and I know today is going to be a busy day. And that's ok. I'll get an early start in a bit in my dinner preparations so that if there are any changes in the day, I will still be on top of things. The only thing at this moment that may create a 'hiccup' in the day - is a grandchild coming over to do his baking. I saw he got in town last night. He had contacted me earlier in the week as to when he could come bake cookies with grandma. You know that stirred my heart. I had two of the grandsons over last Monday and it did my heart good to just hang out with them and spend time with them. I treasure each and every moment that I can. But I can also get this grandchild to help me fix dinner if it is late enough in the afternoon as it is his family that will be coming over for us to gather for Christmas giving tonight. His family opted for 'garbage' tonight so I can get it prepared this afternoon and in the refrigerator until they arrive. Then it can go into the oven to bake while unwrapping gifts. Add potatoes and a vegetable; we have dinner. And cheesecake. I am thinking I may try to ice it this morning to hide the brown top. I checked and it's a whipped cream topping... and I still have whipped cream... will see. It's the heavy whipping cream whipped up type... which requires work.
First thing this morning I need to do is run to the store and pick up butter and a couple other things. I wrote them down, but especially butter. I have margarine, but when recipes call for butter, one should use butter... and yet, I remember a time butter meant margarine. I want to go get butter.... how much you want to bet that hubby will want to 'take me out for breakfast this morning'? He sure does love to eat out. I will have to tell him 'butter first' (hopefully to beat the crowds) and then breakfast. Will see if he will offer - and if he will agree. Bet he makes me go afterwards. Or he may surprise me totally and not offer to take me to breakfast. I usually have to agree or he gets angry with me. Like I said, he does love eating out.
I have about 3 small gifts I need to wrap today... things that have just been sitting on the bed and I haven't taken the time to do them. Everything else is wrapped. Of course hubby said that he plans to do his wrapping this morning as well - or tonight. Good thing he only has my gifts to wrap. I used to tease him by standing at the door asking if he needs help.... but over the years the 'fun' of that has waned. I had actually suggested he do it yesterday, but he didn't want to get up out of his chair and watching TV so imformed me last night he decided to do it today. Whatever.
Christmas morning has usually become so busy with us getting up a little later (5AM versus 4AM) and getting our coffee, taking time to open our gifts, me fixing breakfast (usually), that we sometimes forget until later in the day to celebrate Jesus by spending time in His Word. Yes, I'm confessing. It has bothered me the past few years and this year I am taking a stand. I am going to find something for hubby to read out loud before we open our gifts, so that our day continues to be Christ-centered first. We both get up and do our quiet time daily - and first - and yet Christmas morning, we tend to put it on the back-burner. This year it will be different. I won't need to worry about the lunch group until 11AM so have plenty of time to prepare it and have it ready for when they arrive. Since the middle family won't be coming until later in the day, I won't need to put their meal on until after the youngest family leaves. It will be weird this year....only 3 in the youngest family this year as the grandchildren are at their mother's. They are to face-time us as they open their gifts so need to find out about when it will happen so we can plan on it. I will miss them being here, but they do need to also spend a holiday with their mother.
Stockings are all filled for the children and their spouses. Some things I put in are 'traditional' and I know they enjoy them. I have gotten somewhat carried away this year... even though I started early in my shopping. I always had planned to give more to my children and less to the grandchildren since they get more gifts from their parents...and parents always get less. My children are still my children... I try to limit... but sometimes I make things and then it just doesn't seem enough cause I never put a value on something I make. Not for children - but grandchildren this year.
I wonder if anyone would care if we didn't do the summer sausage, salsa, chocolate covered cherries, etc. that we 'always do'. Do they even want them anymore? Might be time for me to ask that question. I like doing the 'traditional' things started years ago... which I continued because they seemed to enjoy them. But if they don't really care or are tired of them... something I need to ask, I guess.
So looking forward to being with my family.....children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren. They will never know how much I love and miss them....until they find themselves where I am. The longing in the heart to be a part of their lives never goes away. I about 'hit bottom' last night with my longing to be with them.... but I shouldn't be sad... I have something to look forward to for starting tonight, I will get to see some. And coming a family at a time lets me enjoy each group individually.
Ah.... my thoughts have become rambles again. My neighbor wants her oranges, grapefruit, and lemons picked - I have lots of bags and will encourage everyone to go out and pick some. I did a bunch of oranges the other day and made fresh orange juice, taking a couple quarts over to my neighbor and putting some in our refrigerator. I had picked grapefruit and lemons too - and was able to give those to our housecleaners yesterday - I knew I wouldn't have time to juice those up for a few more days. And there are still a lot to pick out there!
I may not write in here tomorrow - not that anyone will have time to look anyway... so today, I want to remind you to not only celebrate your family being together to enjoy a meal together, time together, and sharing of gifts for each other, but I want to remind you to also think about the REASON we are celebrating December 25th and pause to remember that in His great love for us, God sent his One and Only Son to earth, coming in the form of a baby, born and placed in a manger. And He did it for you. And He did it for me.
Pause and thank Jesus for choosing to be born on earth... because you know what is coming in a few months.... His reason for being born.
Merry Christmas. Happy Birthday, Jesus.
