Merry Christmas and Rockin New Year
What? January? 2014? I'm still spinning. As always, our Christmas and New Year flew in a flash. Granted, one big, fun, busy, messy, wild, and unorganized flash. We we so lucky to be able to visit with both sets of parents and Grandparents this year. We spent Christmas Eve in our PJ's at my Mama's, except my sister. On that note, it is a fact, every party truly does have a pooper. jk. We laughed and ate way way too much bacon (well, maybe that was just me and Hootie) We came home and I cooked a bit and we went to see my Dad. The boys tore his house up with their scooters, classic fun. We spent that night crockpotting it up at my Nana's. We all laughed, and I led my yearly cheesy Christmas hooplah games. Jamie and I came home late and a mess. We managed to get our jammies on and wild boys in our bed just in time to help Santa deliver new bunk beds to the Ward boys. Awesome, beautiful, and pretty dern tiring. Thanks to a seriously dedicated Daddy, Santa was able to pull it off. We woke up together and Jamie and I sat in the floor as the boys handed us gifts that our loved ones that helped them buy. I got an awesome toilet bowl cleaner, and Jamie racked up with sponges!! We carted off the Old Beech Mtn. and we were able to laugh and eat at Jamie's parents'. After 45 cups of cider, and quite a bit of playdough in the carpet (sorry Mamaw) we headed back to Deep Gap.
Okay, now, despite the obvious fun and 2 day caffeine high that Jamie and I experienced, this year was really a bittersweet year. Charlie is 4, running very close to the big 5, and Hootie is a big ol undie wearing 2. Time.has.slipped.away. I took time this year to laugh a whole lot, but also cry a little. I realized this year that that is just plain ok. I cried when I tucked them in on Christmas Eve, Charlie has questioned Santa's validity, and I am afraid this is the last year.... I cried when I sat at my Mama's house and heard Paw Jimmy tell us that this was his best year yet. I cried when I hugged my Daddy and put on my coat later that day and smelled the same sweet Daddy smell he has had since I was his baby. I cried when I sat in Nana's crowded living room on the same carpet I have for 29 years and watched my boys. Missed my Paw. Cried a little worrying about my Aunt Myra's next few weeks, cried a little when I saw Jamie open up a bar of scented soap and smile ear to ear when he said, "Wow, thank you buddy. I love it!!" I am thankful God gave me the heart I have, it breaks easily, but boy it sure is over flowing with blessings.
Jamie, Charlie, Hootie, and I rocked out New Years. We bought superfab decor and made snacks and green iced cake at 11:00. We played every board game we have, and raced on the new race track 5 gabilllion times. We watched the ball drop and I got 3 New Year smootches. 3!!!
I don't make resolutions. Every day is the perfect day to make a change. If I set a resolution today, tomorrow would just bring another, and another, so I'm just open to continually striving to be more. More of a patriot for Christ, more of a support as a wife, more of an influential mother, more of a compassionate sister, daughter, niece, and friend, and maybe...um....kinda...a more organized something-or-other. All I know is, "It's a great day to be alive, I know the sun's still shining when I close my eyes."
