The real magic in Christmas and the best gift ever! :) *WOW this post turned out LONG*

Do you remember being a child and what it felt like Christmas Eve?  You didn't want to go to bed because you always felt that there was that slim chance that if you stayed up just maybe 10 more minutes, you might catch a fleeting glimpse of the man in the red suit scurrying through your living room....
Or then as you got older and you began to question things, you try to force yourself to stay up later in order to try to "catch" your parents up wrapping gifts and sneaking them under the tree.  You just know there is something strange about this red suit story,  but you just aren't ready to take the chance on not believing.
Then finally - you grow up, you move out, maybe you start a family or maybe you don't - but either way, guess what..... that big man in the red suit, he doesn't show up at your house anymore.
Where did Santa go?
What happened to all the gifts and the magic and the anticipation on Christmas Eve?
was it all in your head?

Here's the thing - as we get older, we lose focus on the magic of Christmas.  I will tell you right now that I have been guilty of letting December drive me INSANE.....how much money I can spend, who all to buy for, commercialism out the wazoo... by the time Christmas comes around, I'm sooooo ready for it to just be over!  Open the gifts, get outta the house and let me get this dang tree down so I don't have to look at it anymore.

Please allow me to share with you why I believe Christmas is still alive and well in my house.  No - there is not a man in a red suit sliding down my chimney - but the miracle....the magic.... it's all still there.  You just have to choose to believe in the magic and the REAL meaning behind Christmas, and not the man in the red suit.  Christmas Eve has become almost more of a favorite to me than actual Christmas day.  Wanna know why.... because THAT is when I let the magic in and quit worrying over gifts, money, etc.  On Christmas Eve, every year (possible) my son and I stop everything, sit down, turn on the fireplace, drink hot chocolate & watch Christmas movies.  The world outside is gone and we just enjoy the magic.  Wanna know where that magic is?!?  family...friends...loved ones...those special moments that you lose when you get lost in the hustle and bustle of what we so lovingly refer to as Christmas.  THOSE are the moments.... getting up on Christmas morning at the butt crack of dawn and driving all the way across town to watch my niece & son open gifts...  you just can't wrap that feeling....the family....the love.
So stop trying to.

Now - with all the love and family comes the magic.  right?!?!
Well - this year - I was able to give my son the most magical gift EVAH!!!!!  ( I gave it to him on Thanksgiving Day because....well you'll understand shortly)
Every year at Christmas I fight with how in the world I'm going to afford Zack anything for Christmas... and every year, God provides.  I'm NOT saying that he HAS to provide like he does.... but he always has.  I have tons of stories I could share about past Christmas gifts, but this time, I'm just gonna share this years.

My son is 14.  He is a HUGE North Carolina basketball fan.  I knew already that UNC would be playing UK on December 5th in Lexington.  We live in KY so this is as close as UNC gets to us.  Now, I have tried in previous years to get tickets to this match up and it's never been possible.  Keep in mind that UNC WON the title last year - right.  But when I realize they are coming close, I start the hunt for tickets.  Struck out over and over with my contacts.  But you mothers know, we don't give up that easy.  At this point, I had not even mentioned the game to my son.  And finally had someone on the hook for possible tickets.  One night the boy comes home and this is what he says.....   "hey mom, I've been thinking.... and there is just ONE thing I want for Christmas this year!"   me:  "what's that?"   the boy:  "I REALLY wanna go to that UNC/UK game"   me:  ARE YOU KIDDING ME???  that's IMPOSSIBLE!!!!
He proceeded to look online to find the game almost sold out - and the tickets available were ridiculously over priced.  So - that was the end of that.  He was convinced that possibility was out the door.  This just made me want it more for him.
So I contact my cuz... (he graduated from UK)   He was on the job in a minute.....   to make a long story short, and through alot of blood sweat and tears on his part, He pulled out some tickets for me.  Don't think he didn't remind me the entire way through how HARD this was..   "you do realize you are trying to go to the biggest game of the year in the home stadium of the highest attended college basketball team for 12 years straight.. these are the two winningest teams in the history of college basketball".... yes I know, but it's for my son....
These were not cheap tickets people - (they were cheaper than what SOME people paid....but still for me - not cheap)  So here is where my daddy comes in.  Totally fronted the money for this gift for my child.  yes - this money for this ONE day (before Christmas even gets here) - but I consider it to be a once in a lifetime thing - and God somehow made it all work out so that I could get the tickets.

So - for Thanksgiving, I gave the boy his gift.  I gave it to him with my entire family present so that he would be able to thank (and remember) that this gift was God sent.... it was a true miracle.  So many times we get wrapped up in the commercialism, we miss the true miracles that God pulls off.  He was able to share the experience with family AND got to thank my cuz and my dad for their assistance without which this gift would not have been possible.

When I brought the gift in to give to my son, I had that same anticipation and excitement as I did when I was a little girl hoping to catch Santa sliding down the chimney.
All I'm saying is - where are your priorities and how many miracle moments are you missing because you are more worried about the hustle and bustle around you.

Take the time this year to thank God for your family.....don't waste the entire holiday time shopping and over-doing and missing all the little things.  They mean the most.
I told you ALL that UNC/UK story to point out that those tickets, Zack's once in a lifetime moment, would have NEVER been possible without my wonderful God given family  :)

This is just one piece of the happiness that has been brought into my life over the Thanksgiving holiday this year....  my cup runneth over....  there is more to come   =)