The Days After...

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How was your Christmas? Mine was better than expected. It started off by appreciating that I had managed to buy and give the gifts I wanted to without malls and without fuss. I did the best I could and I felt good about all of it.

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Not all of the gifts I gave or received were tangible or material or gift wrapped. Some were simply kind acts, experiences, some were cards or messages I put together with my own hand, others were the best of all: time.

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My Christmas officially began Christmas Eve. Our friends arrived and we had the most wonderful dinner: first cheese fondue with french bread, and then fondue again, this time shrimp, chicken, steak, each piece dipped in either chili sauce or sour cream with curry, or soy. And a salad with Great Nama's balsamic dressing (the secret is the salt). Yum!

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There is snow on the ground here and it is cold. But the sun is here too. And look at this moss on my walkway. I love moss.

Our friends stayed over night and the next morning other friends came over too and we all had a fine breakfast together. JB and I were totally behind the 8 ball wrapping gifts and we really had no time because we were joining my mother for Christmas Lunch at her rest home and Jessica and her family were due to arrive at 2 PM. Yikes!
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But my friend Marsha sat with me and we somehow managed to get everything wrapped. I have the best friends. I've said it before and it's so totally true.



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I wish I had brought my camera to the Rest Home. It was amazing. There are 30 residents there, my Mom included. Each has her/his own room and the food is home cooked and served family style. Guests are invited at all times and there is no charge.
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The menu was turkey with all the fixings and baked stuffed shrimp. My Jessica had asked for baked stuffed shrimp to be on our menu Christmas Night and I had bought jumbo shrimp to oblige. But I've never made this before, and time was going to be tight.
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I asked the Rest Home if I could buy some of the already made shrimp because there was a ton of it. Instead, they wrapped up a dozen for me and said "merry Christmas'. That was another of my special gifts this year.







My family and I began our celebration on Christmas day and it extended until the next day.

I totally love it when Jess and Mike and Mr. Ryan and Baby Drew are here with JB and me.
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It is the most special time.
. JB & my Mom

Ryan loved his presents, he actually calmly opened one at a time. He slept with JB and me that night, on the floor for the first time in a sleeping bag and not a pack and play, along with the two dogs--a real slumber party. He woke us up at 5 am, and I have not recovered yet, having had too little sleep for several nights before.
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But was it all worth it. We are a family who
enjoys being together. We opened presents,
played with the kids, had a grown up meal Christmas night when the boys were sleepily in bed.

Seeing Jess and my Mother together almost always brings me to tears. They love one another so totally. Jess and I headed over to the Rest Home the next morning, without the kids, so she and my Mom could just spend time together.




Ryan got these sunglasses for Christmas. He thinks he is very cool with them on, but what he cared most about was going to the window with them on to see how things looked outside. It was too grey a day to satisfy his curiosity, so we used his flashlight, which worked just fine.


And baby Drew: now eight months old, laid back and charming. He smiles almost all the time. And he crawls--man, does he crawl.

I am on vacation for all of next week. JB and I have already to planned to see three movies; along with Marsha we're going to Mohegan Sun in Connecticut to play the slot machines (a near orgasmic experience for me, even though I almost always lose); we'll celebrate the holiday with our sister friend Liz.

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And it seems we will have some good friends here for New Year's Eve. We will do a gourmet pot luck of sorts so the food will be fantastic and we will laugh our heads off into the wee hours.

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I still find myself saying that I've missed someone this holiday, and it's likely that's the way it will continue to be, but I make a practice to send a quiet hello and healing wishes in my prayers each morning. That comforts me somehow. And compared to last Christmas--I know I am so much better than I was then.

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One last thing: one of the most special parts of this holiday season, without doubt, is the connections I have made through blogging. I've received and shared cards and gifts and special well wishes and each has contributed to my holidays in the most wonderful ways.

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And 2010? Here's hoping....