Thursday, December 18, 2014

Merry Christmas from the Seitz Family 2014


The Twelve Days of Christmas- Seitz Style

On the first day of Christmas, my family gave to me a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the second day of Christmas, my family gave to me 2 dying cats, and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the third day of Christmas, my family gave to me, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dying cats, and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my family gave to me, 4 fighting children, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats (yes...it's true, and they had a good long run. RIP Elvis and Sam), and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my family gave to me, Ella's 5K where I almost died, 4 fighting kids, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats, and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my family gave to me, 6 extracurricular activities (swim team, soccer, jazz band, show choir, gymnastics, youth group, Girls on the Run...I kid you not!) , Ella's 5K where I almost died, 4 fighting kids, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats, and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my family gave to me, 7 hours of Sherlock (Totally Jolie and it's probably more like 7000 hours), 6 extracurricular activities, Ella's 5K where I almost died, 4 fighting kids, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my family gave to me 8 bags of groceries, 7 hours of Sherlock, 6 extracurricular activities, Ella's 5K where I almost died (Ella's personal best and I couldn't walk for 2 days, for reals), 4 fighting kids, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats, and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my family gave to me, 9 loads of laundry, 8 bags of groceries, 7 hours of Sherlock, 6 extracurricular activities, Ella's 5K where I almost died, 4 fighting kids, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats ,and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my family gave to me, 10 Fantasy Football trades (Scott's only hobby of late), 9 loads of laundry, 8 bags of groceries, 7 hours of Sherlock, 6 extracurricular activities, Ella's 5K where I almost died, 4 fighting kids, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats, and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my family gave to me, 11 soccer practices (Cam's lucky to have his dad as his coach which means we get to pick the least busy day to have this practice on), 10 Fantasy Football trades, 9 loads of laundry, 8 bags of groceries, 7 hours of Sherlock, 6 extracurricular activities, Ella's 5K where I almost died, 4 fighting kids, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats,and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my family gave to me, 12 preschool parties (Maggie is rocking preschool and is ready for Kindergarten next year!),  11 soccer practices, 10 Fantasy Football trades, 9 loads of laundry, 8 bags of groceries, 7 hours of Sherlock, 6 extracurricular activities, Ella's 5K where I almost died, 4 fighting kids, 3 days of Zumba, 2 dead cats, and a house to run on Pleasant Street.

*Reading this makes me tired.  I'm going on strike in January:) 

This is a pretty accurate depiction of the Seitz household on any given day and we hope you sang the words out loud, at the top of your voice, preferably in choir with all your entire family  because after all,

" The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."  -Buddy the Elf

We hope that this Christmas season you are spending time with the ones that you love, gifting the people in your life with a joyous heart, and celebrating the reason for the season.  I heard something  in a sermon a few weeks ago that has given this Christmas a new meaning for me. 

In this season of getting and taking, the season of Advent instead should be about waiting- waiting for the Baby Jesus who would become the Savior of the world. 

Waiting and patience are not my strong suits, in fact they are way down at the bottom of the list of things that I am good at.  And for many of us, Christmastime can be a stressful countdown of days until the next party, the next get together, the next gift exchange, and then by Christmas Day we are exhausted and stressed and spent and there's just not enough room in our hearts for the joy that is supposed to be there. 

This year we tried to be thoughtful about these days leading up to Christmas.  We are doing our Seitz Christmas calendar of fun, but I am trying my best to have a heart of patience, joy, waiting, in the midst of the mess of baking and snowflake making, letting my kids wrap the gifts when I could do it better and faster, trying not to roll my eyeballs when my kids slip the dog's name, along with our two dead cats', into the family gift exchange.  It's hard, I admit I am a lover of beautifully displayed mantle decorations and stockings that hang in a row neatly and not necessarily a string of Minecraft-style paper decorations that Cameron has strung together using twine and duct tape that he found in Scott's workshop.  Scott has an abundance of patience when it comes to these things, so he's definitely on the Nice List already (plus, I think he truly has an affinity for duct tape decorations).  But what he already knows and what I'm waking up each day intentionally reminding myself is that these lovely, brilliant, big-hearted and loving children of ours DO get what Christmas is about.  They are excited to decorate the house with lights and Santas and duct tape, they can't wait to buy or make a gift for their teachers, someone in need, the dog (or dead cats?), they can't help themselves from being so excited for what activity we're doing together as a family (well, maybe Jolie can) and that has given me such joy this season. 

We pray that you and your family experience that joy while you wait for this Christmas to come.  In all the crazy fun and busyness of the holidays, we hope you find a space each day to wait, to breathe it in, be thankful, be joyful and to celebrate. 

We wish you a beautiful Christmas and New Year!

With much love, Scott and Jamie, Jolie, Ella, Cameron, Maggie and Harper Seitz

And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings o great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.       ~Linus, of Charlie Brown fame