Merry Christmas!

Ahh!

Christmas has arrived.

Not exactly the way we had it planned.

Pumpkin girl was in the children's choir and their part started at 4:15pm to be followed by Mass at 5 pm.

No problem. I had a half day to work and then I still had time to get Boo a much needed haircut and everything would fall in place perfectly!

Well, not exactly.

While I was out with Boo, Bip decided to have some gum - and the cap to one of his teeth came out with it! Change in plans 1.

So, we got dressed in our church clothes, my wife took the two older ones and I took Bip to the Emergency Dentist (who ever heard of such a thing? But thank God he was available!) and we would all link up at the Church.

It took much longer than I thought but a kind woman felt bad that Bip had to wait and let him play with her iPhone. Did you know there is Grinch application game? Well, that amused Bip during the wait.

Finally, the dentist took care of the cap and off we went!

By the time we got to Church it was 5:20pm and the place was packed! We have a HUGE parking lot and it was overflowing. Folks were illegally parked everywhere and it extended well into the street. I could see one lone FEDEX van trying carefully to wind it's way around without hitting anything. Not good.

So, finally after the 3d (or 5th) way around, I realized this was just not going to happen. Bip was very comforting, "It's OK Daddy. God knows that we tried. He understands." What a good boy! Change in Plan 2.

Later the family was joined again, we saw some Christmas movies, set out some reindeer food outside and some Santa food on the inside. Most importantly we removed the Joseph and Mary statue of them on the way to Bethlehem to replace them with the Holy Family at the stable - now with baby Jesus added!

And the next morning, there were reindeer tracks in the snow from when they had come to eat their present, crumbs on the plate where Santa had eaten his present, and presents for everyone else under the tree. Christmas music in the background and lots of Christmas cookies and goodies.

It was perfect.

Christmas had come no matter what. And it's like that. Whether you can make it home or not. Whether the people that you want to spend the day with are there or not. No matter the presents under the tree. No matter your plans for the perfect holiday season. It can all go POP!

And Christmas will come anyway.

Because it was never really our plan. Not on that night in Bethlehem so long ago and not today.

All we can really do is trust in our Loving God who is really the one with the plan and do our part. And our part right now is to love the ones we are with and to pray for the ones that are not here.

Merry Christmas everyone! I am off to play with the children!