Opening Gifts

This Christmas was such a lovely and relaxed one, spread out between Thanksgiving spent with my family, to this week spent with Joaquin's mother's side of the family. We did the majority of our shopping online this year, which made for less stress and we tried to keep it simple. I adored the daily advent readings with my Max through the Jesus Storybook Bible. He is so good at sitting through the reading of stories and asking lots of questions along the way (mostly about the illustrations and who is that?). This is the first gift-giving holiday that he understands what is going on, and has he ever enjoyed it! What a sweetheart, making my heart full to hear all his proclamations and "THANK YOU! Oh, thank-you!!" On Christmas day we headed over to Joaquin's aunt's new house to celebrate with ham and tamales (yum!). Max had been asking about when he was going to open more presents. I assumed that he may get a gift or two after dinner that day from the family. The entire time we were there, Max paced around that Christmas tree, eyeing every colorfully wrapped gift with anticipation."Momma, see this blue present? Is it a (for) Max? Momma, see this big green present... Wowww! So big..." Well, it came time to handing out presents, and everyone was sitting around the living room. Max was so excited to play helper and with instruction, he handed out every gift, skipping and laughing the whole way. He generously offered to help the receivers open their gifts, but I kept telling him, "No, honey, be patient." Shortly before all the gifts were handed out, I realized that the family had opted to give us envelopes this year and leave gift giving decisions up to us. While we are so grateful for their kindness, my heart panicked a little. How would Max respond? Was this going to be one of those dreaded "teachable moments"? How do you prepare a two and a half year old for a situation such as this--everyone had gifts to open except for him? My mind was preparing to respond, and I watched him carefully. Would you know it, I had no need to worry (do I ever have need?). That Max planted himself alongside Joaquin's grandfather and oh-so sweetly with those big blue eyes, offered his gift opening services *smile*, "Huito? I a elp you? I a open dat present?!" And Huito (family nicname, short for "abuelito," a term of endearment meaning "little grandpa") was so happy to have a little buddy do most the work for him, exclaiming along the way with a great big grin spread across his face, eyes twinkling, "Mijito, what is it?!! What is it, mijito Max?" One gift in particular made my heart melt. Huito and his buddy tore into a box of crackers and Max was so excited to recognize the contents. "Huito! Its a- pfhood (food)!? Its-a crackers! ... Deese are good crackers" Big smile. No gift was too ordinary, not even a box of crackers.  I don't think I will ever forget a Christmas such as this. Never in my life have I experienced such wonder. As a kid, yes, Christmastime was magical. I have so many good memories of family all together under one roof, fancy dresses with velvet and poofed sleeves, gifts stacked high under the tree, and precious new baby dolls with handmade clothes. But this is different, I have the unique and precious vantage point of being able to see the world through my son's eyes, and see it through my own thirty-ish year old vision. This year in particular I have learned more about Jesus than in any year previous. How he was there before the creation of the world... How big and wide and deep his love is for those that seek him... How he accepted those on the fringe of society, and he came for all of us because we all are in desperate need of Him. So the celebration of his coming to earth as a little baby is more profound and beautiful and unbelievable. As we sat in church during our Christmas Eve service, I held my wiggly Isaiah-baby and wondered at his precious little life. So helpless and dependent on us for everything. Lord Jesus came for us first this way. Incredible.