"DESIREE! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" says Derek, as I walk out of my house to get in the car to be NJ-bound once more.

"I'm going to New Jersey for Christmas!" I say.

"IT'S GOING TO BE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!" I nod in agreement and we high-five. "I HAVE CHRISTMAS CARDS IN MY HOUSE THAT I MADE FOR YOU AND AMANDA AND HEATHER - WAIT JUST A MINUTE AND I'LL BRING THEM OUTSIDE! YOU'LL LOVE THEM! THEY HAVE JESUS!" He darts inside and seconds later returns with three rolled up pieces of paper. I unroll one and there is a picture he drew of a stick-figure Jesus on the cross.

"SEE? IT'S JESUS ON THE CROSS! MERRY CHRISTMAS, DESIREE!" He darts back inside and closes the door.

Is this holiday confusion or is this three-year-old clarity? Is Christmas celebratory and meaningful outside the context of Easter?

I don't know. I don't know if Derek knows. But we both know that it's all about Jesus, so there's always that.