become one the biggest hits of the night each year. On this particular video, the last couple of pictures were all of our cousin, Justin, and his girl friend, Adrianne. When their pictures hit the screen, he hit one knee and asked her to MARRY HIM!
She said YES! It was such a fun night and of course we all had to stop for several photo ops and to celebrate the Future Mr. and Mrs.!
Later that evening, after all of the Good Presents had been opened....my cousin, Jason, announced probably one of the coolest things anyone in our family has ever done. He PUBLISHED A BOOK. Not just any book, a book with my Papa's most precious and funny stories. He had my cousin, Lindsay, and 2 of my aunts help him on this project. And with their help, they produced this beautiful masterpiece that captivates my Papa's timeless memories into the first Volume. Tears were rolling, emotions flying, and pride soaring as these stories who were just mere memories became words on a page that would never be forgotten by our future generations.
Our Papa has been battling cancer for quite sometime, every year is a gift that we get to spend with him. I look at his little slim body, that used to be so thick and strong, and it makes my heart physically hurt. I look at his face that used to be so full, and now is so thin. However, I listen to his voice and it hasn't changed a bit. His stories are the same, his jokes are still there, and his sweet terms of endearment are still as cute as ever. He could have easily decided to "skip" Christmas and avoid coming, but he came and made the night by allowing his to stories to be published into this book that will live on forever. I pray for many more Christmas Eves with his special heart, and I realize that all those years I looked forward to Christmas Eve for Santa to come and for presents to arrive that those things were never that important at all. As I sit here with tears streaming down my face, I can honestly say presents and gifts mean nothing compared to who is giving them. I love my Papa, parents, my brothers, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, and I have learned that they are what makes this season the "most wonderful time of the year." The Lord has given me an abundance of blessings, and I have spent some precious time counting each and every one of them.
So, overall, Christmas was very precious and I feel like my heart could explode with those blessings. I felt like this season went so quick, I wanted to savor every moment and I truly tried. However, on some days I feel like I was just rushing through to get to the next event.
For those of you that felt a little like me, I pray that you this coming year can be one for memories in the little moments. That's what my cousin's book is all about, enjoy the little moments that become memories that turn into stories for generations. I pray for the next year to be one full of grace to help you as you go from event to event that your mindset changes to see that it is really from memory to memory....These will be the moments you will remember forever.
Perhaps, none of that makes sense to you. Maybe you are one that the season drags for you? Maybe you lost a loved one this Christmas, maybe you are walking through a sorrowful season that makes you not quite feel up to celebrating full force, maybe you and a family member aren't quite getting along....If that's the case, please know that you are not a grinch, you are not a scrooge, you are a person, with real feelings that matter. I pray that next year that void in your heart is filled and you no longer feel the sorrow or the pain. I pray that next year you will full of Joy and can look back on this year and see how far you've come. I pray that next year, your year this year can be a testimony for friends and loved ones. I pray that next year you will look back and can say, "This truly is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."
Can't wait to share our London trip with you guys, but until then Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Living to make Jesus Famous,
Amy and Seth DuVall
xoxoxox
For those of you that felt a little like me, I pray that you this coming year can be one for memories in the little moments. That's what my cousin's book is all about, enjoy the little moments that become memories that turn into stories for generations. I pray for the next year to be one full of grace to help you as you go from event to event that your mindset changes to see that it is really from memory to memory....These will be the moments you will remember forever.
Perhaps, none of that makes sense to you. Maybe you are one that the season drags for you? Maybe you lost a loved one this Christmas, maybe you are walking through a sorrowful season that makes you not quite feel up to celebrating full force, maybe you and a family member aren't quite getting along....If that's the case, please know that you are not a grinch, you are not a scrooge, you are a person, with real feelings that matter. I pray that next year that void in your heart is filled and you no longer feel the sorrow or the pain. I pray that next year you will full of Joy and can look back on this year and see how far you've come. I pray that next year, your year this year can be a testimony for friends and loved ones. I pray that next year you will look back and can say, "This truly is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."
Can't wait to share our London trip with you guys, but until then Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Living to make Jesus Famous,
Amy and Seth DuVall
xoxoxox
