Memories from today that I want to keep forever

* Julia, sitting at the kitchen table, looking over at me with a grin. She is dressed in a fabulous outfit, picked out all by herself, complete with green and red christmas socks, pink light up shoes she calls her "glass slippers", and a homemade crown. Yes, today, she is Cinderella. Again. And I am once again privileged to play the part of her charming prince. Perhaps later we will dance together in the living room, dubbed "the Ballroom", to some of her favorite christmas music, as we have done each day this week. For now, I simply revel in this vision of innocent Julia sweetness as I sip my cup of coffee from my christmas tree mug.

* I walk through the mall surrounded by children. Jade is in the stroller, dressed in a frilly pink outfit, her long bangs swept up onto her head with a bow, like a little pink christmas present all wrapped up for the holiday. Jacob and Joshua, my little men, walk on either side of me chatting away happily about everything that pops into their minds. They each sport a Burger King crown on their heads, as do I, for we are royalty and know no shame. Julia trails slightly behind us, humming happily to herself. Strangely, person after person suddenly exclaims "Merry Christmas to you!" as we go by, and I realize that she is greeting every single person she sees with a sweet little "Merry Christmas!" It is amazing what affect it has on people. Grim expressions turn bright and cheery, serious concentration becomes simple pleasure, and each face becomes just a little younger, just a little happier for having touched her innocent joy. Jacob and Joshua are soon following suit, and soon my children have become a force of nature, a tornado of Christmas cheer overturning bad attitudes as we roll through the stores. I silently observe, a crooked grin on my face, and thank my Father in Heaven that these children, these amazingly beautiful souls, are with me.

I'll have a blue christmas...

Boy, I am stressed about Christmas. Worse, I am stressed about being stressed about Christmas. Seriously, there is nothing worse than being stressed about Christmas, except, perhaps, being reminded by people, plays, and various commercials that it is evil to be stressed about Christmas and that good Christians never allow the holiday to be marred by the worldly inability to simply enjoy it in a constant state of peaceful euphoria. Never mind that it is basically the responsibility of the mom to make sure that Christmas is every bit as special for our kids as our moms made it for us when we were growing up. We somehow must take this responsibility upon our shoulders so easily and effortlessly that we make everything completely wonderful without ever ever stressing at all. Well, I am just not that good. I admit it. I am completely stressed out, overwhelmed, and otherwise resentful of the world for continuing to turn while I play catch up to try to get everything done on time. Seriously contemplating lacing the christmas cookies with vicodin...