So, every Christmas Eve, we pack up the family and make the loooooong trek to my parents’ house a mile and a half away to spend the night.  (Okay, so it isn’t a loooong way.  It just sounded better that way.) 

We have done this every year since Zan and I got married *almost* 17 years ago.  It all started because when I married and left the house, my little sister was just 14 years old, and the thought of her waking up to open gifts alone with my parents on Christmas morning was unbearable.  So, we said, until we had children of our own, we would come.  Then we had Big Girl, but by then a tradition was established, and I couldn’t bear the thought of not waking up at my parents’ house on Christmas morning.  So the tradition continues.  My sister’s daughter and my three kids have never woken up at their own homes on Christmas morning, and although we have ventured into the discussion of whether or not it might be time to make the break (it is quite a feat for Zan and I to pull off Christmas morning with three kids…much, much more hauling) the looks of horror on our girls’ faces when it’s even mentioned, re-establishes our commitment to the tradition.

This year we are all on pins and needles, wondering if our tradition might be put on hold.  You see, my sister is due any minute to go into labor with her second daughter. 🙂  The official due date is January 6th, but our Darling Angel Doctor (my hero from Mister’s gestational days) said two to three weeks tops—-three weeks ago.  I spoke to her yesterday and she laughed saying she felt like a ticking time bomb.  The family is at Code Red, waiting for the phone call that will set us all into baby prep motion.  We are prepared for any and all eventualities, and yet my kids are uneasy entering into Christmas thinking their traditions may be threatened.  They have made me promise that we will be sleeping at Memiere and Papa’s even if the baby is on the way, or comes early.  And my sister has been asking that God grant her the special favor of holding off labor until after the gifts are unwrapped Christmas morning.  🙂 

We shall see!  And in the meantime, we all look forward to meeting the most important gift of all coming our way this holiday season….no matter when she chooses to arrive.

Addendum:  Baby Niece has not yet arrived, and our holiday was splendid and traditional!  A great time was had by all, and we now look forward to a week of family time and Second Christmas with Zan’s family.