what i'm learning this holiday season...

this is our olivia.
she is very sweet. very giving. very loving.
she is also dramatic. bossy. and
currently very emotional...

i don't know how to deal very well with girly
drama and hissy fits. lately she's been weeping
over the little things.

underwear... dance class in the spring...
a potential vacation next year...

anything that has to do with the possibility
of not being home or growing up.

in my family you'd be labeled as someone that
had issues with change. i began feeling like
a horrible mom. i couldn't bear knowing that
i may have unintentionally harmed my child
by making her scared of change somehow...

jess knew this was bothering me and pointed
out that that isn't the problem at all. that in
fact there was no problem. what is wrong
with a little girl loving her family so much that
she doesn't want to miss out on a moment
or leave this time in our lives of simplicity?
she feels content...

and so do i. it was at that moment that i
realized that the reason i wasn't into the
christmas spirit this year is because my
christmas spirit had changed. i'm content
in my life and with our family of 5. i know
there will come a time of change. this year
proves that! but for now, i'm just happy
for what i already have and don't feel the
need for anything more.

for me it isn't about the gift giving or the
decorating or the christmas festivities..
it's about our family/families and spending
quality time with them.

we've really enjoyed our 25 nights of christmas
for this very reason. it puts the focus on family
rather then giving and receiving...

merry christmas!