my favorite christmas memories

my absolute favorite part of christmas while growing up was when my dad read us the christmas story on christmas eve. we would gather up every candle that we could find in the house and bring them to our coffee table, placing them around the nativity. my sisters, my mom and i would cuddle up together and listen to my dad read the story of christ's birth from luke 2. as busy as christmas eve was... coming and going from church, getting ready for bed, wrapping the last of the gifts... there was not one year it was missed.

my first christmas with matt i wanted so badly to continue with the tradition that held such a special place in my heart. matt had been laid off from work in september and things were rather tight. i remember coming home one day to a christmas tree standing in the living room of our apartment a week before christmas. matt, knowing how much it meant to me, swallowed his pride and walked onto a tree lot just a few days before the big day. he asked, "how much for a tree?" the man said "$10.00." matt pulled a couple of bills out of his pocket, "i have $8."

christmas eve finally rolled around and we headed out to new jersey to spend it with my folks. we arrived back home late that night, walked into our living room and below our beautifully lit $8 tree there was one gift. i looked at matt and he looked at me. we had no idea what it was. we carefully tore back the wrapping to find a nativity set of our very own. i set it up in the window... and brought as many candles as i could find to the window sill as well. i cuddled up next to matt on the couch and stared at the nativity set with tears in my eyes. he opened the bible to luke 2.

my mother in law, chris had snuck into our apartment while we were out and placed the nativity beneath the tree. she had not just given me the gift that had been enclosed in that box, but she had also made me feel so special, treasured and loved. she had invited me into her family and invited me to share my traditions with her family....

last year aubrey was just about 2 weeks old when christmas came and went. we were a little preoccupied with our precious baby girl. this year matt and i are getting to watch the wonder and awe on our little girls face as she gets to experience the joys of christmas.

i cannot wait until christmas eve...