I’ve debated back and forth whether or not to do a blog post about Christmas this year. Then I was reminded by my facebook memories that I did last year and for me personally, I like the look back. As long as I get it up by New Year’s anyway.
I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas this year!!
For me it was our first Christmas without Crystal. Overall, I kept it together, but it was really hard on my brother, understandably so. Crystal is the one who did all the Christmas shopping and decorating and all of that so he’s been pretty lost without her. I continue to pray for him and I ask you to do the same.
Usually we do Christmas morning at home, then go to my in laws then go to my Moms. This year my Mom wanted to do Christmas Eve and it worked out great. When my brother and nephew first arrived, you could just feel the heaviness of the energy. He just kept saying “she’s supposed to be here” over and over and I felt myself about to succumb to the tears too. I said a silent prayer and pushed back the tears because that’s not what I wanted this day to be. My Mom had come up with a few rounds of the “Left-Right game”. None of us had ever heard of or played it before and it turned out to be a riot! It was just what we needed to stop being sad and start laughing and smiling!! I am so grateful for that experience!!! I was even inspired to create a Pinterest board for my future holiday parties, because this game is a MUST!!!
Before Christmas I was really stressed. Because we went to Charlotte before Black Friday, and my job was cutting back overtime, it was really beginning to weigh on me just how was I going to pull Christmas off this year. DH was getting a bonus which I knew would help but it just wasn’t coming fast enough and I was beginning to lose my cool. I decided that there was just no way I was going to get it all done on a weekend, so I took the Friday before Christmas as a half day. The plan was to get a lot of shopping done that day and the weekend and I’d pull off a Christmas miracle!!!
Instead what happened was (it’s never good when it starts off with that statement), when I was skipping to my car with glee around noon on Friday, my car wouldn’t start. I’m growing because I didn’t cry or spazz, I just calmly texted DH to have him come get me. My weekend plans of shopping were now ruined and how much is this going to cost was becoming the big question. We hoped it was the battery. Nope. Of course it wouldn’t be something that easy. AutoZone suggested it may be the alternator. So I had it towed to the auto shop that I work with and was hit with the devastating news… it’s the starter. Wanna know how much that set me back? $350.
Yes, I know, my thoughts exactly.
I was devastated and at this point is when I started to break down.
At this point in my life I really should be used to things like this. So maybe that’s why they don’t phase me immediately anymore. I’m not sure. What I do know is that, everything will work out. And that you grow during the tough times. And that right before the breakthrough, comes all of the turmoil. So I’m looking at it from that point of view. Greater is coming!!!
So outside of that…we still managed to have a good Christmas. Sure I couldn’t get the kids everything I wanted or they wanted and I couldn’t really get anything for DH the way I wanted to. I still got him things and the kids really enjoyed everything they got. It was an all toys Christmas and they were happy. And although I would’ve loved to receive great things under the tree… greater is coming. And I guess my gift is the starter that DH had to pay since I was broker than a joker.
We celebrated Jesus and being together with family and I really couldn’t ask for much more than that.
As a side note…. It’s been years since I’ve wanted my DSLR and it hurt my soul so bad for it to be a TSV on QVC that Saturday after my car mishap, before we knew what was wrong and how much it would cost. They enticed me with Easy Pay and free shipping and the promise of arriving before Christmas…but because I didn’t know what the future held for my car, I had to be an adult. As we all know, sometimes being an adult effin sux. So maybe in 2016…here’s hoping.
I’m grateful for the things money can’t buy this year but I will do everything in my power to make next Christmas amazing!!
I hope you had a great Christmas!!!!
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