It's Christmas Eve? Already?

I can't believe it's Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve. Where did time go when I wasn't paying attention?

I plan to spend most of the afternoon cooking cheddar cheese cookies. They're awesome and spicy and fun to make. See, I put on rubber gloves (I'm really really paranoid about cooking), and then I get to mash all the ingredients — cheese, Rice Krispies, red pepper etc. — together like Play Doh. Then I get to put them in the oven and watch then turn into Tasty Treats of Goodness.

Tonight, Paul and I are going to my grandmother's house, just like I have every Christmas Eve since I was born. The whole family gets together for dinner (featuring Memaw's oyster soup and Aunt Linda's bourbon balls), then we play board games. Most years, the whole family spends the night at her house, then we make raisin stollen for breakfast and open gifts.

Paul and I aren't spending the night this year, but I still look forward to the dinner and games and all the other things that make it a special time.

I wanted to share the photo and Christmas message sent to me by our friend, photographer Fred Asbury. It doesn't snow hard very often in Memphis. He took the photo in 2002. That year, the snowstorm was amazing and unexpected. Paul was working research and development at Wright Medical, so I had a snowball fight with several of his friends in the parking lot of our university dorm. It was a good Christmas.

In fact, every Christmas I've had with Paul — this will be our 9th together — has been wonderful. I hope you guys are near to the people and places that make you happy this time of year. And I hope you find your own peace, whether it be spending time with family or having a snowball fight with friends — or both. :-)