A Merry Christmas Season

 

The more things change, the more they stay the same! I've heard this all my life, and it's true.

When I got married and moved to Auburn, at first, and then to Camilla, Georgia, and then to Hartford -- there were many Christmases we couldn't make it to Memphis for Christmas -- especially when the girls were little and I wanted them to experience Santa at their own home.

Growing up outside of Memphis, we never traveled for Christmas. My dad's parents lived there in Memphis, and we just didn't travel then to my mom's home in Missouri. We always got to open our stockings and have Santa at home.

So I know how Casey feels wanting Kate to have the same experiences, and she should. Last year, we all went to Madison (including the grandmas) and stayed in a hotel (at least there was room at the inn, because it would have been cramped at Casey and John's small house!)

This year they're in their new house which has much more room, but we're staying here because my mom just had knee surgery and can't travel. So Casey, John and Kate will come down sometime after Christmas -- and Anna and Zach can't come because they just flew out for Thanksgiving.

So now we're entering a new phase of our lives. And I'm not complaining, but it's just different. This will be our first Christmas without at least one of the girls here. At first I was like, bah humbug! I'm getting a smaller tree and not decorating much.

But I'm not a bah humbug type of person. I love Christmas and the songs and the decorations and the movies on ABC Family! I love to turn out the lights at night and just look at the tree! It makes me happy and peaceful! I love turning in the drive coming home from work and seeing the porch lit up with the Christmas lights! And today I downloaded the Hershey song for my Blackberry ringtone! (All the guys at work cringe when it rings -- I love it!)

Several girls from work went to Christmas Reflections in DeFuniak Springs to tour their beautiful lights around the lake -- and then we had our "girls" Christmas party at Tipsy Easel in Dothan and painted, laughed and sang as we painted our funky vases!

So Stacy and I move on to another phase of our lives. We'll have brunch Christmas morning with my mom and Stacy's mom and Greg (at least I don't have to get up at 6 am!) We'll go to church and thank God for His precious gift of Jesus! Because that's what Christmas is -- a celebration of Christ. How can you not be joyful? Merry Christmas. As Tiny Tim said (and not the tiptoeing through the tulips Tiny Tim) -- God bless us all, every one!