David and Jonathan

I got home Sunday afternoon. I had already half-decided that this was gonna be another not-so-good break.
My breaks have been not-so-great thus far because my circle of acquaintance exploded when I moved to Oklahoma. When I come home I return to monotony and stagnation. Therefore monotony and stagnation was all I was anticipating.
Which is not the best of mindsets to start off a month-long stay with your family. So on Monday I asked God to change my mind. Because if something didn't change I would spend the season of the birth of Christ slightly miserable. Slightly miserable is not my idea of a merry Christmas. And I figured my family wasn't about to change, so it was on me.
I prayed on Monday-- actually I prayed on Saturday and prayed again on Monday. Late Monday evening I began to notice some things.
My sister Lauren is pretty much the same, only more stressed out because of her teaching job. My father is daily giving all of himself for the students at our school and all too often getting nothing worthwhile in return. My mom is at her job all day and handling the family workload that is Christmas all night. My brother James and sister Sarah haven't changed. Josh is still Josh. Timmy acts like a ten year old because he is one, and Abi is a fourth grader.
But I have been pleasantly surprised in Jonny and David. Perhaps this is because they more so than the others are at an age for change (15 and 14 respectively). But when I left in August they were little boys. Now of a sudden they are young men. Imperfect and immature, but growing and improving. I have gotten mad at both of them since being home, but behind the temporary annoyance lurked a puzzled smile--who are these guys, anyway? Who are they becoming? Not to brag, but I'm kind of excited to see, because they're both pretty cool.
Now if only I could make them Yankees fans...