Christmas Eve Surprises

I LOVE Christmas! There is so much fun in the newness of life here in NZ. But nothing quite prepared me for my Christmas Eve surprise this morning.

I woke up far too early...insomnia will be a post coming soon, but for now indulge yourself in my Christmas visitor story.

I was up at 4 and went out to the bathroom and heard a little squirming and slurping in the pool. I couldn't quite figure out what it was and quite frankly didn't really want to find out. I scurried off back to bed and tried to get back to sleep. We had to be at a MRI for Sam very early (finally he is going to get his knee fixed...) so I went and had a shower at 6:00. To my "surprise" I saw what I had heard earlier that morning....



What is that you ask? A HEDGE HOG!!!



I had never seen a hedge hog before and I went in and woke Sam up telling him that there was a "rat" or something in the pool...I had, of course, first taken a picture so while he was sleepy and barely able to see I was still able to show him what it was. His first response actually surprised me...I told you, Christmas Eve Surprises :) First he laughed and said it's not a rat, but a hedge hog. I had only seen a hedge hog in Pixar films before this morning. Then Sam said, "Is he alive?" It was...It was swimming around. He shot out of bed. I am not joking! Which again surprised me. Sam didn't even know there was a 6 on the clock I don't think :) Then he proceeded to rescue this hedge hog because it had been swimming for hours. He got it out and then placed it on the rocks to catch its breath.



And back to bed he went, as well :)

Christmas Eve has been relaxing for us after our early morning. I felt so accomplished that at 10am when we were heading home we had gone to an appointment (where in the waiting room I caught up on my USA news...well the celebrity gossip), went for breakfast at a cafe, went Christmas shopping for one last present for his Nana, then went to the grocery store for snacks to survive through the weekend. :)

There aren't many traditions for Christmas Eve for Sam's family or really for most people in NZ, so we are going to spend our first Christmas together getting fish and chips and hanging out at the beach for a bit, then opening our presents from each other. Tomorrow we are ALL excited to have our presents opened. I have been teasing James for a week now that all we got him was socks and underwear :) But in reality we can't wait for him to open our gifts. I think all of us have almost buckled and said, "just open them now!" We have made it though...no more candy in our advent calendars and only one more sleep!!!

Enjoy your Christmas Eve!!!!