I Don't Deserve It, But I Got It

Merry Christmas!

Well, Christmas came and has almost gone, and I've hardly stopped to realize it. I think my realizer is broken. Oh well. I probably need a break anyway :)

Mom jolted us all out of bed this morning at 7:30 to open our gifts. I was pretty incoherent, but mumbled that I thought the parents were supposed to get the kids up-- not the other way around! Even Ethan was peacefully slumbering...

Anyhow, once we were awake it was nice, and it wasn't too hard to forgive our well meaning mother. There was a big gift next to me, and they asked, "why aren't you opening it?" (Maybe I was still asleep?) Then Ethan piped up: "Maybe you're like Pooh Bear; you don't deserve it." Somebody's seen Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too one too many times!

Everyone struggled with their gifts because Mom had taped the boxes shut (to make it more fun). Dad said, "Lots of anticipation and broken nails."

Ethan opened his presents, then sat on the floor arranging his Hersheys' kisses into piles according to color. I'm trying not to be too concerned...

I got a special suprise: My brother got me a camera, because I think mine was stolen when I was in Kiev on the metro. It's very nice, though I haven't taken a lot of pics yet because I haven't got the memory card yet. So now I have to make it up to him by taking lots of pictures when I get back to Ukraine. And now, for that matter.

Tomorrow we're leaving to stay the night at Queen Whilhelmina Lodge on a mountain in Arkansas with my grandparents, Uncle Doug, Aunt Robin, and cousins. We'll have some good cousin time and I'm looking forward to being on the mountain.

This afternoon we had a rousing (well, somewhat rousing) game of frisbee with these same cousins in the field, and watched Connor and James make fools of themselves...it felt good to laugh! I love being with my family. I just wish I didn't always feel like taking a nap. I told Mom that I wish I could just get "canned sleep." Just give me a can of sleep, to be taken internally. Then I won't have to waste precious time actually sleeping!

After Frisbee, we played a funny story-writing game indoors while wearing different styled hats. Mine was a blue baseball cap on backwards. We rushed back to our house for dessert (not something to miss!) and more visiting.

My thinker has suddenly gone the way of my realizer...so that's all for now...