Christmas Eve

I did not attend church on Christmas Eve for the first time since I can remember.  To be clear, I was at church for several hours.  We got dressed up

 

and volunteered to help in the nursery because it's always a zoo and they have trouble finding help on Christmas Eve.  But the boys were just done by the time we actually got to the 7:30 service. I'm a big fan of "pick your battles" parenting, and once I decided that staying in church was not a battle I was going to fight (especially sitting in the front row), we packed up and headed home. 
My heart was heavy - I do not know how people celebrate Christmas without hearing the message of hoping, seeing the candles lit, feeling the palpable sense of expectation.  And I miss it desperately.  I feel selfish saying that I would rather put my needs ahead of theirs on Christmas Eve, but for one night of the year at least, it's true.  But we headed home.  So in lieu of the church service, we did something we have never done before.  We took a cupcake (thank goodness it was my week to bake for Meals on Wheels and I had leftovers!), put a candle in it, lit the candle, and sang "Happy Birthday" to the baby Jesus.  Thank you for the idea, Expectations Sunday School class!  It's not quite the same as a church load of people bathed in candlelight singing, "Silent Night", but for 2012, this is Christmas Eve for the boys and me.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.