Merry Christmas!

It's 6 am Christmas day.

As I'm sitting at the table next to the plate of half eaten cookies and milk that was enjoyed by "Santa", I look outside and our entire neightborhood is covered in a blanket of snow. This is quite a surprise considering the fact that we went to bed on Christmas Eve without any snow at all and no indication that there would be. It's as if some little girl or boy prayed for a Xmas miracle...

It's really a very peaceful and serene moment. In about a half hour that'll all be replaced with sounds of excitement, music, electronic toys and little feet running through the house. I am definitely looking forward to all of that, but for now I'm taking in this white Christmas and thinking about all the blessings that my family and friends have experienced. Moments like these always seem to put things into perspective and allow me to take into account what matters the most in my life, while letting go of the things that don't.

Although the media tries to tell us otherwise, we must always keep close to our hearts the true meaning of the holiday season. Religious background aside, the holidays are not about what we see on the surface (food, gifts etc), they are about taking time to reach out to the ones you love the most and strengthening those connections. It's about understanding that love is self sacrifice and putting someone else's wants or needs before your own can be fulfilling in its own right. These are the things that I remind myself of around this time of year and I encourage you all to consider them as well.

I'd like to close out this article with a very special announcement: We're expecting! One of our many holiday blessings! Here's one of his/her first pictures.
Merry Christmas everyone!