Seasonal Sentiments

If you're bone-tired from a day filled with festivities this Christmas, count your blessings, momma.  If you're home is a wreck and wrapping paper still litters your floor, look at it lovingly and smile.  And if your babies are drifting off to dreamland after a day of joy, linger a bit in their doorway tonight.  Kiss them extra tonight and tuck this memory away.

Soak it up, for it so quickly fades.

From a momma who remembers those moments misty-eyed, Christmas changes as they grow.

Our little house has felt extra big the past few days.  Just the three of us, Noah on the heels of sixteen.  Holiday plans spread out through the course of several days so no big crowds to go and see today.

The magic of the season is somewhat harder to hold, when the mystery has gone.  No more platters of cookies left for Santa.  Early morning squeals replaced with sleeping in.

Even Noah has realized this.  Our past three holidays, he's commented how different things feel.

"It just doesn't seem like"....  he will say as each one falls on the calendar.

The other night in the car he shared, "I guess it's because I'm growing up."

And this momma had to work extra hard to choke back the tears that followed.

Change is inevitable.  You can't bottle the little and push pause on life.  Babies grow.  And some leave this world too soon.  Futures envisioned don't always arrive the way you imagined.

Being a mom big on tradition, the changes have been difficult to swallow this year.  As I write, alone in this big bed, it dawns on me I've never spent a Christmas night apart from my husband.  But jobs change and duty calls.

Today wasn't anything like usual.  Instead of a big country breakfast from years past, I had a donut stick from my stocking.  We visited Tim's side of the family, which was nice, but I still missed mine.  I imagined June smiling down, seeing all her boys together though.  Instead of lingering for a visit, we returned quickly home so Tim could sleep a bit before work.

It was a treat that our nephew came back with us and hung with Noah all evening.  They played pool and Xbox, as if they were little again.  He leaves for basic training Sunday, so I'm extra grateful for the time they shared.  The cousins then all went out for a movie, leaving me home alone.  I decided to clean and nap with my sleeping hubby.  We then shared leftover pizza for our Christmas dinner.

Anything but normal.  Yet, it is where we are at this time in our lives.  Life finds you at various stages.  Some you expect, some come as a surprise.  And some surprise you even though they should be expected.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19

Not our typical Christmas but thankful still.  We have each other, our health, a warm roof over our heads, and most importantly the joy of the Lord in our hearts!