After nearly 9 years at 1606 Abercorn, yesterday we celebrated our last Christmas in our home.  With Sufjan Stevens’ Christmas album as our soundtrack, the morning began.  Crystal and I were up way before the kids, in fact we had to wake them so we would have plenty of time and still not be late for church.

We had breakfast around the tree, which proved odd, but allowed for multi-tasking.  As I read the story of Jesus’ birth, Crystal re-enacted everything play by play with our sweet-action Fisher Price nativity characters.

Opening gifts obviously followed.  Tinker Bell and Hello Kitty both made appearances along with a disco ball and a super cool “breakdance” (as Ezra calls it) remote control car.  The day proceeded with celebrating Jesus at church, having brinner (breakfast for dinner = awesome) with the whole family, and of course the Woods men’s tradition of “Beards Gone Wild” (the removing of our beards) all before coming home…to boxes.

WARNING: It’s about to get mushy…I am, after all, a pansy.

Even in all the busyness of moving, taking pause to celebrate the best gift ever with the people you love the most is a gift in and of itself.  And this Christmas in our home was full of love and laughter, just like the 8 years before it.

As we get ready to move, I’m recognizing attachments I never saw before…I helped finish that basement, I logged countless hours in that office, Ezra & Calla’s growth charts are penciled on that wall, Crystal worked so hard in that little garden, Ezra spent all summer in that sandbox and I rocked Calla to sleep nearly every night of her life in that nursery.

And as much as we love our house, I know it’s our family that makes it our home.  Wherever we go, we go together and wherever we are, we’ll make a home and build new memories to treasure.

I’m really looking forward to that.