Scattered December

1. Do You Think a Murder-Scene-Gingerbread-House Could Someday be Used to Create Reasonable Suspicion?

Asking for a friend.

This year the pre-cut, pre-assembled, candy-and-frosting-included gingerbread house kits called to me like never before. For over a decade I have spent one night every December gingerly cutting graham crackers into tiny roofs and tiny walls and hot-gluing them together into little houses.

I'd never even been tempted to buy a pre-assembled kit because the prices of them seem so ridiculous. But as I passed the kits in the Target aisles this year, I found myself wrestling. The prices are still ridiculous, and eventually the moral reasoning behind spending that much on something I could make myself eventually tipped the decision, and I passed them up to continue my shopping. 

I mean, granted, my homemade houses aren't going to win any beauty contests, but the kids don't care.

A while later I passed them again (oh Target, how good you are at cultivating the wandering feet) and the wrestle resumed.

Hours, my brain said. You will save hours if you just pick up the boxes and put them in your cart.

I did pick them up. I studied the boxes and scrutinized the piddly amount of candy that was promised inside. I mean, I could just buy a few bags of extra candy to supplement. But that would make the whole project even more expensive. Plus, how could I ensure that the houses wouldn't be broken inside?

No, I decided for the second time putting the boxes back on the shelves. It's not worth it.

My Target shopping continued and eventually swung me past the houses a third time.

Hourssssssssss. My brain said. How can you put a price on saved hours in December?!

I picked them up again.

You do NOT have to buy more candy. This is enough. Just do it. See how it goes.

And all at once the decision was made and I softly dropped four boxes for my four children into the basket of my cart and didn't look back. 

Bless Target's marketing and product placement for giving me three solid chances.

Because it was absolutely the right decision.

We started the evening talking about the animals that lived in the stable where baby Jesus was born and about how, just like they did, we can give parts of ourselves and our homes to make room for Jesus, too. We talked about how the stable was just a stable until Jesus entered, and upon His arrival it became holy. About how our homes and our lives also become holy when we let Jesus enter. 

After the lesson, Miles had to go to basketball practice, but the rest of us (and Eliza's friend Everly) unpacked the pre-assembled gingerbread homes and began to create our own 'stables.' I thought it was evident after our lesson that the idea was to make them fit for Jesus, but I guess murder scenes worked, too.

2. Teenagers are Weird

Just a normal Tuesday around here, watching the teenagers waddle around the kitchen like ducks.

3. It Looks Like They're Just Sitting There Next to Each Other on the Couch

And honestly, they are. Except there's just a feeling that exists between these two that you can't describe or capture in a picture. It's love and respect and delight and care- it's beautiful.

4. Our neighborhood feels like a little family.

I remember the first time we walked around our neighborhood. Though, it wasn't our neighborhood at the time. We had come to Boulder City to have dinner with one of Brian's practice partners who lived there, and after dinner we strolled along the sidewalk and he pointed to every single house we passed. "So-and-so lives here," he'd say. "You would love them. They have this many kids and have this role in society and have personalities like this..." Every. Single. House. 

I was surprised because I'd never lived in a neighborhood where people were such good friends with each other. The most I knew about my current neighbors in Henderson was what the back of their cars looked like as their garages shut behind them. 

I wasn't sure I wanted to live in Boulder City at that moment, but I knew I wanted to live in a neighborhood like that. 

And now here we are, nine year later, knowing and loving and dropping Christmas gifts off to almost every family in those 33 homes. 

5. Christmas Recitals

The house is filled with music at the fingers of these two. I'm grateful for them to have a chance to share their talents with others a couple of times a year.

6. Be Patient and Know That the Lord is Mindful of the Things That You Have. 

That's a line in my patriarchal blessing, and it's the one that has worn the deepest groove in my mind. He knows me so much better than I know myself, and I have been astounded over and over with what he is able to do with my messy life. Somehow in the middle of me dropping balls and crying in overwhelm and forgetting to shower and snarking at my husband and hiding from my kids, he reaches inside of me and pulls out the most enchanting and beautiful stones. He is my biggest cheerleader and has more confidence in me than anyone.

I would hate to direct a choir without him, but with him it's one of the greatest joys of my life. 

7. If You Get Famous By Mopping Sweat Off The Floors, You're Still Famous

Look at that handsome boy wield that mop! On ESPN, nonetheless!

8. She is the Highlight of my Week

My heart feels so confused sometimes because I miss McKenzie dearly AND am so excited and thrilled for all the experiences she's having in Chile. 

Every Monday we get to hear about her week and see her beautiful face. What would this have been like a few years ago when missionaries only called home a couple times a year? I'm not sure my heart could have handled it! 

Today, there's a part of me that feels like I'm experiencing her mission with her because I get to hear the updates so regularly. I know the names of the people she's teaching. I know when her week is tough, and I know when her week is fun. I can see her smile and watch her interact with the Chilean people while I'm FaceTiming, and it all feels so amazing. 

It's crazy how much happiness and joy she's still able to bring into our home while being away.

9. A True Friend Would Never Make Fun of your Headphones.

 And Everly is a true friend. Now, if only they'd make the buzzers at the basketball games a little quieter.