The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

The presents have all been opened.

The food has all been eaten.

The clothes have all been tried on and placed in the closets.

The toys have all been unpacked and played with.

Christmas 2010 has officially passed.  Christmas is by far my most favorite holiday and time of the year, however, I have troubles when it's over.  Although I haven't been professionally diagnosed, I do believe I suffer yearly from PCSD (Post-Christmas Sadness Disorder).  It begins about 4:00ish on Christmas Day and continues through the day after.  It should fade here soon.  I just miss all the magic and fun of it all once it is over.  If only I could somehow slow time down for Christmas Eve through the day after, I think it would help.  For the mean time though I will just look back fondly on the events of the past few days.  That should help.  Another fun thing about this Christmas is that it very well might be the last one we have before the adoption gets into full swing.  By Christmas next year (HOPEFULLY!) we could have a picture and name of our daughter who is waiting for us in China!  That right there is enough for me to wish it were next Christmas already!

It was a wonderful Christmas.  I think I say that every year, but honestly it just seems to always get better.  It all begins Christmas Eve when we spend the day with Amy's family.  This year Amy made gingerbread cookies from scratch (Can we say delicious?!?!).  The kids all decorated one for themselves and one for Santa.  Then we head to church together where we divide our time between wrangling the kids and worshipping.  After that it is back to Amy's Mom's house for the standard fare - crackers & cheese and eggnog.  Then it's time for the presents!  Once it is all over comes what very well might be my favorite time of the year.  Driving at home in the dark on a cold Christmas Eve with the kids beginning to doze and Christmas music playing.  Ahhhhh, melts my heart just thinking about it.  Granted this year it came with a little drama (Jack had a meltdown (HUGE) due to a blanket crisis).  But once that passed I was able to have my moment!  After we get home it's time to leave Santa and his reindeer their treats and put the last piece on our Advent calendars!  Then it's off to bed for some visions of sugar plums (what are those anyway?) while we wait for the big guy to come and deck our halls with presents (fa la la la la la la la la).  Before bed I have one last tradition of my own - A Christmas Story!

Christmas morning comes and brings with it the birth of our Savior!  We also get to glimpse pure joy and excitement in the faces of the boys as they take it all in before letting loose on some meticulously wrapped gifts.  After the ravages of the morning are cleaned up it is off for some quick visits to both of our parents' houses to share the joy of the day!  Returning to home brings a Christmas nap and vegging for the remainder of the day.  Oh and playing with new toys of course!

The day after Christmas is the time we celebrate with my parents.  We head to their house where we enjoy a Drosche family tradition of sausage squares (my Dad makes the best (although mine are pretty good too).  We snack on a variety of treats while opening the presents and hanging out.  A little playing with the toys while we relax before heading back home for a repeat of the nap, vegging, and playing routine.

That in a nutshell is my favorite time of the year.  Family, food, fun, and remembering the greatest gift we could ever receive.  Makes the other 364 (365 if it's a Leap Year) days pale in comparison.  So, as I sit here remilogging (reminiscing + blogging) I think I have found the perfect treatment for my PCSD.  It's there in the photos I just uploaded to Facebook.  It's sleeping peacefully in the bedroom down the hall.  And it's sitting right here next to me.  I hope that the holidays have brought you the same joys, wonder, merriment, excitement, and bliss that they have brought to me and my family.  I also hope that looking back at the last few days helps you get over your PCSD, I know I'm not the only one who suffers from it!  :)

All is well, MERRY CHRISTMAS, in Drosche Land.