December 13

There were multiple unusual things about today that made it a special Sunday. 

The first was an early afternoon Zoom call with Adam's parents and his brother Eric's family. Since COVID will preclude our annual Christmas get-together, Adam's mom cooked up a plan to have a cousin gift exchange, so the purpose of the call was to draw names. And they did it in dramatic (and festive) fashion. Given how mundane and disappointing 2020 has been, her creativity was certainly a refreshing blessing.

Then later on this evening, the kiddos (joined by Mr. Lambie -- see if you can find him) decorated gingerbread cookies while we watched "White Christmas." Cookies and that particular film are two of my personal holiday favorites, so it was a blessing to be able to share both with my family.

And finally (and no pic for this one but it's dear to my heart so I'm including it anyway), when I told Brady that I wanted one last 9-year old hug --one last single-digit hug from any of my kids, in fact-- he gave me not just one, but three. Yep, my baby turns 10 years old tomorrow. Waiting for him to arrive and then caring for him 10 years ago was a big part of how I survived that extended and impossibly hard time in my life. So those last 9-year old hugs --one plus a few extras-- meant so much to me.

So yes. For all of that this Sunday, I am thankful.