Christmas Eve 2007

We've taken tons of pictures so far, and I'll post them all when we get back to Buffalo, but here's a quick sample from Lily's first Christmas Eve.

Liz and I are so excited, partly because Lily is coming into a really fun age and we think she'll have a good time tomorrow, but also because we are thrilled to be able to give Christmas to someone else. Giving gifts is one thing, but being able to give this feeling, the emotions, the whole season and reason, is something we've both looked forward to for a long, long time. I hope that many years from now, when Lily looks back on this, she'll know how much Christmas means to our family and will have many, many wonderful memories of the Christmases we have given her.

This is just the beginning. A first in what will become decades and dozens of Christmas experiences for Lily and for us. If there was ever any doubt about the existence of Santa, this feeling alone should be all the proof anyone would need. Liz and I love that we have a lifetime of Christmases to prepare for--to create, to mold, to imagine--and we love that Lily is the beneficiary of all that we dream up for years to come.

She's the best gift we've ever received, and we intend on spending the rest of our lives making sure she knows it.

Merry Christmas to you all...there'll be much more to share once we're home from our trip!

Lily in her Christmas Eve outfit. The stripes are designed to help Santa get directly to her crib! (Note: this picture was taken roughly 60 seconds after Miss Independent Stand Up Champion decided to lunge forward a little too fast and hit her head against the chair...the tears were flowing pretty good until Mommy picked her up!)

We took a picture of us in downtown Kannapolis against all the lights. Lily is doing this new thing with her lips that makes her look like she belongs to the Panella family.

This is my 8th grade English teacher, Mrs. Edmiston. I haven't seen her in years but she was at the Christmas Eve Church Service tonight. Lily leaned over and kissed her immediately...and got kissed back!

Here we are at the front of the church with Mom and Dad.

Liz, Lily, and I in front of the Church's Christmas Tree.