Packing away the magic

Day five.  I have been trying to take down the Christmas decorations since Sunday evening.  Lorelei's protests and tears have kept me from doing it for the past two days, but today I finally got it accomplished.  I had her help with every element of the taking down, wrapping, and packing.  I told her so many times how big she was and what a great helper she was being.  Not a tear was shed.  Lorelei is so much like me as a little girl.  A little mini-me.  I still feel a weird sort of sadness the day I have to pack up all the decorations.  It almost feels like I pack away the magic in those boxes every year.  But, it will be the holidays again before I know it.  Anticipating the excitement and joy I will see on the faces of my children the day we put it all back up makes it worth putting it out of site for a while.