"We Wish You a Merry Birthday"

AAHHH, Christmas. A time of celebration, of family. A time of baking, and eating, of cleaning and expecting and eating. A time of lights to hang, trees to decorate, of eating. A time to, for just a little while put away the sounds of Marc Anthony, U2, Sting, or whoever else it is that you listen to. Unless, of course, your favorite has made a Christmas album. And in the midst of belting out those Christmas tunes, and eating, as you raise your voice in song, singing old familiars such as "Joy to the World", "Away in a Manger", & "Jingle Bells", with your Santa hat on your head, eggnog in hand, something a little different is heard.

At my house, all of a sudden in the midst of all that joyous celebration of everything red and green and white, what is that we hear? "We wish you a merry .... birthday? As we leave the chaos of the living room with it's paper and ribbons strewn everywhere so that it looks like a bomb has gone off, we follow the sounds to the kitchen. And what to our wondering eyes do appear? Birthday balloons, birthday tablecloth, birthday gifts? And yes, we leave the Christmas chaos, and make a new chaos of birthday party in the kitchen. Off come the Santa hats, on goes the birthday hats.

For you see, my baby girl decided she just had to make an appearance on Christmas Day. Noon. Christmas Day. Joy to the World!

It all started earlier that year when the great debate was on. We had the "millionare" family. Dad, Mom, one girl, one boy. Should we try for another? Should we, shouldn't we, should we, shouldn't we? Oh, I guess we are! And what do you mean, dear ultrasound person, that my due date is December 23rd? You're joking right? Haha. You're serious? Okey, dokey, then.

Well, that's just too much stress for me. So what does any self-respecting, good Christian mommy do? Why she believes God, implores God, that the babe would be born in the beginning of December. She prays, she confesses, she won't accept anything less. When asked when the due date is, she answers honestly but always with the add on of: "But we're believing she's coming early". Even to her doctor, who let's just say, doesn't quite hold to asking God for a specific due date. Especially when the mommy's first two babes were not early, but in fact, came exactly on their due dates! So mommy's good doctor finally in exasperation points this out. But the mommy holds strong. Fast forward to December, past the beginning of December, moving on to the middle of December. Mommy is still very pregnant! Mommy is still believing that baby is going to be early.

Okay, now it's the evening of December 23. Nothing, not a twinge. Still big as a house. So now what does this good, faith-filled mommy do? Why, she starts believing God that the babe would come after Christmas, because this would just add too much to all the Christmas plans you know. So believing that the babe is not coming till after Christmas, she throws a Christmas Eve party for all the relatives. House full of people! Very pregnant mommy. Out of her mind mommy!

Christmas morning, after all the chaos of opening gifts, mommy is in the livingroom watching her new music video, kids are off playing with whatever it is they got that year, and Daddy is in the kitchen, making waffles with his new waffle maker. When all of a sudden, hmm, okay that's gotta be too much shortbread and eggnog from the night before. Oh, there it is again. Okay big one now. Does anyone know God has a sense of humor? Mommy goes out to the kitchen to tell Daddy it's time. He says: "But I'm making waffles." Mommy gets on phone to grandma, who is supposed to take kids when the big event happens. "It's time," Mommy says. "But I'm stuffing the turkey," Grandma says. "Well, you better get over here right now," Mommy says. " 'Cause I'm unstuffing mine". Grandma can't quite believe it and is quite flustered being she had her hands up the backside of the bird and all, and now she has to do something with all this but she makes it over in no time flat, just in case the Mommy is not joking.

Nope, not joking. Precisely, at 12:05, noon, Christmas Day, (Did I mention God has a sense of humor?), precious baby was born. Two hours from start to finish. Doctor lady thanks the Mommy for letting her get home in time to cook her turkey for supper. Ha ha, doctor lady.

Seriously, that was the best Christmas present ever. Nothing could ever top that. Our lovely little lady was born on Christmas Day. They brought her to me after her weighing and all in a cute Christmas stocking with a knitted Santa hat on her head. The best stocking stuffer ever, I tell ya!







Happy Birthday, Apple Dumpling. You've blest us everyday of your life. You're turning into a lovely young lady with a sensitive heart towards blessing others. And we are so glad God chose us to be your Mom and Dad.