Bare Bannisters

We took down our Christmas decorations on Saturday. I always dread this time of year, when we willingly box up all that festive cheer and store it away for another year. The house looks and feels so bland and empty without the stockings, the soft-lit greenery, the beloved manger scene, and the squishy smiling snowmen. The bare banisters are the saddest part to me. We hang dense evergreen garland, white lights, and red bows all along the main bannister and then string Christmas cards on ribbon down the side hand rails. My heart warms every time I walk up or down the stairs, surrounded by gentle white lights, frizzy green garland, and smiling pictures of friends and family. At Christmas, the stairs become "a little bit more," as Dr. Seuss would say. I feel so snug going up and down the stairs, surrounded by loved ones and lights. With those simple adornments gone, the stairs turned back into mere steps once again.

We gave Christmas one last hurrah while we were unwinding the garland and dismantling the tree. We cranked up the Christmas music and went to work. Even if the task was unpleasant, we still managed to have a good time completing it. I'm glad we can find the joy in the journey even during the blatantly blue times. I'm convinced that there's always something good in every situation; it just takes a disciplined, practiced eye to find it.

In spite of this noble philosophy, the Les Miserables song "empty chairs and empty tables" keeps playing in my head whenever I see our now bare, garland-less banisters. I know nobody died, like all of Maruis's friends did when he sang that song in Les Mis, but Christmas is dead! Well, at least for 11 more months it is. Sigh. I know, I know. The spirit of Christ never dies. That is a comfort indeed when the Christmas season's absence leaves a big hole in my house.

And then there’s my husband’s absence. This is what Christmas Break looked like most days at our house:

Jay, Rose, and I loved having Jeff home for the 2 week Christmas break. Our first day back into reality with Daddy at work this week was rough all over. When Jeff got home Monday afternoon, Jay and Rose started fighting over his attention, they missed him so much. We still miss him during the day, but we’re adjusting. [Pardon a brief side rant, but…anyone who thinks indignant thoughts about teachers having a cushy easy life with tons of vacation time should just become a teacher themselves. Those breaks are needed and welcome]

Steph started school again this week, so we have enjoyed 2 extra little sunshines in our house:

Today is the first day that both Layne and Tate have come over. The other days this week, I’ve just had one or the other. It all depends on WHAT WORKS, you know? But I love having a collection of cuties to squish, as long as they don’t all cry at once (that only happened for about 3 minutes today, thankfully, and Jay was just fake crying because he thought it was funny that everyone else was crying). I think I’d have to be pretty desperate and/or brave to actually GO anywhere with all 4 kids aged 0, 1, 2, and 4, but here at home things are stabilizing nicely.

It was a challenge getting that one golden group picture…

When we were done picture-ing, Jay said “I still want to hold baby Tate.”

He held him for another 6 or 7 minutes, talking to him and playing with him.

Jay seems so grown up around all these little folks. He is such a helper when he’s in the right mood, and he’s Mr. Daddy to Tate and Layne (and sometimes Rose, although she resists him like a teenager). He gently bounces Tate, takes forbidden things away from Layne, and “reads” stories.

 

Maybe January won’t be quite so blah after all.