Each year, as time and the seasons circle back around, and we find ourselves celebrating our familiar holidays and festivals in our family's customary ways, I always step back and marvel about how much things really are the same year after year, and also about the ways in which things are new.

This advent and Christmas, all of this seems even more apparent because we have a new little person to share it all with. It's such a delight to see Elisabeth and James excitedly showing her the day's advent calendar surprise or explain to her all about St. Nicholas and his annual visit.

It's equally delightful to see her wide-open curiosity about it all. I think she understands, in her own little way, that special things are afoot. I know I say this often, but it's this kind of thing -- witnessing sibling relationships bloom, seeing things through the eyes of a babe who is only just seeing them for the first time ever -- that really makes my life feel whole.

So, here's to being here in the moment, celebrating the season with these three wee ones who each blow my mind every day, and here's to whatever is new and exciting about our celebrations to come.

Even when the wrapping paper is the most interesting part.

{Technical difficulties here again, friends. Too frustrating and boring all at once to explain, but hopefully we can get all this settled very soon. Until then, posting will be reliant upon how fussy the computer is being at the moment.}

uncommon grace