Day 148: Being present...

I've seen this saying for several years around this time of year and this year I'm taking it to heart. This morning I laid all the Christmas gifts that I had purchased in front of me and asked, "Will this be in the donation pile in 3-6 months?" All gifts I said "yes" to are now in the car ready to be returned. Ryan and I decided to do the "4 gift Christmas (Want, Need, Read, Wear), but buying online and feeling guilt about how rough the last 6 months have been I quickly went over the four gifts. 

As I sat with a pile of "stuff" in front of me tears began to fall.  This stuff means nothing to my kids! Ryan and I's presence means everything to them. I know this because the presence of our parents means the world to us. We don't want the "stuff" we want the relationship.  

Before you wrap a gift and place it under the tree ask, "Is this gift keeping me from being present?" Often we spend over our budgets buying "stuff" and end up having to work overtime or spend time stressing how we will pay for the bills come January. Honestly, if you think about the best Christmas gift  we received or what we got last year we don't remember. BE PRESENT!

May you have a blessed weekend with your family and in two weeks it will be Christmas 2015. 

Madison is beginning to eat a little more with each passing day. Her favorite is dove chocolates.... She doesn't like Hershey. She is over Starbucks and has now moved on to Cherry Coke.... Every day is a new adventure!

Home renovations will continue this weekend. Praying most if not all is finished this weekend! Thank you to all who have helped us!