"Little Christmas House"

One of our sons made this little Christmas house last year. He brought it out a week ago and placed it secretly on my craft table. Every time I'm sitting next to it I get emotional. I'm not sure exactly what it is, is it because he gave it to me? Perhaps it's the detail? Maybe it's the fact he hid it for a year nestled safely in his room until now? What it reminds me of is "The Little House on the Prairie" series. A favorite television show of mine! Most importantly it's a time consumed art project that he kept safe to himself until now. With some of our children they're definitely material lead. Especially when they didn't have anything before being adopted. Then with others it's not the material that's important, it's their family. Basically I'm a deep thinker and a little homemade house like this gets me thinking. A month back I attended a workshop and the speaker reminded us that we needed to keep in tune with our frontal lobe, meaning always being aware and ahead when dealing with our children. I think my frontal lobe works over time to tell you the truth! So what is important? It's quality not quantity. Honestly, as the Christmas season approaches I love to give. Being only one month away I just started. What I did do is booked a Chalet at our local Ski Mountain for Christmas. This year it's about our time together. My husband isn't going to spend the day dealing with endless toy unboxing and garbage! I'm not going to spend the day in the kitchen cooking. We're going to spend our time together in the snow, swimming in the court yard pool and hot-tub and eating plattered prepared foods. This year won't be traditional. We're going to make snow-cones, play board games and awake Christmas morning to a few sentimental gifts then go sledding! Just like "The Little House on the Prairie" Like the little house our son made. The gifts aren't the memories remembered, it's the time spent together. For example we have many fond memories, some intentional, some by mistake! One fond memory completely by mistake was when I took nine of our children over to Hornby Island. I completely forgot that the last ferry off left at 6pm! I decided to stop for chocolate cake of ALL things to eat in the van, then I had to stop to clean off our children from eating the chocolate cake. With that twenty minute interference we missed the last ferry. In the middle of summer, no where to stay with only towels as blankets we slept in the van. (I know my frontal lobe wasn't working) I parked near the beach, threw out the back seats and there we were huddled together making a memory. Needless to say it was a long, long, long night. I have never watched the tide go out, then in, then out and the stars come out then disappear as the sunrise came up. This was almost three years ago and our children still talk about it. My point is (because we all know I can ramble off topic) that sometimes we can over look things that are right in front of us. Our sons little Christmas house was purposely placed and given to me to remind myself that it's the little things and precious moments that create the bigger picture.