Christmas Magic

I should be cleaning bathrooms right now...Alex's family is driving in tonight, and if I start now, I will finish my chores in plenty of time, stress free.  Of course, that hardly sounds like me.  So,  instead I've found my way back to my blog.  I was thoroughly spoiled this Christmas...any of my gifts would have been sufficient on their own.  It feels a little impolite and thoughtless considering the tough economic times, but retail needed help too, right?  Well, I'm not returning any of my gifts, so I guess I don't feel that bad.

I was still sighing over my good fortune--presents given and received, my cute husband and little boy, being with my family, warm homemade rolls, a white Christmas--when my dad casually asked me and my siblings, "So, did you guys get everything you wanted for Christmas?"  I couldn't really answer the question because the twinkle in his eye immediately had me thinking of  that same question being asked by the dad in our family favorite A Christmas Story.  "What?  Do you have a Red Ryder BB Gun stashed somewhere," I joked.

Well, I thought it was a joke.  My dad directed Travis, Jackson, and me to look under the piano in his room; there we found three long rectangular packages which did indeed contain our very own Red Ryder BB guns.  Except for the missing compass in the stock, we had ourselves received Ralphie's dream present.  I felt like a little kid...and like my brothers were kids too.  It was truly a magical Christmas moment.

I'm not good at much...I'm the one that always gets double bounced on the trampoline, gets stuck in a corner in Halo while I get shot over and over, curses down a mountain slope on disobedient skis, shoots a basketball like a girl, has her glasses knocked off in volleyball.  I could go on and on.  Well, here's an exception to the rule: it turns out that I'm a pretty good shot. 

I've gotten on my soap box about gun control plenty of times, but maybe I was wrong.  Getting a target in my sights and shooting it dead on is thrilling and thoroughly satisfying.  I won the Best of 10 contest (8 of 10, including hard-to-hit disc...the missed shots were when I tried to get fancy) as well as a shoot--off with Travis.  I can't remember the last time I got to really play with a Christmas present, but it was awesome.  However, the most "awesome" part of this unexpected gift was its purpose: to let all three of us know that our dad will always come through for us.  

We didn't need a bb gun to tell us that, Dad, but it does help me feel the truth of it a little deeper.  Thank you, Dad.  I miss you (and the shooting range) already. 

sidenote: contrary to what the photo seems to indicate, I am not pregnant.  The bros and I are all suffering from holiday belly.