Anticipation

It's supposed to snow again.

The boys can't wait.

Carter has been singing..."I don't have no gifts to sing...rump bum bum....rump bum bum....I don't have no gifts to sing....rump bum bum...rump bum bum" in his own offbeat little tune. I hope to capture it on video before he learns the correct words.

Each night a few more presents show up under the tree and each day the boy's are a little more anxious.

And so am I.

The anticipation of Christmas day is exciting.

Howard and I have a tradition that the boys haven't been privey to so far. We sleep on the floor "under" the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. All the lights off execpt for the lights on the tree.
We talk about what we look forward to most the next day. Quiet little pillow talk in case we get caught by litte ones. Two grown people tiptoeing around in their own house, getting silly with anticipation of what's to come the next day. We are always awake on Christmas morning before our boys are...so any evidence of a slumber party is destroyed. I imagine the day the boys find out it's over. They will beg and plead to join the fun and our little secret will be no more. But for now, it's one of our favorite traditions that only the two of us know about.

Tonight I made tamales in preparation for Christmas dinner with my parents. My sister and her husband made the meat tamales a few days ago and I made the sweet pineapple ones. While they were steaming on the stove I wrapped presents and talked with my grandma on the phone about Christmas. Seems we're both anxious about it in different ways.

Our Christmas eve will be spent at Howard's parents and Christmas day with my parents.

Then more anticipation.

Our friends from Costa Rica are flying in the day after Christmas and we will have a traditional dinner on Saturday with them. So the tamales are for us and the ham is for them! Go figure. But these are friends we have had for 13 years and since seeing them 2 years ago, they have added a little one to their family. Something more to look forward to... a litte tiny baby.

I can't help but wonder if this anticipation is only a slight window into the anxiety, fear, joy and hope Mary felt when she knew Jesus's birthday was drawing near. I just wonder.

Merry Christmas friends.

Love, Mandy