A Christmas of Firsts

Today has been a Christmas of firsts. I am twenty two years old and in twenty two years this is the first that I have not been with my immediate family. While they spent the day in Little Elm (near Dallas) I spent the day in Magnolia (near Houston). While this was my first Christmas away from the only family I have known on Christmas it was also the first Christmas I spent with my new family, In-laws, nieces, and nephews. Here in Magnolia we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with good food, and great company.

In Little Elm this has been the first Christmas my parents have truly had an empty nest. Both Cassie and I are now married. There were no stockings to stuff, they even decided not to do stockings for each other. This is Cassie's first Christmas with her husband Curtis as part of our family. Maybe the most exciting for them, this is my parent's first Christmas as grandparents. Laura Kate Wiley enjoyed her first Christmas with many gifts (and more to come tomorrow from Uncle Joel and Aunt Ashley).

Being married for nine months this is the first Christmas I have had the opportunity to spend with my new wife. When she asked if I was sad I wasn't spending Christmas with my family I told her that there was no one else I would rather spend my Christmas with than her. This year I gave her a Christmas ornament that is currently hanging on the front of our tree in Tyler. It has an engraving on it that reads, "Our first of many." This Christmas was a Christmas of first and I look forward to the many more that are to come with my ever growing family.

Were I to Judge Naughty From Nice

It is probably a good thing that I am not Santa Claus. I think that he must be a pretty lenient guy. There were definitely some kids that I knew growing up who should have been on the naughty list yet they would still return to school bragging about what Santa had brought them. In the spirit of Christmas Eve I decided to make my own list concerning who does and does not get presents. Were I to judge naughty from nice:

Naughty List

1. Stupid drivers
2. The people who designed the streets of Tyler Texas
3. Obsessive holiday shoppers
4. People who get in their car to leave but sit in the space while someone is waiting on them to park (often this is women checking their makeup)
5. Holier-than-thou Christians
6. Christians who "hate" anyone (this is a direct reference to #5)
7. People in the service industry who hate their job and let you know it
8. Teenagers who think they know everything (This includes most teenagers and while I still love them, they would receive no presents)
9. People who text message me who nothing to say
10. People who don't like dogs
11. Cats
12. News Channel Analysts
13. Ignorant people

Nice List

1. People who help you move in
2. People who volunteer (preferably in my youth group)
3. People who wait until Christmas Eve to do their shopping
4. People who give you "good deals"
5. People who work on their own cars
6. Parents who care about what their kids are doing
7. Teenagers who can admit when they were wrong
8. Those who listen to you even when they think you are wrong
9. Random gift givers
10. People who agree with me
11. Cute little kids
12. Mark Zuckerberg
13. My wife