....and.... Twelve Drummers Drumming

 This day...Sunday the 19th of December...also in our world the twelfth day of Christmas... has been Magical.  MAGICAL in all respects.

 First of all, I woke up BEFORE my children.  Dearest readers, those among you who have small children know what a gem this is.  I had almost twenty minutes of silent household.  So excited with this time was I, I actually tried to read my book AND knit at the same time. That didn't really work.  So I alternated chapter for row.  A short time later, I heard the quiet "Mamma?" floating down the steps from my younger child.  I went up to get her dressed and freshly diapered and Coen hopped in to join us. We all went downstairs to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" And Coen immediately to the front window to see if we had a basket waiting.  "Mom!" He said. "there's no basket!"  I told him that we'd have to wait and see but that it would happen. 

After we had breakfast and TV time, Coen and Lucy, on their own, went upstairs to play.  Tad got out his book and I got out my knitting and we talked together until I was beckoned from the second floor.  I brought my knitting upstairs, feeling thankful that my kids are suddenly old enough to play alone together, not needing my constant presence.  I read them two chapters of Little House on the Prairie and three Dr. Suess books.  And we played.

At lunchtime we had some friends over to help us eat some leftover food from our Saturday night gathering.  Coen continued to check the windows and the back door for our twelfth day gift.  I told him that he just had to stop thinking about it and it would appear as it had done the last week and a half.  Shortly after, a group of Christmas elves and fairies, child and adult came marching up to our front door, twelve of them playing drums, all singing "The Twelve Days of Christmas." I carried Lucy to the front porch and Tad brought Coen.  I immediately had tears in my eyes.  Our secret gift givers were not our neighbors (boy was I wrong!) but this collection of wonderfully kind, creative, thoughtful and generous individuals--as I said fairies and elves.... That is all I will say. I have sworn an oath of Christmas secrecy. 

But if any of you are reading my blog, thank you thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  Tad and I were overwhelmed with the gifts you gave us and that you chose us to give them to.  We made a thank you note for each of the twelve baskets, they are pictured above.

Oh and their gift this time, was not only of song, but they left behind a box of ice cream sundae drumsticks.  Coen and Lucy ate theirs tonight after dinner. 

After our elves and fairies left, and our visitors, The kids went back upstairs to play. (They were pretending to be baby bears hibernating for the winter up in Coen's room) and Tad and I sat downstairs together and marvelled at how lucky, and how blessed we are.

Thank you.