I woke up this morning feeling still a little sad, Scroogey and overwhelmed with all I had to do.  Not the way I wanted to wake on Christmas Eve Eve.  I made coffee, instantly felt better knowing it’s warm heat would instantly perk my energy levels.


I made breakfast tacos for the family and sipped my coffee.  My husband said he was taking the girls and would leave me for a few hours to get some wrapping done.  He was leaving the baby.  But, I thought that was really sweet of him and I could get the baby down for an early nap.
I was wrong and ended up holding her for the first few hours he was gone.  Thus delaying my desire to clean my house, wrap some gifts, and take a shower.  As the minutes ticked on, turning into precious I have things to do but can’t hours, I began to feed my Scroogism a bit more.
And then I saw something out of my windows.  A car.  Two Nephew’s and arms full of stuff.  Baffled, I went out to meet them, clingy baby in my arms.  
They announced that there were here for the first annual “Spend the day with the cousins day.”  I hated to tell them that two of the three were gone, but instead of being upset, they hurried in and started to help me straighten up the house.  In 30 minutes, the house was clean and vacuumed, Megan was fed and down for a nap, and we were spread out on the living room floor, gifts everywhere to be wrapped, working feverishly before the girls returned.  
We were a third of the way through and my husband called to say they were on their way.  We got everything cleaned and back in the attic before they pulled into the driveway.  
The girls were very excited when they found out that their favorite nephews had planned a day with them.  They made hot dogs, cooked S’mores, and snuggled with them to watch Despicable Me.  I’ve sat here for a few hours and watched my girls laugh, play, learn about S’mores, and just be kids.  Something I would have been hard pressed to give them on a day when I had so much to do.  
This is what it is all about.  Christmas, I mean.  This absolute joy of knowing that someone did something selflessly, unique, and amazing to make my life a little easier and my children’s day a little merrier!  Two young men, age twenty and eighteen, who certainly could have found more fun and exciting ways to spend their day, chose to put my girls first.  

So, I thank you, my nephew’s.  Because of you, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!