happy holidays

our christmas tree... piled high with beautiful gifts from our friends near and far. thank you for these amazing presents... and above all for your presence in our lives. we are so very blessed.

whether celebrating kwanzaa, hanukkah, christmas or simply ringing in 2010... there is something magical about this time of year. there is a warmth in the air (or perhaps that's just cuz we don't have snow here in Bogota). No, i really do believe that if we can escape the commerce of it all, there is something that happens this time of year which opens our hearts... we are more willing to be patient, to forgive, to open our hearts. And as we anticipate the dawning of a new year we are eager to make amends and commit to resolutions. For me this opening is quite special and I relish the generosity that pours out (sometimes from the most unlikely sources). In our home, there is definitely a sense of Christmas-time... and now with two little girls the idea of gifts and giving has taken on a whole new meaning. For weeks I was asking Isabel what she wants for Christmas, and her answer was always the same: "A little angel baby for Anaïs, but it must be soft to snuggle." Finally, she came up with her wish: bunk beds... to get ready for when her sister is old enough to move into her room. Yesterday the bunk beds arrived and Isabel was jumping for joy. And so were we waking up this morning to find that Isabel slept from 8pm until 7am this morning with no wake-ups... for our alert little girl that is a record!! We are now convinced these beds really have come from Santa Claus and are sprinkled with fairy dust... and we are hopeful it does not wear off after the first night of purchase.

Isabel also enjoyed packing gifts... which was not always easy to accomodate when I tried to get everything done. Yet, as always, she forced me to slow down... so the wrapping was not always pretty or perfect... it was done with love and laughter. I am amazed at how often I forget this very simple message. I will begin running around and trying to 'get everything done'... and throughout the process I will have a little helper at my feet eager to offer her support each step fo the way... and at times instead of stopping and engaging her enthusiasm, I distract her with other things so that I can get 'my stuff' done more quickly. And when I pause, and reflect for a moment, I feel sad with my own choice... for I have missed an opportunity to share in the magic of the season. The lesson at that moment is clear... with each new day there is a new chance to do things differently. No matter what choices we made yesterday, we can make a fresh choice today and tomorrow. That feeling, that lesson is a part of the magic of this season for me. Looking forward with anticipation.