We celebrated the gift-giving part of Christmas a few days early this year to accommodate everyone’s schedules. For four days we had six adults sharing one bathroom. That should give you a clue as to the meaning of this post’s title...

Jonathan and I were out doing some last-minute gift-hunting on “Christmas Day.” When we walked in the door, my Dad greeted us by saying “Merry Christmas! The toilet is backed up – Roto Rooter is on the way!”

Fortunately, Mr. Rooter did his work effectively – probably aided by Jonah repeatedly singing “I’m In The Lord’s Army” with accompanying marching and riding motions right beside him while he worked.

The next evening we went to see the living nativity scene at a local church. There were even some barn animals in a small pen right beside the stable. The boys were enchanted. Jonah sat with my Mom for quite a while as she talked about each of the people. Then Mary glanced Jonah’s way and she smiled at him. Oooooh! He tilted his head down, but kept his eyes on her and gave her a tiny smile. There goes Jonah, flirting with the mother of Jesus again! Good grief!

During the drive home, Benjamin began singing: “You’re happy, you know it, cwap your hands!” (both boys clapped twice).

We spent the actual Christmas Eve in the attic organizing boxes and miscellaneous items that have been up there for literally decades. We spent actual Christmas day baking like fiends: pecan pies, peanut butter cookies, pumpkin breads, waffles, and more Texas sheet cake. Jonathan spent Christmas morning driving around town hunting a retail establishment that was 1) open and 2) sold vegetable oil.  Thank you Walgreen’s!

Other highlights during this festive season:

The night before Christmas we caught my Dad in the act of filling his own stocking. When confronted, he muttered, “I’m hedging my bets.”

The boys are obsessing over “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” Since it starts out with the chorus, happily Jonah bee-bops along in the beginning, but goes into a panic during the verse, crying: “mountain! mountain!”  Benjamin, on the other hand, is taking the Bible at it’s word by attempting to spread the good news to all creation. Including the dinosaurs.  THAT! JEE! SUS! CHRIST! IS! BORRRRRNN!

My Mom made a Texas sheet cake and used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa by accident instead of normal cocoa. It gave the icing an odd, greenish cast and made the cake slightly less sweet. Still tasty, but odd.

My Dad gave me rollerblades so I’ll soon be whipping around the neighborhood – though not behind a double stroller – I’m not as coordinated/brave as my friend Amy! I’ll be falling skating beside Jonathan while he pushes the jog stroller.

The best gift of all was a way cute scrapbook made by B.J. and Katherine with photos and accompanying poems of the boys’ last two years. I’ll be quoting it later – B.J.’s poems are hilarious.

Jonathan and I each received a hour-long session with a wonderful masseuse. Toward the end of my hour she got to my upper back/shoulder area and remarked that it was pretty tight. “We should’ve done this first!” she commented. She worked for a few minutes then added,” Well, even if we’d done this area first I don’t think we would’ve worked through all this tension.”

Yeah, that about sums up the cumulative effect of the last two years.