Overcoming PHSD (Post Holiday Stress Disorder)

Ahh the joys of post-holiday days.  It’s so fun to wean three boys (not to mention myself) off of a lifestyle of candycanes at 9AM, no naps, and late evenings filled with an endless dessert buffet and pop!  We had a wonderful week in Iowa celebrating Christ’s birth, and arrived home yesterday…..to reality.  The tree is still up, but the sugar has been collected and hidden, to be rationed conservatively over the coming months.  No one likes this change.  Tantrums and punishments have been making frequent appearances.  Legos have been confiscated, sticks of gum thrown away, all in an attempt to rediscover the kind, sweet boys that used to live here.  

We’re starting to see glimmers of our pre-holiday children, and despite the time of year or individual attitudes, our three boys stick together like glue.  Kenny had his Legos confiscated after refusing to help shovel the driveway.  Jacob couldn’t bear for Kenny to go to sleep without toys, so he snuck his beloved Transformer Rescuebots Police Station into Kenny’s room after bedtime.  In another match of brothers versus parents, Jacob had his gum taken away.  John couldn’t stand the thought of his brother suffering so and generously shared his gum ABC style (as in Already Been Chewed).  

It’s hard not to smile and show my glee at the deep bond they have with one another.  And it makes me wonder what stories they’ll tease us with when they’re adults and we’re reunited as a family.  I suspect hiking, roadtrips and outrageous boy stunts will top the list.  We’ll of course retaliate by feeding their children candy canes after breakfast:-).  

                        Grandpa caught in the act of serving gumballs for breakfast!

All I want for Christmas.....

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree….

Yes, it seems Mariah Carey and I each have just one thing on our Christmas lists this year….A GIRL!   Well I can’t speak for Mariah, but that was my response when my husband asked what I wanted.  I don’t long for the girl I’ll never have too much, but his query came at a weak moment.   The boys had spent the afternoon setting up booby traps on the patio, then luring me outside with kisses and promises of dancing.  Of course the moment my foot crossed the threshold, I heard the scream, “Get her!” which set off the bombardment of stomp rockets and balls.  Most of me found this completely hilarious, and I continued my role as unsuspecting victim for a good thirty minutes.  But a little part of me wondered, “Why me?”  Why can’t I be out shopping and getting nails done, or having a tea party with my daughter?  And if I have to have boys, why can’t they worship me and smother me in kisses and spoiling?  Why, God, why? 

I keep reminding myself that God knows what I need.  He knows I can handle a 3-boy-brawl, boys peeing in public places, and bloody noses.  And from the little bit of drama I’ve experienced, He knows I have absolutely no tolerance and would probably put a drama queen daughter up for adoption.  So it’s all for the best….at least that’s what I tell myself as I plan my revenge….a booby trap to end all booby traps!

The Problem with Perfection

Our Christmas tree is up, and far from perfect this year.  The ornaments are usually perfectly placed, with consideration for color and sparkle distribution, but not this year.  This year, my two 3-year-olds, in a fit of Christmas excitement, dragged a box of Christmas decor up from the basement completely on their own.  They tipped over the treasured ornament box and left balls strewn all over the furnace room.  All three boys were so into decorating the tree, they hung all the ornaments in record time (in a 3’x3’ section of the tree).  I was able to play it pretty cool…..ok, who am I kidding….I totally lost it by the end and sent them off to play so I could create a “pretty” tree.  I spread the ornaments out, but they kept being grouped by my 5-yr-old engineer.   The handmade Wizard of Oz ornaments are all on one branch, the kid-friendly Toy Story ornaments are all on another.  So I threw in the towel.  Our tree isn’t perfect this year, but it is a well-loved centerpiece for our Christmas celebration.  

And guess what else.  My floors are dirty, I haven’t started my Christmas baking, and my Christmas shopping is far from complete!!  But you know what I did on one of the three Saturday’s left before Christmas?  I joined my husband and sons for a trip downtown to explore Denver’s new Union Station.  We lounged around, chatted up Santa, and ate ice cream before returning to the suburbs.  

God never meant for us to create a perfect Christmas for our families.  Christmas was perfect at its inception.  His son was born in the barn of a nondescript, small town.  His first visitors were shepherds with their dirty sheep!  This was the atmosphere God created for His Prince of Peace to enter our world.  So I feel good about finding peace this year with the imperfections.  And filling the time I would spend making things perfect with making memories with my boys.  In a couple of years they’ll have no interest in decorating the tree with me.  So I’ll treasure my imperfect tree this year.  In a couple of years they’ll laugh at Santa, so we’ll take the time to chat up every Santa we encounter this year.  And I’ll continue to procrastinate on my to-do list so that we can cuddle after nap and do our advent calendar.  

I think Christopher Fry’s poem perfectly describes what God intended Christmas to be….

           

          The darkest night of the year

          The poorest place in the town.

Cold and a taste of fear

Man and woman alone

What can we hope for here?

More light than we can learn

More wealth than we can treasure

More love than we can earn

More peace than we can measure

Because one child is born.