Mandy and Ben's Christmas Challenge: Book Night

Our Christmas Day. We had such a sweet day. A sweet day as a family of four.

Ellie woke up ready for presents, but agreed to eat Christmas breakfast together as a family first. Cinnamon rolls and sausage balls. Yummo.

She anxiously went to get her stocking, but was just a little too excited. She pulled the heavy stocking holder off the mantle, and it hit her right in the head. So our morning started out a little rough, and Ellie has the bruise and cut on her forehead, and on her cheek too to prove it. Poor girl.

Luckily, Santa brought her a dollhouse! It was such a big present! She was so excited. We opened all our presents in our jammers. Ellie loved helping Beckett open his too.

We got our Christmas dinner ready. I had prepped all of the sides last night, (stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, and no work bread) so it was Ben's job to get the Turkey ready for the oven. We all marveled as it started SNOWING during lunch time!

Ben and Ellie played outside in the snow, and even made a mini snowman. Beckett and I got some quality one-on-one time playing with his new toys!

We skyped with some family, talked on the phone, ate our Christmas candy we had made yesterday. Played with the doll house, played with the stamps, Bman practiced his walking. He's officially taken one step.... multiple times before he dives into your arms thinking it's a fun game!

Dinner. Clean up. Even mopped my floor again. Yay. And put the kiddos to bed. Resisted the urge to turn on the TV. We didn't have it on all day. We actually listened to Christmas music most of the day while playing with toys!

And I grabbed my book, and sat down. It may or may not have been a result of earlier "intense fellowship" that I had with Ben. Funny how those things convict you sometimes. I knew reading would be a good reminder. I knew it would help turn my thoughts into serving him, rather than on myself. 

So thankful that this Christmas was a LOT less stressful. And so thankful for some extended time with the hubs at home. Wow...didn't realize how much I really miss spending quality time with Ben. It's so easy with the hussle and bussle, to just turn on the TV to mindless thinking until it's bedtime...or choose an escape, even it's a healthy escape.

So thankful for reflection and forward thinking. It's been a blessing to help Ellie prepare for Christmas. We did readings from her Jesus Story Book Bible for the Jesse Tree activity that we made. I love that she gets it more now. I love that it reminds us that God had a plan. The whole time, for Jesus' birth.

Not only a plan for our kid's lives, but plans for Ben and I too. Our marriage sure has grown, it's changed. But it's for the better. We're still learning, and it doesn't mean it's going to be easy. But like I said before it's WORTH IT. It just takes effort on both parts.

So here's what's been on my heart lately.

I think sometimes...when families go through tough stuff especially with our kids, the marriage can take a back burner. I think this is exceptionally easy for "mom." I can say this because I'm the mom in our story.

Our first year with Ellie, and her premature birth, was hard. After that, processing, and realizing what happened was hard. And then Beckett boy. Again. Another PREEMIE! Another year of hard.

So I kind of feel like things are "dare I say" slowing down enough for me to start the processing and reflecting again. I feel like we're out of the "survival" mode. And more into the "What are we going to have life look like now phase?"

I've been is such a "mom to the rescue" mode, that I'm realizing that the wife role has been less than stellar.
 
Is our marriage on the rocks? Nope. Do we want to make it better? Absolutely.

So I'm posting as accountability to myself and Ben. And for those in our wedding, remember how you stood up with us, watching us take our vows? Here's your reminder to help us too.

Who says you have to "go out" on a date for it to be quality, ESPECIALLY when you are in RSV Lockdown?

Ben and I just started reading our books we got for Christmas. I'm reading The Five Love Languages (yes, I know...we are on the slow train in getting this one read...and actually this wasn't a gift, we had it on our shelf waiting to be read, but that's besides the point), and Ben's started The Five Languages of Apology. We've already read some excerpts to each other, talked and discussed some. Maybe it won't be like this every week, but who knows. Maybe it will. Praying it will turn into action that will help us serve each other better.

Mandy and Ben's Christmas Challenge:
So we're committing to Book Night once a week together, until we get these read!