My youngest son stopped by yesterday to pick up the Christmas gifts for his boys and he will be taking them up north today. He also will be 'returning' his granddaughter, whom he has had for the past couple of weeks. She sure is a cutie. It was watching her explore here yesterday (hubby had to leave for a haircut and she COULD roam around). And, yes, Oma let her have cookies and candy. Well, she wasn't staying with me - I could kick her energy up a bit. :-) I don't care if the boys will open their gifts today or wait until Christmas; they asked for clothes, and clothes is what they got. I also told my son that I didn't buy summer sausage this year for them..... they work at the Dollar store.... I imagine they get their own summer sausage for much cheaper than I would be paying here! The prices on even summer sausage is outrageous. We have found them at one store.... I didn't buy in hopes they will bring in the larger ones for a lot less... although when I was buying for only a few of the 'guys', I did pay as much as $15 for one... perhaps that is a tradition I need to let go of this year. Will have to give it some thought. Maybe the smaller ones are a better thought... it takes hubby months to go through one.
Our Christmas arrangements with the children have been moved around. Did I talk about this before? Sorry about that if I have. Anyway... one granddaughter wanted to change her family's time with us to earlier in the day... which is ok; it just creates realignment of some of my things. So they will be coming at 11AM on Christmas Eve so that her little family can go to her husband's grandmother's for dinner that evening. So I suggested to our youngest son if he would like to come for dinner Christmas Eve night instead of lunch on Christmas day. It works out better for him as they wouldn't be able to stay long... but since it will just be the three of them this year, I don't know how big of a problem it would be. But, with that, my Christmas Eve will be busy, and I will have Christmas morning with hubby, then I can finish up whatever I need to do for my middle child and his family, and fix a nice dinner without rushing to get everything done. It will make that Sunday a nice, restful, and relaxing day with something to look forward to - if that makes sense. Who knows what the arrangement will be the following year. (Since I've been asked to speak this week at the RV park, the person I am covering for is taking Christmas morning so I don't have to rush to 'church'!)
Making meals for my family is something that I treasure and brings me great joy. I hope their coming over never is a 'have to' situation; but a 'want to' situation. Yes, it means they have to get out (but at least it isn't in the cold and snow!) and drive over here. For some of the grandchildren, it is the ONLY time I hear from them or see them. Life goes on. But Christmas means, for me, family time and I miss being a part of their lives. I want everyone to have fond memories of Christmas together here. None of us will live forever. Memories will be all some have.
No, I'm not getting melancholy. I don't remember much about my childhood Christmases because they were always chaotic with so many kids and siblings and everyone opening gifts together. I only remember my 14th Christmas when I got my cedar chest I had begged for. And I remember our breakfast meals after we opened gifts - my mama's Fried Chicken, Ham, Biscuits and Gravy, Fruit Salad... it was all so good. I never made it back for Christmas after 1981. We moved in 1982 and never went back for that holiday. Life happens, and things changed.
Philippians 3:13-15 (NKJV): "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you."
As much as I love SOME of the memories I have of Christmas, there are some I let go of so that I can make new memories. In our early married years, I tried to bring back what I 'knew' of Christmas. That wasn't such a good idea, and God revealed to me it wasn't. I had to let go of my desires and allow each of my children to grow within their own families. Oh, but those memories I have are treasured ones! There are so many of us now, it would be totally chaotic as it was when I was growing up - and we probably had 3 times the number of people! Can you imagine how much food mother had to cook??!!
Perhaps some time in the future, a grandchild will remember coming to Grandma's house (and Grandpa's too....) and having Christmas, and I pray they will be fond memories. They are making those memories now by bringing their children to their parent's homes, to be with them for Christmas. Treasured memories. Precious memories.
Thinking ahead for this week.... I am taking a vacation day on Friday and heading to Mesa to meet up with my favorite boss! She has bought tickets for the Christmas House again this year for she and I. We will meet at the office and she will drive us to the Christmas House where we get a catered buffet breakfast, then we walk through the house and buy whatever crafts or items we want. I think this is the third year, or perhaps the fourth year, we have gone. I love spending time with her, and we have such fun finding treasures. I still remember the first mansion we walked through... one of the beds (these are mansions that the owners allow this group to place crafts throughout it) had a white bedspread on it, and at the foot of the bed was a red/white striped afghan. It looked so perfect.... and that is where I got the idea to give each of my grandchildren their own afghan last year. Not red/white, but in colors they like (I think). It was such fun to create them and I hope they have brought them memories and joy.
I'm hoping to get ideas for next year as I go through the Christmas House. As the grandchildren - and my children - have gotten older; there isn't much they need or want that I can provide.
Ok - I've rambled on enough... my thoughts are wandering so will hush. I need to 'forget' some things... and look to create new memories and fun and just cherish the moment. And you should too.
Blessings!
