The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

    The Christmas season, as for most people, is my favorite time of year. So many wonderful memories of decorating and singing carols come flooding back to me as I trim the tree or look up cookie recipes. There are many things to enjoy in this season. One of my favorite things is picking out the perfect (chubby) Christmas tree and unwrapping all of the ornaments I had forgotten about throughout the year. I have learned to cherish time spent with friends and family during the holidays. 

   Jason had the itch to make some hot chocolate this afternoon, so off he went to start up the stove and add milk and Hershey's cocoa powder for a warm wintry treat. There are still many tasks for me to finish this semester (and the impending Christmas shopping to be done), but taking a slow afternoon to enjoy having a home and some coco was the perfect choice. I hope that with all of the hustle and bustle of the season people remember to take time to sit and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.

Currently Listening: Charlie Brown Christmas Album

Thankfulness.

 

     Thankfulness is a wonderful posture of the heart. It is customary at most Thanksgiving gatherings that the question, "what are you thankful for?" comes up. There are typical answers: friends, family, spouses, etc. But I was struck this year by how valuable those responses truly are. Living nearly one thousand miles away from the rest of my family, it is understandable that I would miss them. I will be honest though--that emotion is not my gut response. Conceptually, yes, I wish I could be closer to join in on birthdays and monthly gatherings, but the past few weeks have been starkly different.
    I have not been in my momma's home in almost a year and a half. The holidays stir up all kinds of emotion and it feels like this year I have hit a peak. Maybe the stash of strong feelings are no longer kept at bay. Maybe I have had a few extra moments to think about missing family (though I am not sure that is the case because our schedule is typically pretty packed). Maybe I am just maturing and finding that family really is so precious and important. I get to spend six days at home over the Christmas holiday and even writing down those words puts a smile on my face yet draws me to tears.
    I am so thankful for my family. I am thankful for the fifteen of us who are incredibly different, yet bonded by blood and vows to spend the rest of our lives together. We are a typical bunch, with some difficult interactions, yet I look forward to each minute I will spend in their presence this holiday.

Currently Listening: Christmas music