Christmas....Part 1 of ?

I love Christmas.  I love the season and I especially love Christmas morning.   I want my kids to remember what I remember at Christmas....waking up to coffee bread in the oven.  Checking out the presents under the tree...but not opening them yet.  Eating a yummy breakfast and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus over a birthday cake, listening to the story of Christ's birth and talking about it and then opening gifts....one at a time.  My dad would always pass out the gifts and we would get to see each person's reaction.  Christmas gift time would last for a while...and then my brother and I would play with our new toys the rest of the day.  I remember our gifts being under the tree for the next several days as we continued on in the care-free days of Christmas vacation.

Maybe one day that will happen.  Last year was a busy Christmas. We went to 5 different houses, I believe, on the same day.  I declared then that "Christmas would be at MY house next year ".  Well...next year is here and we are "homeless".  I mean....we have a place to live (and are extremely grateful for it), but it's not "home".

Back story - Our house is sold...almost.  It was suppose to close a few days ago, but the closing has gotten pushed back to due to government being slow.  We thought it would be this Friday, but I am relinquishing that idea now.  I have no idea when our house in Naples will close...I am praying it is at least by the end of next week.   Our house north of Tampa was suppose to close next Wednesday...but that won't happen since our Naples house is still not closed (and we therefore are still carrying that debt).  At this point, I am realizing that we may not have a home for Christmas...and no matter what...Christmas won't be spent at "home" :(

I am sad...but I'm also "at peace" with it.  I understand that sometimes these things happen.  I understand that God's timing is not mine (and it's always better, even if I don't think so ;)  This will NOT be the year that the kids open their gifts under our tree after a yummy breakfast and Christmas story.  This will NOT be the year I host Christmas dinner.  This will NOT be the year my kids bask in the care free week of Christmas break.  Nope...we will (Lord willing) be unpacking boxes, cleaning a house, maybe even painting.  Most of their gifts, although unwrapped, will remain unopened because there won't be a place to set them.  BUT...we are able to buy them gifts (and I admit...we went overboard as I felt like I needed to "make up" for last year). 

So...in spite of not being a home of my own this Christmas, I am grateful for the "little" Christmas-y things we have been able to do.

The kids helped their grammy decorate her Christmas tree last week.  OK, I'm gonna be honest here.  This made me so very happy and so very sad at the same time.  I LOVED how much fun they were having, but I saw (and heard) them making memories decorating "Grammy's Christmas" tree...not our family Christmas tree.  So....while, again, I am so thankful they had the opportunity, I was bummed it wasn't in our own house.  I think the kids will remember this year.

We have attended several community Christmas walks (where I forced myself to wear a sweater in the "cool" mid 70s temperatures).  We had fun eating junk, listening to music, watching terrible dancers and enjoying time together. I know we will attend another Christmas event or two and drive through Victoria Park,  the famous neighborhood with it's amazing lights display.  I am bummed we missed the tree lighting and Christmas party in the neighborhood we hope to live in.

Our plan is to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my parents, and Christmas afternoon with Jeremy's family.  We are hoping to then go "home"...but, we may not yet have a home...we will have to wait a few more days to find out.

So...we are making the most of the Christmas Season, although it's not the one I had planned a year ago.  I am happy Jeremy is out of his old job and is very much enjoying his new job.  I am glad the "job stress" has been lifted from our family (only to be replaced with "house stress"...which will hopefully be over soon).  I am thankful we have had a safe and comfy place to rest our heads and a garage and a half to store our stuff.  I am trying to wait patiently for our next place...praying for our house here to sell, and our home "up there" to buy.  We are missing daddy while he is working up north all week, and enjoying the time we get with him on the weekends. 

I have "let go" of Christmas this year...with all the ideas and dreams I bring a long with it, and I'm ready to "wing it" next week...thankful for my little family of 5 and our gracious parents and extended family.  It WILL be a good Christmas :)