Saint Nicholas Day

St. Nicholas made a stop at our house over night. Twenty years have passed, and yet he still finds the Toole boys in America. They are the brothers that leave gift sacks to be filled with treats instead of boots. 

This year he left the boys candy and lottery tickets. Keagan and I hand delivered Evan’s goodie bag on our way to Raleigh for a soccer showcase, and we arrived just in time to crash the AGR Christmas formal. 

We walked right in past security with bowls of chili in Tupperware and made ourselves comfortable with gingerbread cookies and Tito’s. I kid. I passed on the gingerbread cookies because well, they were gingerbread. No reason to waste calories on that!

I was struck by how incredibly happy Evan was when he met us in the front yard tonight. In fact, I stopped to consider if Christmas libations were the reason for the happiness, and Evan asked, “Are you ok, Mom? Why are you staring at me like that?” I’m convinced the new girl that’s just a friend, the guys that are like brothers to him, and the freedom of living on his own is the key to his happiness. I pray Keagan finds the same level of happiness next year. 

I didn’t get to meet the pledges that have been texting me all week, but we did get invited to another Christmas party on Sunday. 😂 We will drive through Knox again on Sunday night, so Keagan and I might just add it to our road-trip adventures. I kid. Keagan said tonight’s party was too loud to be fun.