It's Christmas Eve

And all thru the house, the only thing heard were little boy shouts. I'm in my sweats and Dad will be soon, we are settling in for a long afternoon. The presents are wrapped, the cookies half eaten, I am totally worn out, I've taken a beatin'. This isn't quite right, this holiday season. It's just not fair and goes against reason. I have Ashley and Katie and little Levi, but two still are missing, one girl and one guy. I promised myself that last year it would end, the next year one and all would attend. Five stockings to hang for Santa to find, more presents to wrap but I wouldn't mind. I would kiss them and hug them and call them by name. My five precious children to spoil all the same. But it wasn't to be, not this year, not yet. It's a concept I still just somehow can't quite get. So once again I swear this is the last, and next year we will look back and think of times past. The years 'before' we all came together, and laugh at ourselves and the storms we have weathered. I will kiss katie, and Ashley and Levi goodnight, then Ahren and Brynn and tuck them in tight. No better present could I ever wish for, than my entire family behind my front door.

To next year.....