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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Christmas Past & Present

For the past three years I haven't spent Christmas day with my family because we have a rotating holiday schedule. The first year Scottie and I were married it was my families year for Thanksgiving which meant that we would spend Christmas with his family. Now let me tell you, I love Scott's family. They are so sweet and always make me feel welcome and part of the family but I am SUCH a home girl that it was really hard for me to spend my first Christmas away from home. In fact it was so hard for me that when I went to say bye to my family before we headed for Scott's home town, I was extremely late getting home which made us late getting to Scott's house. That's another story for another time though.

The next year my sister had a baby boy on December 29th. Since she lived in Indiana my family went out to be there for the big arrival. Plane tickets were a little pricey during the holidays so we went out for his baby blessing instead and therefore didn't have Christmas with my family...again. Not wanting to be alone for Christmas, we went down to Scott's family's again for Christmas. For some reason we decided to come back Christmas night. Usually my family has a big dinner and we open presents, decorate gingerbread houses and enjoy each others company while listening to Christmas music etc. Since the plan wasn't to come home Christmas day, just spur of the moment, we came home to our cold, lonely town home with no food to make for a nice dinner and no family to spend it with. In my attempt to make this Christmas special for just the two of us, I decided to go to the store and get some ingredients to make a small dinner for two. My mom usually makes a ham and funeral potatoes on Christmas Day so that's what I set out to do. I went to three stores before I found one that was open. Albertsons. I was so grateful that they were open but I felt bad that people were away from their families on Christmas night to sell food to a lonely girl like me. When I walked up to the door I saw an employee walking towards the door to hurry and lock it before I could get to it. I was frustrated since she obviously saw me coming and even more upset when I got her attention and asked her if they were closed. The sign on the door said that they closed at 6:30 and it was 6:10. She said that the manager wanted her to lock it and not let anyone else in. I was so frustrated that she was turning me away! I told her that the sign said they closed at 6:30 and I would be really quick. She wouldn't let me in and I turned away and aloud myself to cry in my car at how frustrated I was. When I got to my car I saw a young man walk up to the store entrance and somehow he got in. A wink and a smile perhaps. Something I couldn't offer the girl and I was MAD!! I set out to get something to make a nice Christmas dinner but was refused and went home empty handed and shafted.

When I walked in the door, Scottie could tell I was upset and that I had been crying. I told him my frustrations about being away from my family and how I wanted to do something to make Christmas special. We decided to venture out into the cold go look at Christmas lights. By this time it was close to 11:30 and the a snow storm had picked up. I remember driving around on the icy roads and Scottie was so sweet to try and cheer me up. Unfortunately most of the houses had turned off their lights so we drove around looking at houses and imagined what it would be like to have a real house one day and the things that we wanted in a house like a wrap around porch and a big family room.

Once we got back to our town home my spirits were lifted and I was feeling much better. The wind had really picked up and it was snowing pretty hard. As we reached the gates to the entrance of our complex, we punched in the code only to find that the gate wasn't going to open for us. After several tries we grew anxious to get back home. Scottie even got out of the car, slipped through the gate and went to the other side of the exit gate and jumped in front of it since it was motion censored, hoping it would open so I could drive through. I was laughing my head off as he was jumping up and down waving his arms like a lunatic. Still nothing worked and we realized that the gate was not going to open due to the strong wind that blowing in the direction as the entrance gate pushing it shut. The only way to get back in was to have Scottie run all the way through the complex and get our other car to open the gate that would open with the direction the wind was blowing, then I would quickly drive through and head back home. Eventually we made it home and went to bed but it was a Christmas I would never forget and I still laugh about it looking back. It was a quaint humbling Christmas spent with just me and my Scottie.

The next year, because of the schedule, we spent Christmas with Scottie's family again. It was wonderful but since I'm such a home lover, it was again hard. I love being with my family. Poor Scottie. I'm sure he had no idea what he was getting into when he married me haha. So this year you may be to understand why I was quite excited to spend Christmas with my ENTIRE family. Sisters and brothers, niece and nephews, mom and dad and of course, my lover and a bun in the oven:-)


Santa Came and of course I was his helper....

(me 39 weeks prego)



My mama made her special recipe of caramel corn...


and it was devoured....



Gingerbread houses were made...



Minute to Win it games were played....







Stories were read...


Sleigh Ride piano duets were played on the piano....

Presents were opened and enjoyed...




....all but one that is.


and I finally got to have a Christmas with my family. It may be the last time we are all together for Christmas but it was something I have looked forward to for a quite a while and yes, it was a special one!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2 comments:

michellecluff said...

few things... first of all you look AMAZING! i vote that you get to populate the rest of the world because you just look so good doing it!
and 2-my dad totally makes your mom's famous caramel corn all. the. time. it's the BEST!
good luck this week! i hope you're still feeling good. can't wait to see her cute little face soon!! xoxo

The Peterson's said...

Very exciting! The last 2 years Owen and I have had our own Christmas. Last year it was just us. This year my parents came down here. It has been awhile that my whole family has gotten together! I am glad that they call came for Christmas!