Christmas at Casa Cheng

I haven't written anything for several weeks, but as today comes to a close I can't help but wanting to record the simple fun we had this Christmas.

Tim, James' brother is here from Athens, Georgia and my parents came down from Ponca City.  Both arrived Thursday and we have been cooking, eating and merry making since.  Yesterday I baked and cooked most the day, leading up to an early simple supper of Ham and Bean soup and buttermilk biscuits.  Afterwards, my dad read the Christmas Story.  He always wants to use the "Saint James" version to make sure that it is indeed 'swaddling clothes' that Baby Jesus is wrapped in, but we settled for New American Standard - swaddling clothes were still used by Mary - so all was well.  The kids opened one gift each, as well and Uncle Tim and our dear friend and special guest Wei Wei Wang and each were delighted to find a new set of pajamas as we have done every Christmas since they were born.  I give it 'til next year for them to be able to call what's coming.  So far - the jammies are still a remarkable surprise.

We soon headed to church, the kids sporting their new duds.  Candles were provided for the over five crowd and glow sticks for the under aged.  Kate wasn't carded at the basket so she picked a candle instead.  We enjoyed the congregational singing and simple message that proclaimed the truth that Jesus came first as a lowly peasant baby, but next time he will return as reigning King.  Lastly we lit our candles and cracked our glow sticks and sang Silent  Night.  It is a sweet candle lit memory I will treasure in my mind.  Flanked by my favorite ever 5 and 4 year old, with my favorite two year old crawling about on the floor, not able to contain toddler wiggles in 'big church' with a glow stick in semi-darkness, my heart felt very full and quietly content.  This is surely my best Christmas ever.

We headed home to bed and stashed the cherished glow sticks in the freezer to revisit another time.  Bedtime for the little crew and a short film for the grown ups.  We watched a short documentary called "The Star of Bethlehem".  It presents an attorney's search into the cosmos trying to chart and map the night sky surrounding the birth, and then the death of Jesus Christ.  I found it amazing.  It was a worship experience for me.  I am neither a scientist nor a I skeptic, nor do I need scientific "proof" to gird up my faith so I simply enjoyed it, and entertained this man's hypothesis of the goings on in the night sky over two thousand years ago.  The heavens do indeed declare His glory.

This morning I awoke feeling a little giddy.  I quickly brushed my teeth and hair and scooted into the living room only to find the other four adults sitting around in the soft glow of the mantle decorations with inky darkness still on the other side of the sliding glass doors, and the very loud absence of loundness.  The kids were still sleeping.  And they slept.  And slept.  Even past their normal wake-up time.  The suspense was killing me.

Soon enough, Joshua wandered in sleepy-eyed yet cheery and wished us all a "Merry Twistmas!"  He patiently waited for his sisters to wake up.  We wandered to the table and had pancakes, with still no mention of opening presents.  In fact, Joshua asked for a toy that my mom gave him for his third birthday, a year and a half ago, that I keep on the top of my fridge.  They gathered around the tree and fired off long balloons that zipped squealing around the room (the reason I keep it on the top of my fridge) and seemed quite content.  Finally, I suggested we open the presents and suddenly, they remembered the brightly wrapped packages under the tree just behind them.  It thrilled me, their content hearts, their simple appreciation for something old that still gives them joy.  The fact that they wandered out from their bedrooms and enjoyed Christmas morning just being with each other and eating pancakes - not immediately running to the tree first thing and ripping into gifts.  I really like these kids.  I am glad I get to know them more and more and grow with them as their mom.

We took turns opening presents and thoroughly played with each round before tearing into another.  It took a couple of hours.  Then we settled in and watched the movie Curious George from the library.  We moved to lunchtime - grilled cheese and fruit and played a couple of exciting rounds of Zingo! (a kid version of picture Bingo where you gotta grab the tile to cover your card spaces - trimming your finger nails are a prerequisite to getting a game card.)  Then the house transformed into the Napping House and everyone settled in for a snooze.

Dinner prep lazily began around 3.  I made homemade mac and cheese, boiled and smashed red potatoes with the skins on and a sinful amount of butter and heinous amount of garlic, heated half a ham drizzled with honey and studded with cloves, made rice pilaf out of the box, and roasted some brussels sprouts.  We sat down around five o'clock and I so enjoyed watching my husband enjoy the food.  I like cooking for James Cheng.  He really likes good food and never is stingy about offering compliments.  We all made ourselves several plates and loosened our belts to accommodate the feasting.  And then...the post dinner theater began.

Tonight was the first of what I hope to be a yearly performance of the Christmas Story.  After much debate yesterday and today, Joshua conceded that Ellie, although female, could in fact play Baby Jesus.  Kate, of course was Mary and Joshua was Joseph.   I was the Angel and entire heavenly host, my mother opted for the near silent role of the sheep and my Dad the Narrator.  Tim pinched hit for us as Caesar Augusts ("Ok - let;s tax the whole world"), the InnKeeper ("Sorry, no room here") and the Shepherds ("Lets go see the baby").  A man for all seasons for sure.

After Caesar issued the decree for his census, Mary and Joseph disappeared, we thought to "make the loop" around the house in their trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem, but they stayed gone for quite some time.  After the long time already spent designing costumes and adorning ourselves from the dress up bin, we couldn't fathom the long delay.  After calling for them a few times we heard an odd scooting noise coming down the hallway accompanied by giggles.  Around the corner came the three of them, 'Mary', 'Joseph' and 'Baby Jesus'.  Ellie was in the plastic dress up bin which has been emptied of left over costume options and filled with Joshua's brown blanket.  She had been wrapped in a purple play silk and given a long forgotten pacifier.  She was snuggled down in that plastic manger box, seriously playing her role of the newborn King and the other two were grinning from ear to ear with their clever staging of the drama.  I laughed loudly at the surprise.

We moved through the rest of the story, taking no notice that Jesus entered stage right a little before cued.  I enjoyed every moment.  After that we headed back to the table for Pumpkin Roll, what I hope will be something they always crave at holidays that only mama can make just right.  The kids tore into their slices, they can't remember it from last year and I wondered if they would like it.  I guess they did like it, because there is only about two inches left.  And now, after a wild hour of playing "Lion" and "Hide and Seek" with James in the dark with the recycled glow sticks from last night, they are tucked into bed and the house is now quiet again, with the return of the inky blackness just outside the sliding glass doors.

I thank God for this good day.  This sweet, precious time with my kids and family that we love.  I thank Him for the fridge that is full of good leftover food and ingredients for other good things I will make tomorrow for my family,  I am thankful for the heat that is gently blowing out of the vents and the soft glow of pretty decorations on the mantle.  I am thankful for a loving husband who wildly plays with his kids and tenderly corrects and admonishes them in wisdom and fear of the God whose birthday we honor today.  I am so grateful for two parents who have generously cared for and tenderly loved me.  I am grateful for this home, James' job which he truly enjoys. the joy of homeschooling Kate, the fun challenge of having three kids at home with me all day, a church we greatly love and a weekly bible study group I can learn and grow with.  I have many amazing gifts i thank God for today, and none of it was wrapped under the tree this morning.

I am thankful for this simply sweet day, very soon to be a memory, the kids that made it immensely fun and the good God from whose hand it all comes.  sigh*

Merry Christmas.