Gordon's adventures at Julia's house...

Julia's elf, Gordon, has been busy this season! He comes every day to keep an eye on Julia and reports to Santa each night. We think he has enjoyed his time at Julia's America house.

Gordon found some time to catch up and hang out with some old friends...

We think he is a cowboy-wanna-be. He hung out on Papa and Uncle Kenan's stuff a lot....

 We never knew where he would pop up, always hanging around to keep an eye on things...

... or playing and messing around with Nana's friends!

And sometimes an elf just needs a break, some time to relax with friends...

 But good 'ole Gordon, he always remembered the real reason he was around....to remind us of Baby Jesus, the reason that we celebrate. Just like Gordon sees everything Julia does and reports to Santa, he reminds us that Jesus is the One who is always with us, seeing the good we do and the choices we make, and Jesus is with us all year round, even when Gordon goes to the North Pole.

Thanks for the reminders, Gordon!

Presents and Bows!

I love beautiful Christmas packages! I love wrapping them. My mom always tells me about her Great-Grandmother Gear who always gave the most beautifully wrapped presents. And I remember my Great-Grandmother Hartsfield's Christmas presents, specially wrapped in shiny paper with big, perfect bows at Hemphill Wells in Lubbock. I guess pretty packages somehow remind me of memories, some of which I never even had. Is that even possible?

This was a few weeks ago. Half of them have already been unwrapped, but I still wanted to share the fun! 

My Sick Princess

Poor Baby Girl is sick. She spent most of the day sleeping, but in a moment of feeling somewhat perky, or at least awake, I asked if she wanted to put clothes on. She looked into her closet where I was standing, saw her dress-up clothes from Aunt Janet, and said, "I want to wear the princess dress."

As Rachel (as if she were one of my own, personal Friend) would say, "When you're sick, you do whatever you can to make yourself feel better." (Name that episode, Susan!) I am not sure if it worked or not, but she has had it on all day and does not want to take it off.

And if the princess dress doesn't help her feel better, maybe my Raggety Ann and Andy "sick sheet" will. This is the sheet my mom always gave me to cover with when I was sick as a little girl. I was not often sick as a child, but every time I was, this was my comfort sheet. My mom sent it to me a while ago.

I am not sure it this makes Julia feel better, but it does warm Mommy's heart. When tears stream down her face, though she is not even crying, my eyes well with tears as well at the reality that I am a mom and  we are creating our traditions, even if they are traditions not under the best of circumstances. 

Sweet Baby Girl has been cuddly all day. When I leave, in a matter of minutes she calls me back. I was letting her try to eat on her floor nap mat earlier today. She called me and said, "Mommy, come. Sleep with me and feed me Wheatabix." And she meant it literally. She wanted me to lay down with her, reach around and feed her her cereal. 

I am also sick, and in a coughing fit, she reached up and touched my face.

(Julia) "Let me feel your face. You feel okay, Mommy?" 

(Me) "Yes, baby. I just have a cough like you."  

(Julia) "We be sick together. Mommy and Julia, we both sick together."

(Me) "Yes, sweetie, but we will feel better real soon."

(Julia) "Yes, me sweetie and you be better soon, Mommy."

Isn't she the sweetest?!

15. Sweet baby hands wrapped around my neck in a hug.

16. Comfort wrapped in Raggety Ann & Andy sheets.

17. 7-minute emails!!

18. Boys chasing puppies - puppies chasing boys.