For the first time in thirty-two years, Deb and I will be spending Christmas Eve without any of our children.

That’s not bad.

Considering that each of our kids are either married or are in serious relationships.

There are other family schedules and traditions to honour.

And if the other families have more than one child, the time frames get even more complicated.

Keaton and Kate won’t be home at all for Christmas.

So, we’re grateful to have Caileigh & Chris and Tara & Dan.

They won’t be here for Christmas Eve.

But we’ll see them on Christmas Day.

And we’ll be seeing Tara briefly today.

She’s going to be singing at our old church and we’re going there with her.

But we’re likely to have more solo Christmas Eve’s in our futures.

It’s not a tragedy or anything.

It’s just different.

It will be like Deb and I have gone back in time.

To a time before kids…

When I didn’t know how much love it was possible to have for other people.

When I thought our love for each other was as “big” as my love would get.

It will be nice to snuggle with Deb tonight and enjoy a little quiet before the holiday mayhem begins.