When we were dating, I sent Leanne an e-mail around Christmas time saying I had a dream that we had a toddler dressed in Christmas pajamas snuggling with us on the couch and looking at tree lights. And after the kid (I didn't know if it was a boy or girl) had gone to bed, we were happily putting together Santa gifts. Well, that was a dream. Here is what really happened seven years later.

It all started yesterday afternoon when our next door neighbor came over with a plate of cookies and an invitation to go with them to their church's Christmas Eve service. She said it was a family oriented service and the kids would be welcome. We knew that they were very involved in their church and that they home school their kids (I don't know if the two are related), but we figured that we'd go and get out of the house with the munchkins

When we got there, it was a mega church. You know the ones with stadium seating for 1000+, a Broadway sized stage, the lyrics to the hymns on a Jumbotron screen and PowerPoint, and rather than a choir - they have Osmond Family singers? That is where they were. The service was pretty standard. Lots of Christmas hymns, lots of kids singing on stage, the biggest Children's Sermon I have ever seen (200+ kids up there!!!), and a Christmasy sermon (that didn't really resonate with us.) The boys were really good. They sat in our laps, munched on Goldfish, cheese, and cinnamon cookies, and watched everyone. That was until the sermon - at which point we let them run around the back of the auditorium (they ran around quietly and weren't disruptive.) I will say that we won't be back. While they say they are non-denominational - the information on their website portrays them as pretty evangelical. They ranked homosexuality right up there with bestiality, adultery, blah, blah, blah. Amazingly, the place didn't go up in flames when we walked in. :)

When we got home, Leanne was feeling horrible (she is still feeling the effects of the bronchitis.) We got the kids to bed (thankfully, pretty easily) and then set out playing Santa. Leanne worked at putting the kitchen together, while I wrapped the kids presents from us, and filled their stockings. When I finished, I helped finish up the kitchen and haul it upstairs so it could be "underneath" the tree. It was all about getting it done. Leanne collapsed into bed by 10 and because I was starving, I found myself in the kitchen at 10:20, eating a frozen pizza, drinking leftover Merlot out of an Ikea plastic kiddie cup, and surfing the 'net. No snuggling toddler, no Christmas tree gazing, no playing Santa with grand anticipation. But it was perfect. It was our Christmas Eve.

Pictures to come...