Yesterday morning I was tracking our boys’ flights on my phone. I woke up at 5:22 a.m. and checked the status – which said, “In Air.” I didn’t have to get up until 6:45 so I went back to bed, where I entertained some strange dreams. When I woke up again, the status said, “Landed.” But that was only the flight from L.A. to Chicago. They still had to fly from Chicago to Detroit. The plane was supposed to take off at 6:50 Chicago time (one hour earlier than Detroit time) and land at 9:15 Detroit time. They actually took off at 7:08 and landed at 8:56. I’m not quite sure how they cut so much time off the flight, but it all worked out and they are safely home for a visit.

Randy and I dropped them off at home to sleep and then went on to church. While my family slept most of yesterday afternoon, I kicked back and finished the novel I was reading – Embrace the Dawn by Kathleen Morgan. I’d been craving a medieval romance and had this one on my TBR Pile. A good story – memorable characters and vivid, picturesque settings. Historical fiction is so fascinating – almost like being there.

Of course, once I finished the book, I had to start another, so I looked over my shelves of to-be-reads and found a Christmas novel written by a former critique partner, Meredith Efken – @Home for the Holidays. It’s the sequel to SAHM I Am, which I loved. So far, Meredith has got me totally drawn in and when I’m not reading, I’m wanting to get back to it. She has an amazing ability to create distinct voices for her characters and all in a story told through emails.

I spent today chatting with my guys, running to appointments with them, making mostacoilli, and then I finally managed to wrap a few gifts. I’ve never been this far behind on Christmas wrapping and such, and having the boys home adds a lot more activity, but I wouldn’t trade that activity for anything. I might be wrapping late Christmas Eve, but if that’s the case, it will just make a new, if not hectic, memory.

The focus of Christmas is never far from my thoughts though, or the feelings of gratitude for Jesus and the salvation His coming has brought to all who will believe in Him.

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:9-14

May you know His love and His true light this Christmas, and see His glory, and may His grace and truth be yours.

Shalom~