A Little Different This Year

My Grandmother was born on Christmas Eve. On my mother's side of the family, we celebrate Christmas (presents, etc) on Christmas Eve. And, as long as I can remember, we've set aside a little time on that night to celebrate the birth of our matriarch. It's never been a huge whoopla- but it's always happened.

This year was different.

We all packed up and invaded the nursing home.

This past fall, Grandmother went to live, full time, at a local nursing home. We've all known that it was coming. It was just a matter of when. My Grandmother suffers from diabetes... and dementia. I hate dementia. It's a foul, wicked disease that robs the person of themselves. And robs their loved ones of this person they love.

We started to realize that bringing Grandmother home from the nursing home, even for one evening, was not going to happen. She had adapted to her new home. She was settled and safe there. It would have disrupted and disturbed her to leave. (I won't lie. That took me a while to wrestle with...) So we had to shuffle our plans around and make a different set of priorities our focus. 

As we sat in the nursing home cafeteria, I think all the adults had that moment when we realized that a huge chapter of our lives had closed. Forever.
And that we are moving ever to quickly to the moment when another chapter closes.
It was painfully obvious to everyone that this was not one of Grandmother's "good days"... not by a long shot. The next day, she didn't remember the invasion of family even being there.

We did cake. And a few presents. And pictures.

We're a picture taking family.
And we took pictures that day.
Pictures of the whole family that was gathered there. Pictures of Grandmother with her children. With her grandchildren. And with her great-grandchildren.

And we imprinted the memory of another year with her.

Grandmother Winnie with 8 of her 9 great-grandchildren.

I hope she's still here in June to meet the 9th.

With her 3 granddaughters.

And with almost all her family.

Not everyone could make it.

Christmas was different this year. There's no getting around that. Life goes on and things evolve. And, that's okay. 

I know Christmas 2014 will be radically different from 2013. Which was different from 2012. And that's all good. We'll look back at year before and remember the good and great with joy. Hopefully, we'll retain a little less of the bad. 

But, yes.

It was a little different this year.

Easy Rider

So, the short one received a couple of big items from Jolly Old Saint Nick & his elves this Christmas. One was The Hummer.

The other?

The Big Boy Bike.

Oh, yes. The young lad is growing up & he'll be more than happy to let you in on that important piece of info... And prove it at the dropped a hat (sassy-ness often occurs in these demonstrations in varying levels).

Behold.... The Bike.



Trying it out for size on Christmas morning.



Posing with his mommy before taking it out for a spin.



Getting ready to take off.



And there goes the easy rider.




Yes, I know he doesn't have a helmet or any safety gear on. Sigh. Santa kinda forgot that little detail when he dropped the bike off... But when you have to assemble it, what do you expect?

Ah, well. A trip to Target is in our future......

Which will thrill the child- he loves that place. No, really. He does!


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Coming Down from the Christmas High

It's 3 days after Christmas... and my house doesn't have that "Santa's Workshop Just Puked All Over the Place" look anymore (as much. kinda)

There's still toys- everywhere. But they are slowly being beaten back into the youngling's room. (a riding Hummer and a brand new 'big boy' bike are currently parked in the front entry way... yeah, Santa didn't think the storing needs quite through on those.)

There's food as far as the eye can see. In the fridge. On the table next to me. Every counter space has some mind of food item- left over from The Big Fat Christmas Eve Celebration we have in my family every single year.

And Jacob is slowly discovering the fun to be had with his Christmas toy haul.

I love Christmas.

I love the way the whole world looks different. I love the way everything gets all gussied up and pretty. I love the smells & the sounds. And I adore the lights and the decorations.

I love that it's the one (absolute) guaranteed night of the year when my family is together under one roof. It's loud and messy and fun. And it flashes by in such a blur. This past Christmas Eve night, I spent much of the evening just trying to take it all in. To slow down and be fully in the moment.

I confess, I wasn't too successful. Without my permission, the night fled by at warp speed and I was sitting on the couch in the suddenly silent house.... amazed that another year had gone by. And, oh so thankful that it had brought my beloved family together again. And I bask in that connection. It's an amazingly  beautiful notion that a family knows where they are supposed to be- and, barring some emergency, they are there. Together.

And, every year- that becomes the best gift received.

From us to you

Merry Christmas, from me and my little Jedi to you and yours!

Christmas This Year

There was quite a bit of this....

There was thankfully, only one instance of this... where he actually put his plan into total action

There was plenty of this

several hours were spent looking at this & not getting enough of it...

seeing secrets shared between two buddies

watching a little boy have 'his' Thomas come stay at his house for Christmas

.... and go out and greet him every night when Thomas, "woke up."