Blogged from my iPod on the Way to LA, Christmas Morning

There used to be this show on Nickelodeon (or maybe it was Disney channel, I can't remember... If anyone knows what this show was called let me know, it is driving my crazy) about this girl who kept an online journal while on the road with her parents... This was back in the day before online journals were called blogs and before parents bought kids their own personal laptops because they were outrageously expensive... 8 year olds also did not have iPod's and cell phones of their own when this show ran (not that I am against parents who get their kids these things, I will probably be one of those parents because I have all of those things myself, I was simply noting that this show was aired when these things were a bit of an anomaly for a kid her age to own)... Anyway, she would post entries on the road, and as I sent a Tweet from my phone this morning to let my dear readers (ie: anyone bored or addicted enough to be reading blogs on Christmas morning) know that we were not stuck in a snowstorm as was falsely predicted earlier this week, I was reminded of a simpler time when none of this was even thought of by the general masses... Christmas morning was spent in our PJs and the furthest we would drive was 4 minutes to grandmas so we could eat breakfast (still in our PJs)... If I even thought about the future I can tell you I did not ever imagine driving 400 miles on Christmas day because my husband had to work the day before... It could be worse though, he could have vetoed this crazy plan when he started to get a cold... Last year we flew (it wasn't bad surprisingly, because we avoided the big airport and flew into Long Beach on Christmas morning), but this year I didn't know if I would get the time off till last Friday, so there was not enough time to book a cheap flight... I love my in-laws, but the thought of not being with my big crazy family on Christmas day is enough to send me into wild depression (the kind where I crawl into bed, refusing to come out till Christmas is over)... Fear of that very behavior ensures that my sweet (though often ornery on the drive) husband always finds a way to get me home for Christmas... It's not that I'm a spoiled brat (okay well if I am at least I am reminded of it all the time by my brothers and mama) it's just that he doesn't like to see me sad (and I really do get sad, I don't just throw a tantrum, I promise)... I guess he makes the sacrifice because I made one by staying in Sac when most of my family is in LA still... Though this year we really had not planned on this trip because I didn't think I was going to get the time off... My husband gave me the best Christmas gift possible, time with my family... I won't take it for granted... I guess this ramble was to get me to this point... Remember the reason we celebrate Christmas, it is not about decorations, or presents, or even spending time with the people we love... It's about a sacrifice that God made for us by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to live a perfect life and then pay the ultimate price for our sins... Because he loves us. That. Much. Have a blessed Christmas and keep the reason for this season in your heart as you spend time with your family and friends...