I have three or four must-see Christmas titles during the holidays.  Love Actually, The Holiday, and The Family Stone are my absolute favorites.  I’m not sure which I love the most, but each leaves me with a different feeling.

Repeat the Sounding Joy | perfectly imperfect

I leave Love Actually feeling hopeful and giddy, The Holiday feeling inspired and adventurous, and The Family stone leaves me feeling full and a little wistful…and honestly, it relates to my life more than the others.

The hustle and bustle of the house full of family, tensions and all.  The little girl begging for gifts and siblings fighting over the most ridiculous things.  The cooking and fridge full of groceries, and even the spilled casseroles.

Repeat the Sounding Joy | perfectly imperfect

The bittersweet time spent with those you love, and the knowledge that it all doesn’t last forever.  The mama reminds me of mine so.

There’s this line at the end, after all the fighting and spilling breakfast casseroles, and swapping fiancés.  Luke Wilson and Sara Jessica Parker are lying there, looking at the ceiling and both begin humming Joy to the World.  Ole Luke has this moment where the importance of what they’re singing sinks in…Repeat the Sounding Joy.

A to the men.  Such resounding Truth in a little four-word phrase.

And so it was this year.  Our Christmas came and went, in a flurry of last minute wrapping and insane surprises.

Repeat the Sounding Joy | perfectly imperfect

Repeat the Sounding Joy | perfectly imperfect

Repeat the Sounding Joy | perfectly imperfect

Repeat the Sounding Joy | perfectly imperfect
P.S. the fort bed and flooring in gray’s room, in fact, did get finished and it was. a. hit.

There were only mild disagreements over the most ridiculous issues, and there was a lot of hugging and so many wistful, teary moments between my mother and I.  Not sure what we had going on, but we could not keep it together.

Repeat the Sounding Joy | perfectly imperfect

The presents were wonderful, and the company even better, but it was the Sounding Joy that caught my breath this year as my little boy read us the Nativity Story on Christmas Eve.

The Savior is born.

Repeat the Sounding Joy.