Christmas with the Connellys

This Christmas came together - complete like a perfect puzzle.  It was magical.  On Christmas Eve Jess took JAC to Home Depot to do some last minute shopping.  While at Home Depot JAC fell in love with two foot edging shovel.  It was heavy duty and a small replica of a shovel Jess uses to do yard work.  JAC carried the shovel all over the store and Jess couldn't resist.  He bought JAC a Christmas shovel. 

Later that evening we talked with my family back in Texas.  They were all together having fun and I felt a little homesick.  I tried not to think about it.  I stayed busy playing with JAC but then we heard Roxy barking outside.  When we opened our front door we saw our new neighbor busy lining half the street with luminarias.  Luminarias are a Christmas tradition in New Mexico and I immediately felt less homesick.  I rushed to Rite Aid and picked up the last bag of tea lights.  Jess and JAC helped me fill brown paper bags with dirt and tea lights.  The Christmas shovel proved perfect for the job.  We lined our half of the street with luminarias and stepped back to admire our work. The candlelit bags gave the street a warm glow.

We took a frigid Christmas walk in the dark with our neighbors to admire the Christmas lights.  When we arrived home JAC could barely sleep.  He knew Santa was coming.  He was in our room at dark thirty Christmas morning ready to open presents.  It was all I could do to make him wait until Jess woke up.

When we finally started opening JAC embraced the practice with his typical exuberance.  He tore into packages shouting "More Presents!" and occasionally used his teeth to break into hard to open packages.  He loved his new trains and toys but when he opened a box of  clothes he gave me a look of annoyance and moved on.

 Santa was good to the whole family but my favorite present was a hand-knit sweater Jess brought back from Sarajevo.  Jess picks out great gifts.  Just as we finished opening presents we looked out the window.  Snow was coming down.  We were tucked into our warm house listening to Christmas music and enjoying gifts from the people we love.  The snow came slowly down and it felt like the perfect Christmas!