Family Traditions

First, I have to say thanks to Ryan for that sweet post on 11/25. I am eternally grateful to have the opportunity to stay home with Camden and I so appreciate his willingness to work hard and to make those little sacrifices to give me the chance to do so. Having come from a job where I had formal observations on a semi-regular basis, it's been a change for me to be in a "job" where I may not know the results of my performance for many, many years. Hearing from him that I am "at or above expectations" was very gratifying...so thanks.

Thanks for indulging me...now, for my post.

Every family has their holiday traditions. You know, those things that you have to do during the holidays. For my family growing up, it was White Christmas. Every Christmas Eve we would all sit down and watch the movie together - reciting many of the lines as the movie played and of course, my parents would always sing the "Mandy" song to me and Maria and I would always sing the "Sister" song - it just wasn't Christmas until we had seen it.

When it comes to being sentimental, I am not a "things" person. Perhaps it comes from living in an apartment where space is a highly valued commodity, but I am not into tchotchkes, I don't really collect things, I read magazines and newspapers ASAP so I can get the clutter out of my house (that I come by honestly from my Granny Wagoner) and I don't need a trinket from every place I travel to remind me that I went there...that's just how I am.

In the last few months (i.e. since Camden's arrival) I have been slightly more sentimental...but only slightly. I still don't want Precious Moments figurines scattered all over the house, but I am keeping a few things to put in his scrapbook and I've decided that if it's sentimental and it can serve a purpose - not just sit around and help me earn my "professional dust collector" title - then it can stay.

Another thing I have learned about traditions is that when you have a baby, traditions have to be flexible because they have to change. Since Camden isn't really old enough to remember all of it this year, we've decided to go to NC one last time for the big day. Next year, we'll stay home and do Christmas morning and the whole Santa thing at our home and then head to NC after the holidays. While it's exciting to start thinking about what we'll do as our family traditions, it did just dawn on me that next Christmas will be the first one in my then 32 years on this earth that I have not seen White Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve. I know my parents will be flexible and that even though they'll still watch it on Christmas Eve, they'll watch it again with us when we get there. It is a little sad...but at the same time I am excited about what will be our family traditions.

One tradtition that has been ours for the last few years is Rudolph. I don't know why that choppy, clamation story has been so important to me, but if I don't see it...it's just not Christmas. And for some reason, even though I have it on DVD, I still have to see it on TV with all the commercials. Ryan found out when it was coming on a few weeks ago and it's been on the calendar as a night that he couldn't work late...he too knows the significance of this night.

So last night, we sat down as a family and started what will be one of our family traditions. We watched Rudolph together. Okay...I mostly watched Camden watch Rudolph...but still, you get the picture.

In the years ahead, I am looking forward to watching Camden perform in the children's program at church, waking up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa has brought and eating Christmas tree shaped pancakes on Christmas morning...but I don't want to hurry those things...right now, I just want to enjoy my baby's first Christmas - which can officially happen now that we've seen Rudolph. :o)

Merry Christmas to all of you and whatever it is that "makes it Christmas" for you, enjoy it. Enjoy also the time you'll have with friends and family as we celebrate what "makes it Christmas" for all of us...the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!!!