A Home Filled With Holiday Cheer

This morning I was super motivated. I got the boys up and out the door on time-despite the fact that it was about 29 degrees outside. We chatted as I drove and I made sure to keep the small talk upbeat, hoping that it would help the three oldest Dermody kids start the day out on a positive note. When I got home I pressed play on the new Christmas Sing Along CD I bought last year on clearance after Christmas and got right into washing dishes and bleaching the counters. Rowan came downstairs and grabbed a seat at the kitchen island. He worked on finishing his homework as I scooted around the kitchen, happily shaking my butt and belting out the words to Frosty The Snowman. He looked at me with a smile and said, "So, is this what you do all day when you are home with just Davey?" I asked him what he meant. "Do you clean up the kitchen and listen to happy music?" he asked, "because this is really fun." And he was right. It was fun. I kept working on the kitchen and he kept watching, bopping his head to the music while practicing writing the letter "t" and the number "8" on his kindergarten homework.
Not all days in our house are this picture perfect. More days than I would like to admit I wake up frustrated, dreading having to roust three teenage boys for school, looking at the leftover dishes from the night before with malice and disdain, wondering just how much peace and quiet I will get before the babies-the two littlest Dermodys-wake up wanting apple juice.
This morning much more happened to me than just driving the kids to school and finishing my chores. The spirit of Christmas was alive in my house and it gave my family a wonderful morning. From the beautiful tree in my nice room to the perfectly wrapped presents below, to the treats in the advent calendar and the music in the CD player. I was reminded this morning of how blessed I am. I have beautiful children to wake up, dishes to wash as reminders of the meals that we are fortunate enough to eat together, babies whose hugs and kisses can cure anything, a warm home, a loving husband. I am thankful that the 2011 holiday season gave me that moment this morning-and if I remember anything from this holiday season I hope it's the picture of Rowan's face as I danced around the kitchen-a reminder that it is the little things that bring true cheer to a family.

Rowan decorating our Christmas tree
while Davey admires the decorations.

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