Day 968: Best Parts of Christmas

Getting up in the night with a newborn is somehow more exhausting when you're not at your own home.

I don't know why.  It just is.  Plus, I've missed way too many afternoon naps.

I'm tired.

But there were still Joyful Moments today.

This morning, the dads, my dad, and my s-i-l who bravely came to this reunion even though my brother had to stay home (work is so lame sometimes) took all but two of the grand kids on a hike.  They had Joyful Moments and HH photographed them (I'm so proud!), but they weren't mine.

Those of us still home, my mom, me, my two sisters, my oldest niece, and Darling A got some work done around the house and then ventured out to the mall.  Solely to indulge me.  My sweet mother-in-law got me some super cute clothes for my upcoming birthday.  But, they were from a store that we don't have at the North Pole and unfortunately, weren't the right sizes.  So, we headed out to that store and I had the awesome experience of having four other women picking clothes out for me and giving me their invaluable opinions.  So fun!

For the first 15 minutes and then I was so ready to be done, but still struggling to find something I liked that fit my still not there body.

Fortunately, at the last moment, my sister brought me a new shirt and I loved it and it went perfectly with a skirt my other sister had picked out.  Huge Joyful Moment.

Love it!  Thanks to all of you who indulged me and helped make it fun!

In the afternoon we did some crafts and service.  I had Joyful Moments going around photographing all of it and helping out where I could.

Then, this evening we did the Nativity, acted out by the kids.

It had some incredibly spiritual moments and some irreverent moments.  But it was beautiful and fun.  And another Joyful Moment.

Then I kind of freaked out and had just some yucky moments as we finalized the overwhelming task of finding, gathering, and packing all of our things so we can go home tomorrow.  Bleh.

Then, the adults talked this evening in a Family Council and we shared different things important to us. It had some incredibly spiritual moments and some irreverent moments.  And a lot of Joyful Moments.

And then we hugged everyone good night and headed to bed to get a few hours of sleep before we leave early tomorrow morning.

Wishing you all Joyful Moments that have some spiritual and some irreverent moments, as you do need both in life!