Planning for Christmas

Christmas will be vastly different for my family this year.  When our kids were growing up we would meet at my Mom and Daddy's house along with my brother's family and have Christmas.  The last few years we have had Christmas dinner together at my house which I have really loved.

This year my parents are not able to travel and my son and daughter-in-law will be with her family in another city.  My brother's family with be with my sister-in-law's family.  Roger and I will be at home spending as much time as possible with our daughter (and our unborn granddaughter) and our son-in-law.  Fortunately, our son-in-law's family and we are friends so we can combine the holiday activities as much as possible.

Through the years holiday celebrations have changed.  It's like that Wayne Watson song, Watercolor Ponies, the line that says "what will we do, when it comes back to me and you."  Truthfully, families are like liquids - they change form throughout the years.  This year Christmas will be quiet for us - a little sad.

What will next year be like?  Lord willing, we will have a new granddaughter who will be 8 months old.  Our son and daughter-in-law are scheduled to be here for Christmas.  My brother and sister-in-law will have two college girls who will come home for Christmas.  Hopefully we will be able to get together for dinner.  Will my parents be with us - no one but the Lord knows.

Every year we will draw close to us whoever we can and we will celebrate the birth of Jesus.  We will give thanks for each one of our family members and for the blessings the Lord has given to our family. 

Merry Christmas to everyone, and as we shop and cook and enjoy the holiday, let us all remember the reason for the season!

The Chiffarobe

Do you have any idea what a chiffarobe is?  In the days before bedrooms had closets, there were pieces of furniture called a chiffarobe - a freestanding wardrobe similar to an armoir, but usually smaller.  One side usually had a rod to hang clothes and the other side had drawers and a mirror.

This particular one in the picture was given to my paternal grandmother and grandfather on their wedding day.  They died in the 1970s and they were in their 70s or 80s, so this piece of furniture is 100 years old.

My Daddy never cared much about antiques - having lived through the Depression, he didn't like anything old - reminded him of bad times.  So, one day he painted it white so it would match his bedroom furniture.  I told him one day I would have to pay someone to refinish it - and the day has arrived.

I brought this chiffarobe home from my parents' house this last weekend and my plan is to give it to my daughter to use in her nursery.  I will definitely have to have it refinished, but I have no doubt it will be beautiful.

A treasured heirloom passed down through my family to the next generation.  I pray that we will do the same with our faith - that we will teach the next generation about the Lord and how to live for Him.

Daddy's Girl

All my life I have been Daddy's Girl.  My Daddy is very special to me.  Yesterday I went to see him at the rehab/nursing home where he is right now and he didn't know who I was.  I am crushed to see him this way - please, Lord, call him home quickly.

IT'S A GIRL!

The first picture of my little grandaughter - isn't she cute!

Thank You, Lord, for this precious life and for Your blessings to our family.

Christmas Decorations Are Up

Everything is up except for the tree--I want a real tree this year.  I hate the mess they make, but the smell--it's worth all the clean-up.  I will trade cars with my husband and get one this week.

Tomorrow we are supposed to find out whether we are going to have a grandson or a grandaughter.  I am so excited to find out because my daughter and I will be going shopping on Saturday.  Black Friday ain't got nothin' on us!  We have already done our research and initial spotting of the items.  Just need to know the gender now.  Lock 'n' load!

This Christmas is technically my grandbaby's first Christmas although we won't get to see his face until April.  He or she is the size of a cantaloupe this week and Allison has a definite baby bump--she is so cute!  I am enjoying every moment of this precious journey with her and Justin.

Thanksgiving Day is over, but I am still giving thanks for my precious family and all the blessings the Lord has given to us.

Goodbye, Fall!

November 30 is always a traumatic day at my house.  I love pumpkins and squashes and all things Fall.  So, on November 30 when I have to take all my Fall decorations down and throw out my pumpkins, I get very sad.  There is something soothing to me about Fall decorations--whereas Christmas decorations kinda make me feel stressed.  The red, yellow, orange of Fall appeals to me much more than the glittery red of Christmas.

However, I have a self-imposed deadline to get my Christmas decorations up on December 1, so tomorrow I will be packing all the beautiful, orangey-red leaves and scarecrows and turkeys back in the boxes for another year.

Sad.

If I Don't Get Up This Morning Will This Day Still Happen?

Today my son and daughter-in-law go back home.  They have been here for 3 days.  My daughter and son-in-law have been spending a lot of time here, too, so they all can be together.  All my "chicks" were "in the nest."  Every time I am with them I get used to having them around and then my heart is torn once again when they have to leave.

They can't help this -- this is the way it is supposed to work.  The minute those precious babies are put in our arms we are supposed to be teaching them how to leave us and go out on their own.  We don't realize it at the time--that takes about 16 years.  They're always with us and we begin to take that for granted.  Then they go off to kindergarten and we are sad for about a day and then we get over it.  Then one day you wake up and they are juniors in high school and you realize that in a very short time they will be off to college.

It's downhill from there--you see them maybe once a month while they are in college (at the most) and then they get married and you see them maybe once a month.  Sometimes they move to another city and you see them twice a year if you are blessed.  Sometimes you call them on the phone and you are ok if you get their voice mail because truthfully you just wanted to hear their voice.

They should tell you when they lay that baby in your arms to treasure and cherish every single moment because the moments will not last forever.  We should be aware of this time factor-thing when we are getting up at 2:00 a.m. and changing dirty diapers and when we are walking the floor praying they will get home from the date safely.

I enjoyed my Thanksgiving with all my chicks in the nest.

 
Those moments are precious to me.  I will miss all my children a little more this week because my heart will be sore again.  But everyone has to go back to their homes, their jobs, their lives.

I guess I did my job.