'Twas the night before Christmas...

... and all through the house,
You could hear people talking, quiet as a mouse.
The stockings were stuffed to the cuffs with cool things
Like trinkets and bobbles and barrettes and rings.
The children, all grown now, are toasting good cheer
We're happy to have them at this house this year.
They'll nestle all snug on the couch, in the bus,
on the Aerobed mattress, but NO, not with US :)
The lights, how they twinkle... The tree, how it shines
The yard how it glows with the lights all entwined.
We've had the roast turkey, eight hours it roasted
'No matter, we'll have turkey meatloaf" we boasted.
But even the dinner that almost was wrecked
Could not take away from the halls we had decked.
There was Jen here with Avery from up Hampden way
And Toby, and Bryan, and even SK
With Oscar and Anna lying patiently there
Hoping for a scrap of our pre-Christmas fare.
With Richard and Bryan poring over the computer,
Working with programs to make mapping look cuter
And Toby here finally after a long day of work
And SK on the sofa, me out of my skirt...
We're all here unwinding from a week full of chores
From trips to the malls, to the shops and the stores.
The holiday dinners, the parties and such
Sometimes it all seems to be way too much.
Not to complain or to wish it away,
I'd just like to have one more week, one more day.
But, there are more important things going on
And I'll gladly give up one more store, one more song
Just to have what I have now, what I have in this place
My husband, my health, happy kids, good warm space.
So as Santa and reindeer travel off out of sight
I wish you Merry Christmas and to all a Good Night...