So much to do...so little time. This is more true at Christmas than any other time...in a good way of course. But we were reminded about this whirlwind on Saturday...and the whirlwind stopped quickly. I will tell the story below, but first a few of our events for this Christmas season.
Kevin the Elf arrived on Thanksgiving.
On Pink Friday (black for everyone else) we bought him pjs. The next day he showed up with them on and a note to Amelia on how much he LOVED them!
December 1st and the first day of advent.
Couldn't fit a few things.
Usually just a small gift...but this was an exception and a long story behind it.
On to the candy advent.
And of course, the Lego Friends Advent.
Off to the Nutcracker with pal, Sadie. First lunch and window shopping....
Pose with the stars. These are Alaska Dance Theatre girls that were cast in the show...an added treat.
Then stopped at one of my favorite stores, The Kobuk, for some sugarplums.
The next Saturday we had ice skating with our friend Kayla and then ventured to a few shops for the Eagle River Merchant Munch. We entered one store and noticed Santa...ugh. Amelia headed for food avoiding him like the plague. HOWEVER, she turned around and there he was and quietly asked if her mom would take a pic of them together. She was taken aback! She looked at his shoes...his beard...trying to find something that would show he wasn't the real thing. Then she posed!
AND THEN she hugged him!!! This was monumental.
He then asked if she would like to follow him back to his chair where she could tell him a bit about her Christmas list. Then...she sat on his lap.
Amelia has only stood next to Santa. AND only the Santa in North Pole, AK. All others she fears to be imposters, even though I tell her you never know.
Then...he asked about Kevin, her elf. This was her expression.
She has always believed. Now, it's forever.
I had Miracle on 34th Street goosebumps.
Now for the humbling story.
We were on our way home from our first ever skating competition (more on that next time) when we noticed fire trucks heading up our hill. The police had blocked it off and we rolled down our window to find out what was happening. He said there was a fire up on the mountain and no one could pass. After much nervousness, we learned it was not our house but of a home down further below. Earlier at skating, we noticed the ice skating director leave in a hurry. Didn't think much of it until Amelia's friend's mom said after realizing where the fire was, that her in-laws lived up by us. It turned out to be their home of 40 years. Her mother in law was the only one at home and managed to get out, but their house is no more. You can only be thankful and in this time of hustle and bustle, one sometimes needs a reminder that it is just stuff after all. The greatest gift is they all we be together at Christmas.
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