Christmas 2009

This post has been ia draft for quite a long time. Ironically, at a time when people tend to think only about summer fun, swiming pools, and sunscreen, I'm finally publishing my entry about last Christmas--but better do it now or I'll never do it.

Every year it's hard when, after the Epiphany, the Christmas Season is over--although we know that sooner than we think it'll be Christmas again. Our shared prayer is for an even fuller household by then--or, actually, much earlier in the year, or we won't survive it. The emotional roller coaster of adoption, as worthy as it is, is taking its toll on all of us. I strongly believe that being through an adoption process for just one child is much more difficult, much more time consuming, and much more exhausting than raising ten or twenty kids.

Catherine found a very yummy way of holding on to the Christmas Season until it's almost time to start thinking about what to give up for Lent. We are pure Italian, and Panettone is definitely a timeless Christmas tradition for us. Well, every year she buys Panettone by the dozen--because for as long as we have a slice each to end our meals, the Christmas Season seems never to end!!! It is like not letting go of it.

Now I'm going to confess the kind of child abuse I commit every Christmas Day year after year--and which I will continue committing in a shamefully remorseless way: I keep my kids waiting, and waiting, and waiting with lots of beautifully wrapped presents while I take pics, and pics, and still more pics--from one angle and from another, in one position and in another, from closer and from farther, shifting people around, shifting the light sources around, shifting things around, with and without something, changing something, improving something, adding something, and taking something out of sight. It may sound annoying, but in the end it's worth it: please allow me to share some of our Christmas 2009 pics.