Christmas

 

Initially, I wanted to write about our Christmases with my parents, with Bronson's parent's and of course, with our own little family. But after thinking about it for a while, I decided I would only write what was really on my heart. First and foremost, Bronson and I are extremely blessed! We had such a great time at my mom's house. We enjoyed being around my brother and stepbrothers and their families. I miss my older brother, sister-in-law and their brood (they moved to New York two years ago). My in-laws are amazing! I couldn't have picked out a better family to marry in to. I love my dad and I'm so thankful he loves me how only a daddy can  for his little girl.

 

I'm a little conflicted. It's hard for me to express my joy when there is so much pain surrounding us. I remember years past when I couldn't wait for Christmas to come around, but at the same time, it was the hardest season for me to endure. By no means will I ever compare my "suffering" with anyone else's; however, I just felt that I had to share what it was like for me prior to the triplets being born.

 

Since Bronson and I got married, I have been in a transformation. Let me explain....I accepted Jesus into my heart at a very early age. Unfortunately, by the time I was in my teen years, I had resisted the Holy Spirit for so long, I barely heard Him. I did things my way, and of course, my way was full of sin. It wasn't until I met Bronson when I realized I was living a lie. It was his parents, specifically his mom, that loved me back to Christ. Once we were married, I felt God tugging at my heart. I recommitted my life to Christ and started serving Him wholeheartedly. That's not to say I haven't slipped up every once in a while. But we're all sinners saved by grace, allowing His love to change us to be more like Him every day. I'm definitely not the same person I was 20 years ago (thank God!).

 

Although I had the joy of my salvation, I was becoming increasingly aware that Bronson and I were not conceiving. I didn't understand. Everyone around us were having babies galore. I knew that God gives us the desires of our hearts....not necessarily the manifestations of those desires, but the desires themselves. So, how could He give me the desire to have children, but not make it happen? Year after year would pass and I still had no child/children to show for it. The silence in our home became deafening. One thing I was extremely grateful for was that Bronson and I grew closer to each other instead of further apart. Typically couples divorce after there's been signs or diagnosis of infertility. Our relationship grew stronger and my faith grew deeper. I still had doubts from time to time but then I would be reminded in His Word that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

 

Christmas was especially hard for me to enjoy prior to the triplets. I felt guilty that I could be so sad during this glorious time of year! It was our Savior's birth we were celebrating...what could be more wonderful than that?? But still, I had that ache in my heart. Some years, it was a little more than I could bear!

 

After twelve years of marriage and almost as long trying....we conceived (obviously!). And wouldn't you know, God gave us three (by the way, 3 has been my favorite number since I was a child...no kidding). Not only did He do that, but He gave them to us at Christmas. Second to His only Son, they are the best gifts I have ever received.

 

It's interesting how we can be so caught up in our circumstances that we fail to see with our eyes and hearts the bigger picture. The gift of salvation that is right before us. No other gift can compare to that of eternal life. I can't imagine my life without knowing Jesus. I can't imagine living this life, enduring heartaches, seeing the pain in the world, losing loved ones, and just breathing without Him. But so many people do it every day. My life is much sweeter knowing Him, not just knowing of Him. The gift is available to everyone. All you have to do is accept it. The blessings He brings far outweigh the thrill of a worldly life. Think about it. I had both....and I choose Him.

 

 

 

(The pic above is the triplets decorating a birthday cake for Jesus).

We're 4 Years Old!!!!

Yay! We are now officially FOUR YEARS OLD! We thought this day would NEVER come! We would tell Mommy every day that we're not 4 years old yet, but we will be soon! And now, that day has come! Very exciting!!!

 However, I'm not going to sugar coat this day at all. I would love to tell you that we had a wonderful time and the kids were on their best behavior. I would also love to tell you that I was not stressed out and just enjoyed every minute of their day and showered them with love and spoiled them rotten. That was not the case.

In preparing for all the Christmas events and parties this last week, our adorable little triplets had not been taking naps. They also had trouble getting to sleep at night at an early bedtime (mainly the girls). Therefore, they were loaded for bear on this wonderful, lovely day. (Please don't let all the sweet, innocent smiles fool you!)

 

The morning actually started out nice. I had blown up balloons and placed them everywhere....on the banister, their chairs, the chandelier, ceiling, etc. I knew they loved them, so why not shower them with all the balloons I could? They yelled and screamed, "We turn 4 today! Woo-hoo!!" It was so much fun listening to them. 

 I was a volunteer in their Sunday school class that day, so I brought mini cupcakes for them to share with all of their friends. When it was time to get ready for church, that's when things started going downhill. The kids were somewhat uncooperative in getting dressed, brushing teeth and combing hair. It felt like I was pulling teeth to get anything done! I knew it was because of  their excitement, so I let it slide.

 We finally got to church (I was on time, but not as early as I wanted to be) and then it hit me....I was the teacher, not the assistant for that day! I had been caught up in everything I had to do that I didn't realize I was doing the lesson!!! Want to talk about stressing out BIG TIME! I grabbed the lesson and had just enough time to skim through it. Typically when I teach on the Sunday before a big holiday (especially Christmas), I like to have something special for all the kids, albeit crafts, a gift, extra candy, a special treat, etc. I had nothing! Well, I did have the cupcakes. On top of that, it just so happens that we had 15 kiddos! (The second service only had 2....go figure!). I believe the kids picked up on my stress and it made it worse. I was so thankful service ended a little earlier. Next time (if they allow me to teach after this), I will make sure I confirm whether I'm teaching or just assisting. Poor kids!

 By this time, it was way past the kids' lunchtime. But I was adamant about going to a restaurant. This was their day and I wanted it to be special! Again....I should know my children better than this. They were great during lunch....it was afterward that was the problem. By the time we left, we were right in the middle of their nap time. Again...no nap today!

When we got home, we had just enough time to allow them to rest for about 45 minutes before we had to get up and go back to the church for their rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service. They did well the first time around. The second time they were called on stage to sing their song, things got a little out of hand. Elise and Preston went after it with one another, pushing and shoving (eventually knocking each other down). And Mollie kept falling off the steps, she was so exhausted. Other parents were getting a kick out of it. I, however, was about to lose it! I did keep my cool and as soon as they were done rehearsing, we went home and had sandwiches for dinner. I wanted to take them to a movie....but the true mommy in me thought it best for them to take a bath and get in bed early. We can save the movie for another day. Hopefully, they won't remember this crazy, sad 4th birthday their momma try to have for them. At least we still have their party to look forward to! 

Polar Express (aka "Boy On A Train")

 Every year, my mom hosts Christmas at her house for all of the kids and grandchildren (now, great grandchildren) the weekend before Christmas. We spend the entire two to three days at her house, relaxing on the front porch swing, playing games, and enjoying one another's company. This year was a little different. We went on the Polar Express!!! 

 Late last year (and earlier this year), my mom was watching the triplets for a few weeks while I did some contract work. The drive to and from my house is around 3 hours long. Although we usually meet somewhere in the middle, the drive can be a little hard on the kiddos. So, we typically pop in a movie that will preoccupy them for most of the ride. Since a majority of their movies can (and are) quite annoying to listen to while you're driving, my mom decided to let them watch Polar Express (or what the trips like to call, "Boy On A Train"). She says it's quieter. From the first time they saw it, they were hooked. They would watch it at least 3 times a month since then. Obviously, when it was time to plan this year's Christmas party, my mom said she had no other choice but to take all of us on the Polar Express!

 We decided to keep it a secret up until we were in the parking lot unloading. As soon as they heard the whistle and saw the train, they were ecstatic! We had SO MUCH FUN! I LOVED seeing  their little eyes brighten when the train pulled into the station.

It was so exciting to see them remember everything from the story. And I was quite impressed that the "characters" on the train did their best to reenact certain details from the movie.  

 

 We sang all the songs from the movie and drank hot chocolate.

 The train went all the way to the "North Pole" and we waved at Santa standing on the porch of his workshop.

 After we left the North Pole, we had another surprise...Santa came on board and gave everyone a bell that, apparently, only the children could hear. We really had the kids going for a while thinking their bell was "broken".

 We had such a great experience! It's been several weeks since we went and the kids are still talking about it. I'm sure this may be an event that would need to be repeated. However, next time, I will definitely wear my pajamas!!!

Thanks, Mom, for investing your time, effort and energy into making memorable experiences for all of us. This will be one of those memories not easily forgotten. I love you!



The Little Things....

 I promised myself that I would do absolutely NOTHING on Christmas except stay in my pajamas and enjoy the kids all day. Ha! Did you really think that would happen? So, I compromised. I told myself I would only do a few things, including update the blog, just so I could feel accomplished. I am still in my pajamas at 2:20 pm (Bronson says he knows I'm screaming on the inside....he's right). I think I'm doing a great job restraining myself from getting dressed and cleaning the house.

 This is for all the family and friends out there that actually keep up with our blog. I'm putting forth the effort today to get caught up on all my posts. Right now, I'm just pondering the little things. Little details in our life that we normally look over...especially this time of year. I'm guilty when it comes to getting caught up in all the big things that need to get done that I tend to miss the little things.

This year, I decided it was time to focus on some of the little daily treasures that can be magical for a 4 year old.  In the first pic, we were getting ready to go look at Christmas lights in our pajamas. Before we left, Mollie insisted that I braid her hair (in pigtails) just like the little girl on Polar Express. Elise insisted that I do her hair just like Mollie's. Obviously there's no resisting two 4 year old little girls! So off we went to a close by neighborhood that just about 80-90% of the homes decorate for Christmas. They were featured on the local news. The kids had somewhat of a blast. I think Bronson and I were more impressed with the lights than they were! Needless to say, I was a little let down (not about the lights, but the kids). Aren't they supposed to go crazy seeing all kinds of jingly lights (which is what they call them)? They were more impressed by the 4 houses in our neighborhood and the little rinky dink job Mom did than they were with our outing. Go figure.

 We've been seeing these little gingerbread house kits in the stores lately and the kids have been quite interested in them. So I thought, why not? Let's pick one up and go home to assemble and decorate it. They thoroughly enjoyed it! We had so much fun putting that small, "Charlie Brown" house together! Next time, I'm going for the bigger one. Since it was our first time to purchase one, I had no clue the scale of the thing.

 For three hungry little pre-schoolers, it definitely wasn't big enough. Aside from sneaking candy when I wasn't looking, it lasted several days. Daddy and I eventually hacked into it every night until it dwindled down to almost nothing. When the kids asked what happened....we blamed the elves. Too bad we didn't do Elf on a Shelf this year. He would have been the perfect scapegoat.

Overall, this will be another small tradition we'll incorporate into our Christmas activities. There are several other small traditions that we plan, but that's for another post.



Christmas Tree O' Christmas Tree

 Things have finally settled down a little for me to update everyone as to what we've been up to this month. The first weekend in December we went Christmas tree shopping! We usually go the weekend of Thanksgiving, but after we experienced a very dry, dead tree before Christmas last year, we decided to wait another week.



Loaded up and ready to go, we set out to get our Christmas tree.The kids were excited. This is the first year they actually understood what was going on.

Being in Texas, you never know what kind of weather you're going to run into any day of the week. This particular Saturday started out nice. We ran a few errands, then picked up some mint McFlurry's to snack on while we looked (it was unseasonably warm).

Where else can you be wearing summer clothes, eating ice cream in early December looking for Christmas trees? Such as life being a Texan (more like a Houstonian). We managed.

 

 

While picking our tree, it started to rain. Within minutes, it was pouring!!! We were drenched from our head to our toes!! So, we packed up and went home. We saved Christmas tree shopping for another day. 

 I didn't want to wait until the following weekend, so we loaded up again the following day(this time in our rain boots...we knew it was going to be muddy) and set out on a mission! After going to three different places and spending countless minutes looking at every tree known to man, we picked one!

 It has somewhat of a rustic feel to it, but we like it and it's ours.

 Since we got home so late, we had to decorate the following night. Yes, this was a three-day event. It's definitely different from when it was just Bronson and I going tree shopping. Somehow, it now takes triple the time to get anything done!

 The kids thoroughly enjoyed decorating the tree and wanted to do so much more! They "helped" Mommy all along the way.

 We did have a few incidents of broken ornaments and tested patience. But Daddy and I endured and made it a pleasant experience for us all.

 Although I know it would be more convenient and cost efficient to purchase an artificial tree to use for many years, however, it's not the tradition I was brought up on. I don't have an aversion to artificial trees, nor do I not approve of them for other families; it's just that I have fond memories of getting a fresh tree every year. Once again, my mom was adamant on having a live tree for Christmas. Every day I come downstairs to the smell of crisp evergreen. No candle or Scentsy scent can ever replace that natural aroma that a live Christmas tree brings! Not only do I enjoy the smell that fills our home, but the journey of looking for that "perfect" tree. Bronson is glad I'm firm in holding this tradition every year for our family. It aids in getting him into the Christmas spirit. And I've caught him several times taking in a deep breath while roaming around the house. He appreciates the fact that it's a family event and not just me taking care of the Christmas tree "duty". Which brings me to something that I've wondered. Is it just me or does it seem like more and more traditions are being lost? Generally speaking, everyone wants quick and easy so they can move onto the next big thing. Trips become more elaborate, presents become more costly, and the little things that once made Christmas magical are now overlooked. I want to keep it simple, yet profound. I want to focus on the little things for our children to treasure instead of always looking for the big and extravagant. It was a virgin teenager that our Savior was born to. It was a manger He was born in. Simple, yet profound.

 

 

Christmas Lights

It's that time of year again!!! My most favorite time of the year! Christmas is right around the corner and the Burcham household is in full swing!!! This is our busiest time of the year (as I'm sure it's everyone's as well). We have parties to attend, parties to plan, Christmas pictures to be taken and sent out, as well as birthday pictures, cookies and other goodies to bake (and to enjoy), lots of shopping and tying up loose ends before the upcoming new year. I enjoy EVERY minute of it! And every year I tell myself I'll start early...and every year I'm running on the same schedule...LATE!

 

 

 This year marks the very first year we put lights on our home (well, sort of). The weekend of Thanksgiving, I was on a mission to have lights on our front yard (our house is extremely tall and the thought of getting on a lengthy ladder was not very appealing to say the least). Although I thought I would begin this wonderful tradition the year after they were born, I decided to try to get away with not doing it until the kids were old enough to enjoy and appreciate them (and ask why our house was the only one not lit up). It's a tradition we held during my childhood that I wanted to continue in our family. I remember every year, my mom would take a whole weekend and make sure our house lit up the dark night during this wonderful season. And like a good daughter who follows just about everything her mother does, I set out to do the same.

 

Little did I know exactly how much work went into placing lights on shrubery and the like. Nor did I realize the cost. Needless to say, I learned quickly. It still didn't stop me. I always love a challenge and more importantly, the fruits of my labor.....looking at these little faces when their daddy and I plugged in the extension cords that would send little bits of eye pleasing, colored lights aglow was more than I could ask for.

Although I personally favor white lights, the kids were insistent on multi-colored ones. I will have to say, they chose best. Watching them dance around the lights and singing a few Christmas carols sent all the many frustrating trips to the store I experienced through the window (I blew a fuse twice, crushed several bulbs with the van, and had other bulbs crushed by little bike riders unable to control their steering). All that was left was a relaxed sigh and a smile. It was well worth it. Thus begins the first of many Christmases when we will battle the tangled lights, sharp pointed plants, and tons of replacement bulbs and fuses all to add that little magic to our childrens' Christmas.