A small miracle. I spent more than half my life nursing hangovers Christmas morning and working my way into various degrees of intoxication. Curled up with coffee as my sons tore through gifts, staying out of the way as they played with new toys and Mary made a late breakfast, then sweating through dinner with extended family was how most of the decade previous to losing Mary went.
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Since drying out, I’ve taken ownership of Christmas. I’ve cut gifts way back to a place where we can spend time together with each of them during the morning. I’m fully present. This morning, for example, we played with two new games (Exploding Kittens and What Do You Meme?). We didn’t get to the Star Wars: The Child Monopoly the boys got me, but I think that’s fair.
Most of the rest of the day was spent in an enthusiastic Lego frenzy.
The point is that I was there for every moment (as the upcoming Lego post will show).
Now we’re back at it, building and working together. I’m tired, but clear headed and present.
What a blessed, merry Christmas this has been.