Christmas!

Nothing, nothing, makes a merry Christmas like talking to your son/brother halfway across the world.

On Christmas Eve, we gathered around the computer for an hour and a half to laugh and tease and ask a hundred questions (Mary had a list prepared). Stefan’s doing so well; he’s so happy. 

But when he hung up, we all cried.

Once we’d recovered and eaten pasta and such, Mary presented her gifts:

pajamas! Made by Mary for each brother and daddy, too.

They surprised her by immediately taking off their pants and trying on the new pajamas.

The boys complimented her over and over on her excellent worksmanship. She’d spent most of her spare moments since October working on this surprise and she soaked up all their kind words like a plant thirsty for water.

Christmas morning the boys were still in pjs as they opened their stockings. Santa rarely varies at our house: chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate, plus a toothbrush.

new church shoes

bow ties are cool

Ben gifted each sibling with a box of sugared cereal– always a favorite present.

Ben and Hans wearing all their Christmas gifts.

The Art of Manliness

Requesting a pocket for his new pjs, Ben watched,

then learned.

taking all her babies for a walk 

a migraine knocked me out early in the day, so I didn’t take any more photos. Nestled on the couch, my head hid under a blanket I reveled in the sound of their laughter, occasional arguments and general merriment. I don’t want to turn off the lights or take down the tree; I don’t want this season to end.