Yes, I had three Christmases. Thankfully, they were not like the three Christmases in the movie with that same title. The first one was what we call our Ball Christmas. When mom died in June 2013, we promised her that we would stay close and that's what we've done. She pretty much stopped enjoying the holidays long before she died, so we revived them with a Christmas party on the first Saturday of December and a picnic on the first Saturday in June. While at the picnic, we (grandparents) draw names of the grandchildren. I have three grandchildren so I draw three names. Those are the great-nieces or great-nephews that I buy for. We all bring food and our gift for the grandchildren whose names we drew. After we socialize a bit, we have our Christmas prayer and then we eat. Then one of the males (Josh last year, Caleb this year) will play Santa and suddenly appear to give presents to all the good girls and boys. The rowdiness suddenly stops and all the kids are sitting or standing in front of Santa with halos floating above their heads and letting him know, "Santa, you're the best man in the universe!" It's wonderful family time for us that we had been missing for years.
My second Christmas was in Virginia with Ashley and the oldest grandbabies, who wouldn't be able to come in for Christmas. We drove down there and spent a longish weekend (Friday through Sunday) and had Christmas there with them. The kids loved their gifts, as did Ashley and Cody, and we loved our gifts from them, too. It was sad leaving them behind. I wish so much they lived closer and we could all have been together for Christmas.
So now for Christmas Day. Everyone got here at around 3:45 and we tried putting Lillian in her Doc McStuffin motorized car, but after she realized it really would move, she wasn't having it. She liked honking the horn and playing "around" it but she was not getting in it. She did, however, love all her other gifts. The rest of us loved ours, too. It was a wonderful evening. The food wasn't too shabby, either...even if I do say so myself. At the end of the day I was happy, feeling God's blessings, and rejoicing in the love He has for us all to have given His precious baby, born to a virgin, in order to give me everlasting life.
And now we're in the last week of 2014 and it's time for New Year's promises and resolutions. But that'll be another post. I'm still sorting it all out.
I hope anyone reading this had a blessed and merry Christmas and I hope those blessings and joy continue throughout the new year. I'm anxious to see what 2015 has to offer and even more, what I have to offer 2015.
My second Christmas was in Virginia with Ashley and the oldest grandbabies, who wouldn't be able to come in for Christmas. We drove down there and spent a longish weekend (Friday through Sunday) and had Christmas there with them. The kids loved their gifts, as did Ashley and Cody, and we loved our gifts from them, too. It was sad leaving them behind. I wish so much they lived closer and we could all have been together for Christmas.
So now for Christmas Day. Everyone got here at around 3:45 and we tried putting Lillian in her Doc McStuffin motorized car, but after she realized it really would move, she wasn't having it. She liked honking the horn and playing "around" it but she was not getting in it. She did, however, love all her other gifts. The rest of us loved ours, too. It was a wonderful evening. The food wasn't too shabby, either...even if I do say so myself. At the end of the day I was happy, feeling God's blessings, and rejoicing in the love He has for us all to have given His precious baby, born to a virgin, in order to give me everlasting life.
And now we're in the last week of 2014 and it's time for New Year's promises and resolutions. But that'll be another post. I'm still sorting it all out.
I hope anyone reading this had a blessed and merry Christmas and I hope those blessings and joy continue throughout the new year. I'm anxious to see what 2015 has to offer and even more, what I have to offer 2015.
.JPG)