MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Well, it's 5:52 AM and I'm up!!! I went to bed around 11:30 and was awakened at 4:00 by a sick child. Please pray for Jayden, he's running a pretty high fever pretty steady. It started yesterday afternoon around 5ish. Yes, it was too late to go to the Dr. and now we're stuck until Friday. I'm hoping that it's just a virus and not strep or an ear infection. Part of me is glad he woke me up. Crazy, I know, but you see, I've been wanting to start a new tradition and the time to start it has just NOT been available. I got the idea here. BUT, I tweaked it to fit my family.

Actually, I do write letters (sometimes) to my kids but they're everywhere... a journal here, on the computer, in a card here, etc. etc. They are not in any way organized. This year, I thought how intentional it would be to write each of them a well, thought out letter and place it in an envelope and put it on the tree for them to find when they wake up. Ken got this really nice box filled with popcorn and stuff from one of his students. I'm gonna collect the letters after they read them and place them in this box. I'll pack it away with the Christmas decor and get it out each year to fill with another letter. Hopefully, my kids will be able to look back and read their other letters from year to year and know that Mommy loves them, but God loves them more (the general theme of the letters this year). I hope that Ken helps write letters sometimes,too (are you reading this, Ken?). I hope they grab onto this and really love it.

Anyway, back to why I'm glad Jay woke me up so early. I had this grand plan and idea, but no TIME to carry it out. Last night, we were up late wrapping and planning for Santa's arrival. I crashed and I do mean crashed into bed at 11:30. My brain couldn't have handled the letters at that point. I sighed and thought maybe next year. Jay's little sickness, as bad as it is, woke me. You guys that know me know what that means. Once I'm awake, well, I'm awake. There's no going back to sleep for me. God prodded me and I spent the last 90 minutes writing these letters. Let me tell you, I loved it. God and I spent some time praying and crying as I wrote them, but I loved it. I hope my kids love it as much as I did. I'll let you know in the next hour or so when they crash down the stairs to see all the fun.

Merry Christmas to ALL from the Richmonds.