“….. that’s the way the holiday starts. Christmas cookies and holiday hearts, yummy, yummy, good, good, good!”

I’ve been humming that song ever since Kayla’s Christmas tea party on Saturday, but I can’t even remember how I know that song or where it comes from. (Leave a comment if you can help me out with that!)

Kayla had 10 girlfriends over on Saturday morning for her 4th annual Christmas Tea Party. This year she requested a pajama party, and everyone indulged her (including her mom) by wearing their cutest pjs and bringing a teddy bear or other stuffed animal. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I am so thankful that Kayla has such a sweet group of girls to be friends with, and I remind her often that it is a rare gift.

We had lots of fun with painting ornaments and pillow cases, decorating gingerbread houses, reading Christmas stories, discussing Christmas traditions, playing games, and having tea! (Choice of peppermint tea or hot chocolate plus lots of other goodies!)

And Kayla not only has “little girl friends”, but “big girl friends,” too – Rachel is a grad student at UMass and Kayla’s Sunday School teacher, Virginia is a senior at UMass and also helps out with the kids at church, and Jenna is an engineering professor at UMass. All three top our kids’ list of favorite kidsitters and made the tea party extra special by being the story readers, music players, nail painters, art consultants, and dish washers!

And the tea party marked the beginning of a coming craziness that is called the week before Christmas. I really have found no way around the absolute insanity of this week in the past few years. I will not be doing this again, but still there is a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time: last day of Classical Conversations tomorrow complete with mid-terms and parties, last day of ballet for a while, home Bible study group Christmas party, homeschool group party and caroling at the nursing home, wrapping and sending the Texas shipment of Christmas gifts, dentist appointments, church volunteer lunch here on Sunday, etc!

My heart is more at peace than usual, though. (At least I think it is.) I don’t feel quite as crazed and out of control as I have in the past. It has been a year of needed healing and growth for me, yet so much more to learn, embrace, and surrender. All credit for me still standing today goes to the Lord who has truly been “the strength of my heart and my portion forever….my refuge.” Ps. 73: 26-28