Christmas Joy

Today was just about perfect!

It started with my delightful children being patient while Daddy read Luke 2.

Then they enjoyed passing out presents and watching one another receive. Really! They weren't too anxious to get on with ripping open their own -- they were sincerely interested in what everyone else was opening and took turns with grace. Sweet!

Then our cousins and aunts and uncles came over to share the Christmas Casserole, and my children shared toys and played and gifted and laughed and made happy memories with extended family. I didn't have that opportunity much growing up, so it always strikes me as a beautiful thing when cousins interact, but especially when they do so pleasantly.

Then it was time to head over to the other side of the extended family for more joyful bonding experiences. Seriously -- today was a blessed day of loving one another, like a little piece of heaven on earth.

How grateful I am for such an amazing extended family! For everyone's willingness to just get along despite our idiosyncrasies. We're well aware that we're not perfect, but we love each other anyways because we're committed to loving each other and putting each other's happiness so high on each other's priority-lists that we all know our happiness will be taken care of, so we can relax and relish in selfLESSness and not bend to the lows of selfISHness.

Sitcoms nowadays make it look like holidays are great, *except* for the part about getting together with the dreaded in-laws. Well, my Christmas was merry mainly *because* of my fabulous in-laws! I'm so grateful for them and for their good example over the years. It's rubbed off even on my side of the extended family!