I want to know if Santa is real....

Christmas Eve we left a treat for Santa. The kids came up with all the ideas. A glass of Rice Milk in a snowman glass, with some chocolate bark a friend gave us. (Emily got it all together) Alex roasted extra marshmallows over our Christmas Eve fire...then put them in a yellow bowl with a spoon. Emily wrote the note to Santa. She added something extra this year, all on her own.

This is 5:30 am. Yes. Blame the girl with the paper. She woke up EVERYONE, including the baby and Aunt Stina. Thanks Emily, for tap dancing in the kitchen after you woke up the kids.

When I took this photo, she was jumping up and down with enthusiasm. With a grin, she shouted, "He's real, he's real! Santa is real! He signed my paper! I knew it! I knew he was real!". So what does the purple paper say?

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"Dear Santa

Please draw a heart in the cerlce (circle) if you are alav (alive).

Love,

Alex, Emily, Y, Grant, Rachel" (I don't know why two kids were left out, or why the y)

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In the circle, Santa did more than draw a heart. In fancy handwriting that could only come from the old man in the north pole, it says,

"Emily, You are one Lovede Girl, Santa"

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I don't know if Lovede is the old North Pole word for loved, or if Santa was just really really tired by the time he got to our house. Emily didn't ask.

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Yes, Emily, Santa is real. And today Santa and Santa are really tired.