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Monday, December 15, 2014

Preparing




::Clara's hair is always like this.  We think she must twist her hair while she sleeps?  We have tried combing, pinning, and wetting her hair to no avail.  You go, girl.  Rock that double faux hawk.  Besides, for now it helps everyone keep the twins straight.::

The season of visitors is upon us, and I for one, am absolutely delighted.  There is nothing more warming than the company of loved ones.  This fall I found myself deeply longing for connection with friends and family, so I'm feeling sort of giddy with the excitement of all of these visits coming up.  I know it might seem counter intuitive that inviting more people into a small house already bustling with activity would make things fall into place, but somehow it does!

The twins have really blossomed in the last week and a half or so.  All of a sudden, they have become these little meaning makers.  They search our faces for what we might mean by something, looking deeply into our eyes and then thinking things out.  "Dorothy is Mama's baby!" I will say slowly, pausing after each word, hugging Dorothy, and Dorothy smiles and laughs.  Then later, she will hold a little baby doll up to herself, and when I ask her if that is Dorothy's baby, she holds the doll close and gives her a kiss.  It's absolutely magical, watching it all unfold, and I am shocked and delighted with each of their discoveries as if they were my first babies!

We have made it a habit of having an Advent celebration in the evening with the older girls, generally after Hugo and the babies are in bed.  On Sundays we try to have some friends over and make more of a celebration, because after all, Sunday is always a feast day, and there is something especially meaningful about gathering in community to await the coming of Jesus.  We read a short excerpt from the day's gospel reading, along with a short reflection, and sometimes a few words about whatever feast day it might be.  We talk about the reading together, sing a few songs, pray together, and always enjoy a sweet treat.  There hasn't been a single day when our little celebration hasn't been meaningful to me, helping me to see things in a new light, or deepening my faith in a small or significant way.

Every weekend we've been trying to make some special Christmas-ey treat. This weekend that almost didn't happen between being our big Christmas party weekend (nice) and having a grumpy baby in the house (not so nice).  The big girls came to my rescue and helped me make Peppermint bark, which is a regular in our Advent rotation.  They've been helping since they were babies, so they were naturals.  

Oh, and somewhere in there, we got a little tabletop Christmas tree, which we will be slowly decorating over the next few weeks.  My only criteria was for it to be out. of. childrens'. reach.  If ever there was a year for such precaution, I think you would agree this is the year!  Look at those little babies move.  We are utterly outnumbered.  :-)

1 comment:

Margo said...

aw, the sweetness of the babies discovering language and meaning! I LOVE that stage.

And that peppermint bark? Wow, I might just squeeze in another Christmas sweet - looks so good.