Bill is on his two week rotation, at Kadlec, of 24 hour shifts every other day. As it turns out, he is on his last 24 hour shift on Christmas Day. Bill will be spending his day with other women who's babies don't know what day it is and will do what they want. We will celebrate together on Christmas Eve and I'll go to the hospital Christmas Day in hopes that there isn't much going on. We have our stack of classic DVD's that we will watch and we'll enjoy our time together in Bill's 5' x 7' sleeping room. At least there's a big, new TV there. They have planned a potluck so I think it will be fine. A little different but fine.
So,..........knowing that Bill would be gone every other day,including Christmas Day, none of the kids will be home for Christmas. They have expressed concern that I have decorated for Christmas and how some of them miss the traditional decorations that they like.
This one's for the kids.
Since I wasn't going to hang all the stockings on the railing, I mentioned to Bill that I would like to get new stockings for us. We've had these for over 15 years and I made them when we had little children. I planned on hanging the stockings on the mantle and thought it would be fun to have grown up ones. Bill wouldn't have a thing to do with it. These stockings are tradition. What would it be like to have new ones? We need the ones that have the memories. So, there they are - - -old as they are but full of memories and tradition won out.
We all love a white Christmas and yesterday might have just fulfilled our desire. Abbie wanted pictures of the snow, so this ones for her.
NOW!!!!!!!! LAST BUT NOT LEAST..........I have another little girl to shop for. Baby girl Smith is coming in the next four weeks and I couldn't pass up these holiday sales to supply her with festive wear next Christmas. Can't wait to see her in them. Well, I want to enjoy the time between now and then so I'll keep my eyes open for fun things to buy in the meantime.
It's fun to have something to look forward to after Christmas. So excited for the new little girl to make her debut.
MERRY CHRISTMAS KIDS We love you. Mom and Dad
6 comments:
Oh, I'm so homesick!!! And the snow! Augh! We have snow here, but for some reason, it's not as fun as having it at home for Christmas. I miss all the decorations and the cozy feeling. Oh well! Next year! :)
Your Christmas sounds peaceful and sometimes it's good to do something different! Thanks for the nostalgia!
Great post Mom. Kind of sad seeing just your stockings hanging by the chimney. I think I am going to try my hand at making some Christmas stockings as well for our family. I don't care for the Target ones we have right now. I know how to sew... I can do it. I should take pics of Aunt Beth's house. It's so festive here and I love it. Will miss Christmas at home for sure though.
Are you planning a winter vacation this year? We have just the boys home this Christmas. R is in Cambodia with 7 other single adults working in an orphanage and then she will go to U of A to teach nursing in January. M will stay in Utah with her inlaws this year. B has another three weeks of radiation. Things are coming along. We see light at the end of this bumpy road. Merry Christmas Janet and Bill. We would love to see you.
Monico and I have had 3 different stockings since we have been together - first, some super-cheap red ones I found our first year (but after I wrote our names on them, I hated the look), some really nice-n-fluffy blue ones (to match our decor, but they fell on the heater and scorched the white collar) and now some fun non-fluffy blue ones with a Raggedy-Ann-n-Andy feel to them.
To me, my stocking will always be the smallish Red one at my parents house, which hangs each year with all the others around the mantle, whether we are there or not. My parents still use the same stockings I have only ever known, old enough to have an original puffy Mork from Ork sticker on my dad's. (I can't even remember now who or why that sticker is on there.)
In short, there is something to be said for tradition tied to memories.
Very nice post mom!! Thanks for "inviting" Leisa and I home for Christmas through this post. It was nice to see it all. We'll miss you guys over the holiday.
Lovely as usual. You have a great spot for your tree and I loved the little sign next to your nativity sets.
For being 15 years old those stockings look brand new! You take such good care of things.
I'm glad to read Abbie enjoyed the decorating I did. I probably did more than I would have if company hadn't joined me. It was fun getting ready for them but I'm still decompressing from the visit.
One upside to the decompressing is unlimited access to my office and computer. Miss Ella was either sleeping in here or on my lap when I was at the pc. Of course, I'd trade the computer time any day for time with her. She (and her parents) are terrific guests. A once-in-a-lifetime experience. We probably ate better than most as Abbie (w/Scott's and my assistance) is a creative cook.
Happy New Year!
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