The bell rang as I stood by the big 2 yesterday; my 2nd grader soon came around the corner and leaned right on me. "You don't have to go anywhere tonight, do you? We can just hang out?"
Sometimes, the best gift at Christmas is time.
The whirlwind of fun and responsibility that is always there but increases during the holidays can turn my attention to finding every second when children are happily occupied into GO time: GO search online for a teacher gift idea, GO pull recipes for the Christmas party, GO address Christmas cards, GO CRAZY.
But then the phone rings with a friend in need of counsel RIGHT NOW. Or another friend in the midst of a family emergency needs someone to watch her son. Or the achy flu visits me on the last of my calmer days before the big flurry of Christmas schedule.
Sometimes, the best gift at Christmas is time.
So I ignore the things that usually feel so urgent and instead snuggle with Toby, and he actually falls asleep into the nap he's been needing but has subconsiously been fighting for months. I lie on the couch in all my achiness and get the dance show of a lifetime from my Ish who is so happy for all the attention. I bend over international cookbooks with Eli and plan for a big dinner as we celebrate the end of this season's Amazing Race. (Which we will be celebrating on the 21st, the next free night on the calendar - so don't talk about the ending with us yet!) I take those phone calls, I babysit, I make myself slow down and be in TODAY.
Mark comes home and sends me to the couch and takes over my duties so that I can work on getting better.
Sometimes, the best gift at Christmas is time.
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