In case any of you do not have a house full of children who are very frequently reminding you that as of today there are only FIVE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS, I thought I would let you know. :)

People keep asking me if my kids are excited ... ummmmmmmm ... YES. They are excited. Highly excited even. This week is full of Christmas plays, Christmas poems, Christmas parties, Christmas goodies, Christmas caroling, Christmas programs…you get the idea!

Here is a picture of my "little four" showing just how excited they are.

This weekend we took everyone to see the Nativity Story movie which we enjoyed. I thought it was beautiful and pretty well done, and we had a lot of good discussion about the meaning of Christmas afterward.

We are just staying home for the holidays, which sounds blissful to me after all the busy-ness these last few months. We’re having dinner on Christmas day with my best friend and her family, which will be wonderful…they are as close to cousins as my kids have, and it will be great to have other kids around on Christmas (not to mention that besides my own kids, they are my favorite kids on Earth!)

I am about as ready as I can be…I have a few last minute things to grab when we go to Utah on Thursday for another Belane appointment (and thus will have easy access to a Walmart or Target) but besides that, all that is left is a WHOLE LOT of wrapping. Since none of our family lives nearby, they all send their gifts here…some wrapped, some not… you would not believe the piles of boxes in my room and the garage. 10 kids makes for a lot of Christmas! I looked at Josh last Sunday night and said, “You realize that a week from right now, you and I are going to be in an unpacking, wrapping NIGHTMARE, right?” He laughed…but I wasn’t kidding!

And me? I am excited too. I am looking forward to going to church as a family on Christmas Eve and watching and listening to my kids sing in their Christmas program. I am looking forward to reading some of the nativity story from the Bible with the kids on Christmas Eve, and reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. I am looking forward to helping the kids jump on the bed and wake up Josh on Christmas morning. I am looking forward to seeing my “big kids” act like little kids in all of the excitement. I am looking forward to Marcus’ first Christmas where he really “gets” the idea of opening presents. I am looking forward to seeing Ben’s face when he sees all that Santa left under the tree. I am looking forward to seeing Belane’s reaction to it all…especially when she opens her Dora doll. I am looking SO forward to giving Josh his gift…which I can’t mention on here as of yet…as he is sneaky…

I am looking forward to the squeals and laughter…the phone calls and visiting…and that magical feeling that fills the air on Christmas.

FIVE DAYS and counting! :)