Traditions

I keep talking about the magic. I just wish it was here all year round. The holidays are sometimes difficult, yet always out of this world. I keep reverting back to childhood because Christmas was always so special. My boss didn't mean to, but she was talking about cooking all of the goodies with her daughter. It hit me all of the things my Mom used to bake during this time. I remember this one Christmas when I was a teenager I finally had a little allowance money and I bought her a Gap sweatshirt. I was so so so excited that I had spent so much and was able to get her something special. She was probably just excited that I had actually picked her out a gift and not been selfish with my money. The first year it was just Dad and I it was very difficult to know how to buy him all of the gifts. It wasn't about money, but trying to live up to that expectation of making him happy without all of the big things she could give him.

I notice these traditions. I just realized that at some homes Santa Claus brings all of the gifts. See... at my home Santa only brought the biggest and baddest the next morning after I unwrapped all the gifts from my family. Another thing... People find it strange I sent out cards with pictures. Especially since we aren't married. I guess I find it strange, too, but beats it just being me. I cannot help I don't have some cute little kids. Growing up as an only child my mother would dress me in different outfits and have me pose all around the house. I thought it was very normal. I so loved doing that. Do you want to know the tradition growing up after Christmas Eve dinner at the Stewarts? We would drive around looking at lights for a while then we'd go home and change clothes. Mom would begin playing the piano and Dad and I would sing with her. Then we read the Christmas story from the Bible then we ripped open gifts going around in a circle. WOW. How do you beat that?!!

This year as I have said before it is about making a new tradition. We will spend the Eve at Nick's parents house then come back to my place and open gifts. I don't have a piano... that's okay because the one at Dad's house is so out of tune I feel sorry for Brenda when she does play!!! It is Granny Gert's from back in the day and I am darn proud of it!!! We will spend Christmas with Steven, Ashley and the girls in Oklahoma. It will be fun to see the magic of Santa in their eyes. We will attend church with them and I really love their church.

I don't want the magic to leave or the music to stop. I guess each month we have different seasonal activities and maybe we can make those special.

I am thankful for all of my blessings God has given me. It's different to be from a small family, but it's so normal to me. My traditions are very different from each. Nick's parents both come from semi big families, yet each of those siblings has their own traditions so they choose to spend Christmas with his godfamily and now us... It seems pretty neat to me! They all take family photos after Eve dinner as Nick's dad is a professional photog on the side. It's special to them. And we know I love photos... so somehow all of our traditions intertwine... and somehow it's all God.