You're a mean one Mr. Grinch

As I'm sitting here with my cup of coffee and enjoying the sound of the rain, I realized that tomorrow is the last day of sleeping in before school starts. And I got to thinking about my reactions to each of my children's first days. I remember tearing up as we walked them into their classrooms and the overwhelming feeling of love and sadness. My girls are now in 1st and 2nd grade, so while this mama snaps plenty of pictures...I know that they are okay. They are familiar with their school, and those school routines are already engraved in their little minds. But my youngest is 3 1/2. He started school part time last year in special education. And during their open house, we of course made a stop into his classroom and met up with his teachers (he has the same teachers from last year thank goodness!) Micah is autistic, so routine is crucial. And after a 3 month hiatus, we will be starting from scratch again this year. But I'm so incredibly thankful for his teachers. And how much they love my little boy. 

But as the school year starts and summer vacation ends, I find myself longing for the holidays. I'm aware that living in Texas...we could probably barbecue on Christmas, but I love the feeling of winter and joy of holidays. I usually have to restrain myself from decorating too early. My poor husband comes home from work and the house has been transformed into a holiday wonderland. I blame Pinterest..haha! But as we pass Halloween, and Thanksgiving (which in my opinion seems to get completely forgotten by store decorators!) the Christmas fiasco starts. When did it become so jaded? When did standing in line for 8 hours for a toy become the new Christmas? And then I had a thought. This is why so many people hate the holidays. It's become a marketplace of toys, gadgets, and who can spend the most. I want my kids to remember the family time, the baking, and the true meaning of Christmas. Because when they are older and have kids on their own, it's the traditions that they will remember. It's those memories that they will want to instill in their own children. I remember the coziness of the house during the holidays. Hot chocolate and The Grinch playing on the television. The way my mom would bake for hours as Christmas music played in the background. Her famous holiday fudge. And how decorating the house was a family event. 

This has been my mission. And I am so thankful for a family that makes the holidays a happy time. Do I get stressed out over Christmas shopping? Sure. What parent doesn't. But I hope that when it's all said and done, that we can maybe remember that time when it didn't matter how many presents were under the tree. And when Christmas was an enjoyable holiday and not one that had us scared to open our credit card bill. Create traditions. Love your family, and most importantly, celebrate Christ.