Let's Get Ready To Celebrate!

The Millage house is always a busy one, but as we approach the holidays, we kick the chaos up a notch or two. December is a hectic month for everyone, but in our family, it has extra-special meaning each year. I remember that as a child the day I anticipated most during the holidays was Christmas day. Who doesn't love getting presents?! I especially loved the thrill of running down the stairs to see what Santa had left for me while I was sleeping. As an adult, it is such a different experience for me. It is honestly a more fulfilling one. Now my excitement lies not just in seeing my own children run down the stairs on Christmas morning, but in the special little celebrations that are unique to our family. Let me tell you about them...

Aaron and I were married on December 16, 2000. We had a long engagement, made even longer when I decided I wanted to have a Christmas wedding. After my graduation from college in May of 2000, I moved home for seven LONG months, awaiting the arrival of one of the happiest days of my life. We were married at a beautiful and unique historic home in Atlanta called Pinebloom. It was built in 1914 and eventually was sold to the Southern Baptist Convention in 1946 for use as a broadcasting facility for their Radio Commission. When Jackson Hill Baptist Church purchased the estate in the 1950s, they constructed a sanctuary adjoining the house. This made a perfect location for our wedding, as we were married in the church and had our reception in the house. It was an evening wedding full of candlelight and red roses. We left in a 1940's Rolls Royce which drove us all through downtown Atlanta before taking us to the Ritz Carlton. At that time, I couldn't imagine any experience would outshine that wonderful night. While nothing will ever compare to the excitement I felt that night, it wasn't long before my anniversary would have to share the spotlight.

Exactly one year later, Aaron and I were in Augusta, Georgia. Aaron was in his second year of medical school and I was almost 7 months pregnant. He took me out to eat at an amazing restaurant for our anniversary, he arranged the entire evening, with every romantic detail in place. After dinner, we came home and pulled out our wedding cake top from one year earlier. It had defrosted all day and looked almost identical to how it did the night of our wedding. We took a bite for the sake of the tradition but then I began feeling sick. We thought at first it was indigestion, but little did we know it was the beginning of early labor! It was Aaron's birthday the next day, December 17th, which was spent entirely in the confines of a hospital room as the doctors tried to stop my labor from progressing. As fate would have it though, it became just one in a trio of days that we would celebrate every year from that day forward. The next afternoon, December 18th, Lauren made her entrance into the world two months early. (Just some quick math...that was 37 hours of labor!) So our baby girl, due February 14th, decided against being a Valentine's baby and went for Christmas instead. God created a special calendar of events in our family as we crammed our anniversary, Aaron's birthday, and Lauren's birthday into three consecutive days. It is always a wonderful time of year for our family though. I can hardly believe that this year we will celebrate our 8th year of marriage and Lauren will be 7 years old! (I'll keep Aaron's age confidential...)

God had certainly given us many reasons to celebrate but almost a year ago, He gave us one more. Gracie was born on November 29, 2007 and our little family became wonderfully complete. Over Thanksgiving weekend this year, we will celebrate Gracie's first birthday! What a great way to usher in the holiday season each year. I can't imagine life being any sweeter than it is right now.