Sunday, December 14, 2014

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

The last of the embers are starting to fade, probably only another 30 minutes left to the fire.  Sitting here surrounded by the pretty lights and all the things that make Christmas so special to me.  Each ornament on the tree has a special meaning, there are no random things I picked up to fill a space.  In fact I really need either a bigger tree or another tree.  As I have to pick and choose which ones will be on there each year.

This year is so special to me.  It's our first Christmas in our new home.  My boy is coming home, 5 days and a wake up.  And I simply cannot wait.  It's been a really long year. This Christmas is the beginning of the end to a really harsh year.  Hubby is healing. And as we were unpacking I found two things that I thought were gone forever.

My first Christmas ornament, it's blue, tear drop shaped, I had always packed it so carefully.  Afraid something would happen to it.  It's been missing since I left Germany.  I assumed it had gotten broken in the move.  A lot of things didn't either survive or make that trip. I found it gently wrapped inside one of my wine glasses that had been packed away forever.  The other was my stocking, it's my first also.  Both have seen better days, in fact this is their 50th year, as I was only 4 months old my first Christmas.

I carefully set up the snowy village, all the lights are sparkling and their is a fresh dusting of snow all over it. Snowy village has been with me since Washington state.  The last time I had a fire place.  It used to reside on that huge mantel.  The mantel in the living room is too small for it, only one of the houses would fit.  And I didn't want it in my bed room.  Snowy village is special to my son and I, it's always Christmas once it arrives.

I had planned to get it all done today, but it wasn't meant to be.  Hubby had a rough day, I was missing ornaments (all of them!), so before panic set in - and trust me it would have - I had to start emptying out the garage.  To say that I am exhausted would be an understatement.  In fact by these fading embers I am feeling myself start to fade.

I love Christmas.  For many reasons.  For the very gift of Christ himself.  For the time spent with family.  For the love and the memories.  For the good feelings that manage to survive even when the world is going crazy. And it is going crazy.  I was watching a veteran's holiday special yesterday while doing some needlework and they were talking about the wondrous experience that our soldiers and the German soldiers had back in WWI, and the joy that came for the simple carol Silent Night.  For one day they were able to put aside their differences and simply love and enjoy one another.   Sadly it only lasted a day.

This year will also be the first my Grand's spend without their Daddy.  That boy could be a pain, but he loved the holidays with his babies.  I am trying to make it as special as I can for them.  Trying to shield them from hurt and give them happiness to make it better.  We'll see...




I haven't had time to write, I have been chasing my tail and running as fast as I can.  I might have gone back a bit too soon.  Hubby is healing, but I am having a hard time keeping up with everything.  I am not sure who I am or what is going on. I mean, seriously... I'm just getting the tree up.  And I haven't wrapped a single present.

I have been cooking a bit here and there.  And decided to try my hand at a bit of candy making.  I didn't make any hard tack this year.  That was more time consuming than I could handle.  But I did make some "Christmas Crack" - well deserved name! And I have tried my hand at some chocolate covered cherries, those take time, so we will see only another week and two days.






 I'm not sure I will have much time to blog this next week.  My work schedule is pretty full, several training's and end of year stuff to take care of.  And lots of things to take care of at home and around hubby's therapy schedule.  Life has a crazy way of getting in the way.... And I am trying to create some memories and love my life... how about you?

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