Christmas - The Chaos and Joy of Four Generations Under One Roof!

---

     What a joy this year to have four generations in our home over the holidays!  It had been eight years since we had all of our children together, under one roof, coming from near and far.  
     I have concluded that life can be messy and we proved it. Our holiday season was a new level of glorious chaos!  As a young bride, I had envisioned what my perfect Christmas would look like - calm, beautiful, organized and clean.  I now have 41 Christmases under my belt as a married woman, and the reality is vastly different.  This year was no exception. Children and adults overflowed in all the bedrooms, sleeping mats covered the floor, and a baby crib resided in the master bathroom.  One of the uncles slept outside in the camper, and the other set up his kingdom in the office.  Stories were read in the living room while a rambunctious card game took place on the dining room table.  Kids were on the kitchen counter making pancakes while a team helped my elderly father with the stairs.  “We have to build a snowman,” someone pipes in, as they ran to get snowsuits, gloves and hats out of the closet. A bit later, “We need a carrot!” yells one granddaughter from the door! “We’re done, take our picture!”
     Oh yes, pandemonium it was, but it was so much more beautiful than my young expectations of an orderly Christmas.  For this year it truly was a priceless holiday season.  We were surrounded by family, and those we loved were all together under one roof.  It was real, vulnerable, chaotic, fun and challenging. It truly was a beautiful Christmas.