Twas the Night Before Christmas

In the days leading up to Christmas Eve, there were moments when I thought I was going to come undone.  I'm not really sure why, other than I just felt overwhelmed with work, shopping, planning...trying to spend time with friends while also keeping a running "to do" list in my head at all times - all the things most Americans are dealing with in the month of December!  My friend Anna and I kept quoting a funny napkin I had seen - "She's one plum pudding away from a Yuletide meltdown!"  But then Christmas Eve came, and everything was done, and God just gave me an incredible sense of peace as we officially started "Christmas."  We met Rich, Lori and Tanner at church that afternoon, and we had time to visit before the service started.  She was a little worried about Taylor, this being his first Christmas not at home, and he hadn't been on Facebook for a few days.  She said she was trying not to dwell on him not being here, but still, it was hard.  After all, he's only 19!  

After church we all came back to our house and soon the kitchen was filled with the Millner clan, Nana and Badoo.  We were eating and visiting and again, all the little chores that go into planning the holiday just sort of fade away and you just start enjoying the moment.  Sarah had everyone watch "A Social Network Christmas" on YouTube, which is a really clever video someone made as if Mary and Joseph were on Facebook at the time Jesus was born.  We also had the computer all set up in the den so that we could Skype with Taylor later that night (it's truly a modern Christmas!).  

After dinner we all gathered to open gifts.  No matter how old you are, this is always fun!

Sarah thanks Badoo for an iTunes gift card

MT, Tony and Sydney gave John this great shark hat...

... to match his remote control helium shark
Badoo got him!  Scary!!!!

We gave Sydney a silver charm bracelet - she
loves to collect things so hopefully she'll
collect lots of charms! 

We were about half way through opening all the gifts when our doorbell rang.  We were expecting Taylor's friend Conner to stop by to say hello so Sarah jumped up to get the door.  From the foyer we heard her say "It's Taylor!", which I thought was really obnoxious of her...I mean, she knows that Rich and Lori are missing him, and I thought to myself how I was going to have to talk to her later about being more sensitive to other's feelings, but then I glanced into the foyer and saw it really WAS Taylor!  It took a minute for it to even register that it was him - he's supposed to be in Romania!  Needless to say, Lori went nuts.  She screamed and cried and threw her arms around her boy - what a Christmas surprise!  Rich didn't seem too surprised - he was standing there video taping the whole thing, which HE had planned two months ago!  I can't believe he didn't tell a single soul!

This was so fun, definitely one of the biggest surprises I've personally seen.  The pure joy for their family  was so cool to see (we were all happy to see him, but you know, for his mom, dad and Tanner, it was really special, I'm sure).  No one cared anymore about opening gifts...the cousins just wanted him to play in the basement like in years past!  I think Lori just wanted to look at him all night, and as much as he's enjoying Romania, I think Taylor just loved being home.

I would say Rich got all he wanted for Christmas

We visited for several more hours and enjoyed one more year of everyone being home for Christmas.  Soon it was late and time for everyone to head back to their homes.  

A happy family of four... 

..plus their angel Conner who helped pull off the surprise 

Merry Christmas from all the Youngs

After everyone went home it was time to hang our stockings and get ready for Santa.  Sarah indulged me with my annual photo in front of the stockings, next to the cookies and milk that John left out.  The years are going by fast...when will I learn to not worry about the holiday "to do" list and just enjoy my "little" ones being at home?  I know it may not always be that way, but for this Christmas Eve, they are here, and that's all the gift I need.

And to all, a good night!