What a great start to a new year! We have seen Christmas miracles happen after my last post. Let's start with that first! Christmas miracle..... my son-in-law would not allow his daughter's fiance/boyfriend to particpate in anything with family, wasn't allowed over there for nearly five years now. Christmas. Fiance/boyfriend is allowed to come over to their house Christmas mornng to open gifts with the family. He is allowed over at the house now. He is allowed to participate in family activities. It's been a lot of prayers and a lot of hurt over the past five years, but my son-in-law has changed. He really has. I've seen remarkable changes in him. And I believe in answered prayers. (we may have a wedding by the end of the year at this rate!)
Christmas was really good this year. I got so many things that I wanted and needed. A grandson even surprised me with a big gift card! Totally had not expected that. Love that kid (and not for that reason)! It really seemed like a peaceful, realxing day, even with all the cooking I had to do. Cooking. That was fun for several days! How did my scheudle go?
Saturday two of the grandsons came over to bake cookies and make Christmas mice. Monday, my daughter's two came over to do their baking and Christmas mice. Tuesday was Christmas eve. One granddaughter and her fiance came over for lunch (garbage) and Christmas gifts. Dinnertime waas my aughter, son-in-law and a grandson for dinner and gifts. Christmas day hubby and I take the early morning for ourselves. Around 10:30 I think it was, my middle child comes with most of his family. We opened gifts and here is where I finally got smart. I bought a whole ham and put in oven.
I cut some off for his family and we had sadwiches (I wonder if he noticed I made potato salad jsut for him) and other things. After they left, my oldest granddaughter, hubby, and my precious granddaughter came over and we did gifts and I cut more ham off for them, and added to the menu. Lastly, the youngest came with his family around 4:30PM and we did the final gift openingt. ThenI cut up the rest of the ham, added more things to the menu, and we ate again. I think I had to run the dishwasher three times that day! The following Saturday or Sunday - I had the youngest son's group over to do their baking and Christmas mice. They all seemed to enjoy it - as I do. It sure kept me busy! Christmas is still my favorite holiday!end
New Years Day came and went and it was really hard for me. Sometimes it is hard to let go of what I treasure as important. For years I have cooked a New Years Day lunch. The past several years I have made BBQ ribs, coleslaw, and black-eyed peas. Once my children started having 'fractured' relationships, the holiday began to fall by the wayside.
My daughter still invited us over and I still did the ribs, coleslaw and black-eyed pea and took over there. This year. It was different. Son-in-law's brother and family decided to visit just before Christmas.... and didn't leave until just before New Years Day. I waited for the call from my daughter....to confirm New Years Day plans. It didn't happen.
Instead I had to bring it up in one of our phone callson December 31. Yep, the day before. I was on my way to get the ribs so I had to know how many to get... and she opted out. Didn't want company, they were all tired from the holidays and their own company (understandable). Didn't want to 'cook', just wanted to watch tv and relax.
I didn't know what to do. Of course it was ok. I completely understood. But I was feeling isolated. Hubby was delighted we weren't going anywhere and no one was coming over (although I could have forced the issue, I didn't).
So I took the stance that I have been "released" from cooking on New Years Da. Each family can do their own thing.
went ahead and cooked ribs for us and our neighbor, and we had black-eyed peas and coleslaw as well. It was just a quiet, odd, feeling for the day. I needed the rest, no doubt, but I so much love being with the grandchildren, it was disappointing for me. I told my sister if I could figure out a way, we may fly to Florida next year for New Years Day and celebrate with them. Life does go on.
January 8th marked the arrival of our 3rd great-granddaughter. She doesn't live here so we can't hold her, but she is beautiful from the photos I've seen. Of course ALL my granddaughters and great-granddaughters are beautiful. Then a week later, our 4th great-granddaughter arrived here in town. We were able to be there and got to hold this little one a couple hours after she was born. They sure do things differently now then they did when I had my children! It was so fun holding that little one and listening to all the noises she was making. I believe she gets to go home today from the hospital. I'm hoping to go over this weekend and visit for a little bit. AND hold the little one! I am a bit concerned over the immaturity of both mom and dad, but for now they are living with my youngest son and he has been through this three times.
Work has been extremely busy since the holidays and that means I am too. Guess I need to get off this break of catching up on things and get back at it. Hope that your holidays were blessed... and that you were a ....
Blessing!
