Christmas 2020

 Christmas was going to be hard this year. HARD. Not because the kids would be faced with not getting things they wanted or could even imagine, but because I was well aware that this is it for this group of 5 for a good amount of years. With Kaitlyn's mission looming and Christian getting ready to begin his paperwork at the start of the year, my heart knows that this memory is what is going to have to carry those of us at home (& our missionaries) through for the next couple of years.

I had decided a while ago that I wanted to do Christmas at the cabin. I wanted to go away, check out, not have friends distracting to want to go hang out with, and to just be together. Tyler and Kaitlyn helped with decorations, I got Christmas bedding on beds so that was a surprise, and I made sure we had plenty of treats to go around so that we didn't feel displaced in any way. 

Christmas Eve the kids decided they wanted to exchange sibling gifts. It was so fun to watch them open those up. Each of them shopped on their own. They all came up with what it was they wanted to give one another. 

Kaitlyn gave Christian a wood watch. It will be perfect for his mission. She gave Brooklyn a blanket that looked like a tortilla. And she of course immediately had to be wrapped up by Tyler in it. It was hilarious to watch her lay on the ground and she looked like a burrito!

Christian gave Kaitlyn a necklace that had 3 round discs on it. Each disc had a letter representing Kaitlyn, Christian, and Brooklyn. His hope was she would take it on her mission and wear it so they all stayed close together always, no matter where she is. Christian gave Brooklyn a 'snuggie'. Which basically is just a huge oversized fluffy hoodie. She slipped that baby on, curled up under her tortilla blanket and was in pure heaven. 

This is the necklace Christian gave to Kaitlyn. Hard to see but it is sure pretty.

Brooklyn gave Christian a gray hoodie. One that he wasn't expecting so it was fun to watch him get excited about receiving that. Brooklyn gave Kaitlyn a ring that is in the shape of the CTR shield but the shield is the Brazil flag. 

Our Christmas Eve ended with the traditional watching of The Polar Express and missing my sweet Grams and Pa and then everyone getting ready to call it a night and going to bed. Brooklyn was quick to announce that they would probably sleep in because they were older to which Tyler and I agreed would be just fine. :) 

Christmas morning arrived and the kids made an appearance around 8:30am. It was so great to be in Oakley at the cabin. Things slowed down, there wasn't a huge hustle or bustle to hurry and rush through opening gifts, and the smiles ended up being better than imagined at gifts they opened but thought were just pipe dreams of receiving.

Charli, Brooklyn, Kaitlyn, & Christian. Christmas 2020
An iPad Pro for Kaitlyn this year

Kaitlyn got a lot of clothes, some mission stuff, and an iPad Pro to help her with her lettering that she is already good at, but maybe it can help pass some time for her at the home MTC in a few short weeks too. 

I am so going to miss having all three of my kids together at Christmas but this year filled my Mom bucket. I am hopeful that as we transition to kids being away from home they will always remember this year. They will remember the time we had together and the moments they had with one another. 

Merry Christmas,

Missionary Momma


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