the advent roundup

As per our usual, this season is obviously not busy enough so lets throw in a festive activity every day, we continued our beloved tradition of lining up our wooden tree with 25 sparkly envelopes.  A rhythm is beginning to take root as we scribble on the fly and make room for the simplest of moments.  But there is a lot of tangible giddy over the opening of the envelope even when it's just to share the gift of a complement around the dinner table.  So with conflicted hearts and lots of grace we persevere in the merriment.

Day 1 ~ 

It’s Advent!  Advent Means “the coming that is awaited”.  The Jewish People waited a long time for their Savior to come.  Jesus was born on Christmas and their waiting was over!  Their Savior had arrived!!!  On Christmas we celebrate Jesus birthday, and as WE wait for that special day, we can remember what it was like to wait for him the first time.  Today is the FIRST Day of Advent.  Every day will we do something special in anticipation of the arrival of Jesus’ Birthday.  Today we get out the nativity set and we will also set out a special "manger."  

Day 2 ~ Decorating the tree

 Day 3 ~ Window Cling Day!  (Apparently with a graffiti theme this year)

 Day 4 ~ Family Game Night

 Day 5 ~ Christmas bath... or make your own beer sampler

 Day 6 ~ Ladies tea and boys target practice day (just whatevs)

 Day 7 ~ Make your own wrapping paper

 Day 8 ~ chocolate lollipops (love me some after Christmas Michaels sales)

 Day 9 ~ Pick a book under the tree for some storytelling (Jolly Christmas Postman is always our highlight)

 Day 10 ~ Luminarios

 Day 11- Christmas jam night (Dance party in the bounce house with iTunes.  This was a new addition this year...thanks B!)  

 Day 12 ~ Tuba Christmas downtown  

 Day 13 ~ Special hike with Daddy

 Day 14 ~ Christmas cookies

 Day 15 ~ Pajama ride! 

 under 8 set get behind the wheel...look out

 Day 16 ~ Ava's Christmas concert

Day 17 ~ Watch Elf and stuff stockings

 Day 18 ~ Celebrate Ian's birthday at the food pantry Christmas party!

(How many exclamation marks should I put down so this sounds fun?  Yes, it was poor timing on this one.  We did take him to Bullwinkles to play two hours of video games later so I think he forgave us.)

 Day 19 ~ Secret act of christmas kindness day

 (photo fail on this day but it was a fun one as we all drew random acts of kindness from a jar and had to report back at the dinner table.  We might have almost been arrested as Ava was seen running in the dark to leave dollar bills and candy canes in the low income housing playground.  I'm pretty sure I saw a woman in her robe at the door with an angry look and a phone in her hand.  Merry Christmas!)

Day 20 ~ Annual Christmas Tea and Tia day

 Day 21 ~ Candlelight service at Hope and Ian and Ava's piano recitals.  Too cute!

 Day 22 ~ Mary Poppins on stage downtown

 Day 23 ~ Reading Christmas books with our favorite animal characters and making bird feeders 

 Day 24 ~ Baby Jesus finds His place in the manger, stockings are opened, coffee cake is baked, presents are under the tree and in what was perhaps the single moment of Christmas clarity, Dad had prepared a Christmas reading in parts.  A perfectly timed pause in the narrative.

Advent 2014 was not for the faint of heart or energy.  I'm still reeling from the spectrum of emotions rushing through me over the past six weeks.  Regardless, Emmanuel has come and continues to enter into the darkness.  That is the miracle no matter where my confused heart leans in the struggle. 

With that said, the benediction honors go to David Wilcox.

So now the stage is set.

You feel your own heart beating in your chest.

This life's not over yet.

So we get up on our feet and do our best.

We play against the fear.

We play against the reasons not to try.

We're playing for the tears burning in the happy angel's eyes

For its 

Love that mixed the mortar

And it's love who stacked these stones

And it's love who made the stage here

Although it looks like we're alone

In this scene set in shadows

Like the night is here to stay

There is evil cast around us

But it's love that wrote this play...

For in this darkness love can show the way.