It’s Christmas Eve and I’m sitting here on my couch gazing at the Christmas tree that my girls so lovingly decorated and redecorated over the past few days, sipping my Amaretto coffee and eating too many hazelnut truffles. The twinsies are both napping thankfully (doesn’t happen every day lately), and I am not feeling very motivated.
Usually, I have everything ready for our own little family gift opening, with special snacks and drinks and a few traditions that we try to do every year. I tend to set expectations for myself as to what I all need to do to make Christmas special, for myself and for my family.
But this year I told my hubby that I had decided to not have any expectations at all…whatever did happen would be a bonus. So I made a few batches of sugar-full Christmas cookies ahead of time, and then some sugar-free homemade goodies to take to my parents tomorrow (THM baking anyone?). I had also ordered presents on Amazon ahead of time (yay for being ahead on that for once in my life), so all that’s left is some last minute wrapping…
I got hubby’s gifts wrapped last night before he came home from his work trip and I must say, it’s probably the worst wrap job since I was 4 years old. At least I know he understands, gracious man that he is. How did I catch a guy like that again?
This morning I had a mom fail when the girls went downstairs to find all their Christmas presents sitting out on the coffee table in plain view, waiting for me to have wrapped them last night (I was still sleeping at this point). They excitedly grabbed their gifts and ran to show Chris, “Oh thank you daddy!! Thank you, thank you! Our presents!!”.
I’m glad they were okay with me taking the presents away (all but the puzzles so that they could have at least something to play with all day) and hiding them to wrap later. So there was that..
I still have to cut the girl’s crazy long bangs, wash their Christmas dresses for our big family Christmas celebration at my parent’s tomorrow, and make supper. Somethings just still have to be done.
But for now I sit in my comfy sweater, hair in a messy bun and no makeup, reflecting on life and how swiftly it flies by..
“Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow may never come, but we have this moment today”.
It’s still a day to enjoy the bright sunshine even though it’s -25 degrees outside, to snuggle with cute toddlers even if they’re not in matching Christmas outfits, to delight in watching them opening presents even if they’ve seen them already, and to sit with my hubby on the couch and drink hot apple cider even though there’s a big hole in our hearts.
We have so much to be thankful for, but it’s okay to have joy and sorrow existing in our hearts at the same time. This is life. Sometimes it’s just a blue Christmas.
